The Return of Regie, or not Regie

  The 2025 Revival

      or Why I Decided Someone Else Might Care.

I stopped blogging a few years back when I started working full time again (go figure!).I had less time
to watch opera and less time to ponder the points of less traditional opera productions. The original inspiration for this blog was all the annoying negative posts on YouTube about any production that varied from the "norm". 

I am fascinated by rethinking operas from a staging standpoint, and I love how (most) rethought productions focus not only on the singing (that's why we're here, after all) but also on the acting, the drama, the meaning. I feel this way especially when seeing an opera that's been done so many times before. I feel this way when we've seen too many hoop skirts, sausage curls, chandeliers, horns & breastplates, and bathrobes (the Nabucco productions!) 

For a few years I watched "controversies" on various Facebook groups, other blogs, and yes, still on YouTube comments. Every time I thought I'd restart the blog, I thought, "I don't really care what everyone else thinks. Why should they care what I think?" I also thought about the fact that blogs are kind of passe here in the 2020s. But my urge to share finally won out. So here we are. 

The name of this blog is a (weak) pun. The question really is are we watching a thoughtful restaging, a well-directed rethink, or just someone working out their own difficult childhood (or all three and more)? Just because Rigoletto is set in Las Vegas or Aida in Kiev or Boheme on the moon or Cosi in the 1960s doesn't necessarily make the drama less dramatic, the singing less wonderful (or awful), or the plot less moving. 

So, here we are. Welcome back. Please enjoy, and feel free to comment. I love the interaction!

Not Your Father's Traviata

Although My Dad would have liked it.

I just saw a gripping La Traviata on YouTube. The title for the post included "Poor Verdi" so you know I just had to see/hear it!!

It's not at ALL traditional—a little grimy, but very moving, I thought. There was a total of four Violettas on stage (five if you count Germont’s daughter, who was kind of another Violetta). Two singing, one dancing, and one as a child. Was Giorgio Germont really Violetta's dad or was it just symbolism of how badly well-heeled men treated lesser-born women?

It’s also slightly out of score order. It should not be one’s first exposure to the opera! But, that said, I highly recommend it to anyone who is open to new interpretations of well-known classics.

The Rush to Judgement – A Reflection Sparked by 2018 Bayreuth

An excerpt from the latest Bayreuth Lohengrin provoked critical comments from opera fans. We know there are many who are willing to criticize a production sight-unseen. Others will reserve judgement till they at least see photos or maybe a 5-minute video.

My readers know by now that I will argue that it’s not fair to pass judgement on a performance without seeing/hearing/experiencing the whole thing.

With most "non-traditional" stagings, it's very hard to grasp a production from excerpts. (Granted, this Lohengrin bit is a nice long excerpt.) Neuenfels' Lohengrin just seems gimmicky if you only see one scene, aria, or chorus; but it made sense (to me) once I watched it through. Decker's Traviata (like it or not) makes a lot more sense when you see it from start to finish, rather than just the Brindisi. And, (one of my unsung—so to speak—favorites) Richard Jones' Boheme from Bregenz (2002) kind of weirded me out until I saw the whole thing.

All we are saying is, “Give (the) Piece a Chance.”

P.S. At this moment, while writing about Lohengrin, I'm listening to a stream of Die Meistersinger, and experiencing what my granddaughter would call "cognitive dissonance" (even though I am pretty certain she's not quite sure what cognitive dissonance means!)

Only 10 More Days to Watch this NSFW Don Giovanni from La Monnaie

At least the opening bit—the film during the overture, and some of the action in the opera box (and a few other bits)—is not safe for work (NSFW). 

I try not to be a prude; but every once in a while, I channel my Mom and purse my lips and say things like, “That’s quite unnecessary!” Then I channel my Dad, who would say something like, “Well! How ’bout that?” (…meaning, “I’m not sure quite what to think!”)

As I do so often, I waited till (virtually) the last minute to watch the current production of Don Giovanni at La Monnaie; and I haven't seen all of it yet. So far, I’d say we have a wig-fest for a sex-obsessed Donna Anna (Barbara Hannnigan, who seems like an odd choice, but is quite effective.) And another freaking-out Don Giovanni with a foot fetish and some interesting oral fixations (Jean-Sébastien Bou, whom I’d love to like better, but frankly he seems maybe the weakest voice in the cast—of course Don G is often the weakest character.) And another ironic, patient, and tolerant Leporello* (Bass-baritone Andreas Wolf, sounding charmingly baritonish.)

The entire cast seems fully committed to Krzysztof Warlikowski's vision.

Don Giovanni – Jean-Sébastien Bou

Leporello – Andreas Wolf

Donna Anna – Barbara Hannigan

Donna Elvira – Rinat Shaham

Don Ottavio – Topi Lehtipuu

Zerlina – Julie Mathevet

Masetto – Jean-Luc Ballestra

Commendatore – Willard White

Choeurs de la Monnaie, Symfonieorkest van de Munt/Ludovic Morlot

Stage Director – Krzysztof Warlikowski

*This is kind of off-point, but I think Leporello and Donna Elvira are my favorite characters in this opera. I’d like to see a spin-off for them! 

Moving (if somewhat manipulative) Orphée from La Monnaie

I really want to write a full-on review of this performance. But, as so often is the case, I am not 100% sure how I feel about it. I feel manipulated; but I'm not sure I mind. 

Overlaying a new story over an established plot is not a new idea. That's what great directors (sometimes) do. While Romeo Castellucci is no Stefan Herheim, I believe he has an interesting and effective new way to approach Orphée et Eurydice. Castellucci equates Eurydice's plight to the story of Els, a young Belgian woman suffering from Locked-in Syndrome, or a pseudocoma. She is completely paralyzed, and seems comatose, but is fully aware of here surroundings; and with accommodation, she can communicate. The story of her condition and how her family has responded is quite moving; so moving that it actually threatens to overtake the opera completely at some points. 

Staged Performance of Die Winterreise with Matthias Goerne

I just took a 90-minute break from my total-Orfeo-immersion week to watch Schubert's Die Winterreise live from the Aix-en-Provence Festival on medici.tv. The cycle is performed by Matthias Goerne and Markus Hinterhäuser, and directed for stage by William Kentridge. Herr Goerne is always worth hearing (and watching). He proves once again that he is a consummate vocal artist; and with the addition of the video animation backdrop and moody lighting, his performance is particularly moving. Some of the images struck me as a little naive, but overall I thought the production was quite effective.

As I type this, Medici is regrouping for the on-demand replays, which you can probably access in the next few hours. It’ll only be available in the U.S. until July 23; they say it’ll be back November 11, but I am guessing that it’ll be for pay-for-play at that point. If you’re in Europe, I think you can continue to watch it throughout the summer. Wherever you are, do take the time to give this performance a watch/listen. 

La Monnaie's Orphee – Some Background

Photo: Bernd Uhlig

After a prompt from Lydia (definitelytheopera), I decided to look up some additional information (in English) on this new, moving production of Gluck's Orphée et Eurydice. The official videos at the La Monnaie site are apparently quite informative; but only if you understand French and/or Dutch better than I do. Thus my Anglo-centric search for more info. 

So, here is notice that appeared in early June in the KULTURKOMPASSET blog that previews the concept of the production. 

Here is an article about Locked-in Syndrome (LiS) or pseudocoma from The Brain Foundation; and an interview with LiS Survivor Richard Marsh

And here are two reviews in English: from the blog londongrip; and from the New York Times.

This is a co-production with the Weiner Festwochen, and it was seen in Vienna in May, sung in Italian. Over at The Opera Critic, you can find links to reviews (in German) of those performances, plus a few reviews (in French) of the current La Monnaie incarnation.

More About Orphée – Online Soon from La Monnaie

Opera Cake (the blogger) calls La Monnaie's new Orphée et Eurydice "simply devastating," and says we need to see in person. While OC did not reveal why (but promised a fuller review soon), I've a feeling some of it has to do with the projections (see below, and other photos at La Monnaie's site.)

Unfortunately, many of us in the U.S. can't pop over to Brussels within the next few weeks. So we won't be able see it in person. We will have get by with watching it online. And we can do that on-demand for about 20 days, starting this coming Wednesday, July 9.

© Bernd Uhlig

Orphée et Eurydice 

Christoph W. Gluck/Hector Berlioz

Orphée  Stéphanie d'Oustrac

Eurydice Sabine Devieilhe

Music direction Hervé Niquet

Staging, set design, lighting & costumes  Romeo Castellucci

Fierrabras Complete – You Know You're Curious, Go On, Check it Out

Yes this opera has its flaws—most of them dramatic. On the other hand, it has some really nice tunes, and this cast does a great job. While you're at it, you can try to suss out the reasoning behind the giant grand piano. Leave it to Claus Guth to give us something to chew while we listen to the pretty music.

You might be interested in reading my other posts about this production.

Trovatore Tuesday

Psst! Look what I found! Don't blink or you may miss it!

Peter Sellars – Two of his Classic Mozart Productions on the Tube

Nearly everyone has an opinion about Peter Sellars' productions of...well everything he's ever directed. He's been around for a while, now and he is not going away—I think his work has really matured over the years. He surfaced as an opera director with his 1990-ish films of the three great Mozart/DaPonte operas. (You might argue with the term "classic" when describing his productions. However, like them or not, they are classics of their genre.) 

I encountered these three productions when they were first broadcast on PBS. I was fascinated by Le nozze di Figaro, a bit annoyed by Cosi fan Tutte, and completely put off by Don Giovanni (I switched it off in the middle of the "Champagne Aria," finding the production icky and some of the singing unbearable.)

Now, with more life experience, more opera experience, more experience with Regietheater (although I am not sure these two really count as regie—feel free to discuss/disagree in the comments section below), and a completely different world outlook, I re-approached these operas with curiosity. The good news is that we can experiment with and form our own opinions on Mr. Sellars' Cosi and Giovanni for free on YT (for now). Thanks to the enterprising Opera Nerd for posting them!

This Magic Moment – Mozart at the Bregenzer Festspielen 2013

© Bregenzer Festspiele/Karl Forster 

David Pountney’s fantastical, gigantical Zauberflöte is on display this summer (and next) on the stage in the lake at the Bregenzer Festpielen. There is a video on Arte Live Web, but apparently it’s only available to European viewers. It keeps telling me, very politely of course, “Sie haben keine Rechte...”

However, there’s always hope that someone will make it available to all via that video-sharing website or other pirate-y sources. But in the meantime, there are a handful of video clips to tease, titillate, or tick us off. Among the fine (double and triple) cast of singers is Rainer Trost as Tamino. The lovely and talented Ana Durlovski reprises her Queen of the Night, last seen in Baden Baden; she also appeared recently as our damaged sleepwalker im Stuttgart.

And in Addition to Herheim...More Met Rumors

I love the interwebz! Intermezzo reported that Peter Gelb, in an interview for the Austrian Kurier,  said that Calixto Bieto will be directing at the Met in the near future. Likely Impossibilities picked that item up, and opined:

Why didn't he give this interview to the Times's Anthony Tommasini, who is also in Salzburg; or the New Yorker's Alex Ross, who is as well? This is quite rude to loyal Met audience members who care about these things. (While some of them will be hostile to this development, many would welcome it, and it seems bad form to talk about it behind New York's back.)

Hear, hear!! Save the good stuff for us, PG! So meanwhile, Parterre box passed the notice along, and among her reader comments were the following:

oedipe says:

“Calixto Bieto und Robert Lepage werden auch wieder an der MET inszenieren.” 

Separately or together? It may make a difference.

Ilka Saro says:

Bieito will be directing a production of Lakme, with Natalie Dessay as Nilakantha, set in a Nevada bordello. Lepage will add projections and a bunch of people walking on the ceiling.

and I says: I love an opera lover with an overdeveloped sense of whimsy!

EZ-Pass to Herheim's Meistersinger

If, like me, you are having a difficult time (particularly in the U.S) accessing this performance of Die Meistersinger at 3sat.de TV (and/or keeping it from freezing), some enterprising soul posted it You-Know-Where. Thanks to La Cieca for the tip. 

It's rumored that this production soon will be coming to the Metropolitan Opera. This announcement, in connection with the name Stefan Herheim, has already ruffled the delicate sensibilities of some regie-0-phobes. Not surprisingly, the outrage exploded before anyone has heard much about the actual production, much less actually seen and heard it. What I’ve seen so far doesn’t look nearly as freaky as, say, Herheim’s Parsifal or La Boheme; in general, I find Herheim's Personenregie thorough and convincing; so far so good, here. 

Act 1

Tiny Tidbits of Troubling Tannhäuser – News Clips of the Cancelled Opera

Finally! A glimpse of the terrifying, troubling Tannhäuser from Dusseldorf; unfortunately these are really, really brief TV-news items (less than a minute each.) Still, it's better than nothing! At least we get to see a tiny bit of what was so shocking to the Germans. But I still think it's wrong to condemn it before seeing a bit more of the production!

Sunday Brunch – Mozart: Idomeneo: Andrò rammingo, e solo

Salzburg 2006: Visually, this M22 production may seem a bit bizarre, but with these wonderful singers—Magdalena Kozena, Ekaterina Siurinas, Anja Harteros, and Ramón Vargas—and Sir Roger Norrington on the podium, there is musical magic. The whole production is wonderful. (Text and translation are below.)

What do Victor Hugo and Arte LiveWeb Have in Common?

This summer you can see two Victor Hugo-based operas at Arte LiveWeb:

Robert Carsen's production of Verdi's Rigoletto from the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence

Guy Joosten's production of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia from La Monnaie

M. Hugo was such a cheerful fellow, n'est pas?

The Plot is Thicker than Water – La Sonnambula at Staatsoper Stuttgart

Act 1

We’ve already discussed the lack of drama inherent in this opera libretto (isn’t that nicer than calling it “stupid”?) and I think that any literal stage interpretation of La Sonnambula cannot be much more than a pretty evening of singing (provided the singers are good.)

It’s interesting how the directors have changed this from a fluffy plot to something quite tragic (though with comic elements) without changing or really being untrue to the text. In some scenes and arias, Amina’s happy lyrics come out as ironic, and in the end she is totally unhinged. Her wild coloratura makes a dramatic statement, with some of her brilliant outbursts coming out more as screams* (particularly at the end of the finale. It's a scream, but it's brilliant and musical.) 

Trovatore on the Tube (at least Temporarily) – Harteros & Kaufmann

I have an ongoing love/hate relationship with U-toob. 

This week it’s love: JDD’s Master Classes on Wednesday, La Donna del Lago with JDD and JDF on Thursday and this gem on Friday night! 

Watch the new Bayerische Staatsoper production of Il Trovatore as soon as you can. (There are no subtitles, but it's easy enough to find a libretto to follow, if you don't already know it by heart.)

Gratuitous Friday-Plus – La Donna del Lago with JDD & JDF!

Look what I found at YT: It's probably for a limited time only, and it has no subtitles, but it's a great way to tide us over till the DVD (please, please, please) comes out. 

I haven't been able to track down a (free) English translation, but here is a synopsis, and the Italian libretto, which should help in keeping track of what's going on. At least now I know how I'll be spending part of my weekend.