3sat Television Online – Salzburg's Seasons and Mastersingers

Dorothea Röschmann and Michael Schade 

I was watching Haydn's The Seasons from Salzburg again. It is an über-Austrian wonder of music making, with Nickolaus Harnoncourt, Dorothea Röschmann, Michael Schade, and Florian Boesch fronting the Viennese chorus and Philharmonic. Papa Haydn would be proud! The oratorio is a hymn of praise to God and nature. The libretto is kind of hokey—maybe naïve would be a nicer way to say it—but the three soloists give it their all.

Unfortunately, the 3sat Television feed kept freezing. The good thing is the screen-cap above. When the feed froze on this image, I just knew I had to share it—two singers who love what they’re doing, and seem to love singing together. Here is the link to the Seasons feed.

Ariadne Auf Naxos – Zürich 2006 (Part 3: More Questions than Answers)

When the curtain opens on the “Opera” proper, we are in a replica of an actual Zurich restaurant.

• Are we literally in the restaurant, or is this the set for the Opera?

• Do we feel sad for Ariadne’s plight, or do we admire the Prima Donna’s artistry?

• Are we supposed to know that the servers are the comedians and nymphs? Is that part of the Opera or is it "opera"?

• The nymphs later are patrons in the restaurant. Is this literal, or are we supposed to understand this as part of the theatrical experience?

• The comedians each play three roles in the Opera (or opera.) Do we take note of this, or are we not supposed to realize they are the same people?

• It's played very realistically. but just how literally are we supposed to be taking this restaurant scene?

Ariadne Auf Naxos – Zürich 2006 (Part 1: Is this the real life?)

 “Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? 

Caught in a landslide, No escape from reality…”

- Queen, Bohemian Rhapsody

I keep trying to write my review of the 2006 Zürich Opera performance of Ariadne auf Naxos (staged by Claus Guth). But my notes continue to be no more than a series of questions. Questions are good, but I am not sure a list of questions actually constitues a review. Though now that I think if it, that could be a great new approach...or not.