An unlikely but adept English-language vocal stylist, Cecilia Bartoli, led the cast of a revival of the 2007 Zurich staging of Handel’s Semele, transferred to the Theater an der Wien for a short run. Director Robert Carsen takes an occasional liberty: Juno and Jupiter emerge as British royals, for instance, she a wellie-wearer and devotee of the low tabloids. Yet disbelief is gladly suspended, and kept there, a rare credit these days. Read more »
Conductor Franz Welser-Moest (not pictured) has backed out of two performances of Die Fledermaus at the Zurich Opera, complaining that he was “unhappy” with the staging by Michael Sturminger. One innovation in this production is the inclusion of several vampires among Orlovsky’s retinue, which of course means that good old Frosch has lots of funny business with crosses and garlic and stuff. Other than this bit of whimsy, the show seems not to be up to much: according to the Wiener Zeitung, “Charme, Erotik und das Doppelbödige sind der Königin der Operetten restlos ausgetrieben.”
The performances Welser-Moest has canceled, May 17 and June 20, are scheduled to be videotaped for future DVD release with Ralf Weikert filling in as conductor. Welser-Moest will become music director of the Vienna State Opera beginning in the 2010-11 season. [via International Herald Tribune]
From the Vienna State Opera in January 1988, the first part of the Rossini opera you, cher public, chose: Il viaggio a Reims. Among the all-star cast in this episode of Unnatural Acts of Opera: Read more »
Deborah Voigt has officially “postponed” her role debut (“ihr Rollendebüt zu verschieben”) as Brünnhilde in Siegfried, originally scheduled for April of this year at the Vienna State Opera. Serving as Aufspringerin Einspringerin will be Nina Stemme. Frau Voigt returns to Vienna in November 2008 as Salome and joins the company on their Japangastspiel for Fidelio.
Cher Public