Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826)
Into the Woods but Leaving Hidden Meanings Behind
By BERNARD HOLLAND [NY Times, 8 June 05]
If Carl Maria von Weber never quite made it into the grand procession of Romantic giants, he left behind an opera of indestructible charm. “Der Freischütz,” which Eve Queler’s Opera Orchestra of New York undertook on Monday night at Carnegie Hall, is first of all a darling of historians – a musicological ground zero for the German musical theater.
The language, the mythic forest settings, the magic and the demonry put Italian style behind them and looked out toward Wagner. Germans have loved “Der Freischütz” patriotically since 1821. Everyone else has loved it for its pureness of heart.
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A thriller almost hits its target
BY MARION LIGNANA ROSENBERG [Newsday, 9 June 05]
Reviled by some for her bland conducting and for the hokey singer-worship that reigns at Opera Orchestra of New York concerts, maestra Eve Queler nonetheless gallantly serves musical New York. She tends to nooks of the repertory – French grand opera, pre- and post-Verdi Italian opera – often neglected by our larger companies. She has a keen ear for up-and-coming talent and a flair for casting established artists in smashing new roles: Aprile Millo’s poignant Minnie in last fall’s “La Fanciulla del West,” for example.
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