Erich Korngold’s Die tote Stadt comes to the Royal Opera House in January 2009. It’s the first time this production has been seen in London : it is the famed Willy Decker production from Salzburg in 2004 which did so much to restore Korngold’s status.
Month: January 2009
Pfitzner’s Palestrina at Bavarian State Opera
Writer Jens F. Laurson reports from Munich, where a new staging of Hans Pfitzner’s Palestrina opened Jan. 19 at the National Theater. The rarely-performed 1917 three-act opera stars Christopher Ventris in the title role.
Cheap Seats — The affordable art of concertgoing.
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/musical/2009/02/02/090202crmu_music_ross
Double delight hits high notes on local scene
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/01/26/operareview0126lv.html
RenÈ Pape: Gods, Kings & Demons
The first solo operatic recital from the great German bass RenÈ Pape bears a title that serves as an homage to an esteemed predecessor, George London.
AVA bewitches with Respighi
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/20090126_AVA_bewitches_with_Respighi.html
A listless ‘Tosca’ never catches fire
http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/2009/jan/26/1c26opera19340-listless-tosca-never-catches-fire/?zIndex=42937
Die Zauberflˆte from Opernhaus Z¸rich
A traditional production of Mozart and Schikaneder’s singspiel Die Zauberflˆte can go for charm, fantasy, and enjoyable camp. It can also turn trite and cloying.
Anna Netrebko: Souvenirs
The title of Anna Netrebko’s most recent recital disc apparently springs from the musical selections’ ability to prompt memories in the singer.
Dvo?·k: Kate and the Devil
On this 1955 recording of Dvo?·k’s folk-tale based comic romp Kate and the Devil, conductor Zden?k Chalaba offers a lighter, faster approach than that heard on the modern studio version Supraphon released in 1981, under conductor Ji?Ì Pinkas.