English National Opera’s revival of Peter Konwitschny’s production of Verdi’s La Traviata had many elements in common with the
production’s original outing in 2013 (The production was a co-production with Opera Graz, where it had debuted in 2011).
Month: February 2015
La Traviata, ENO
Idomeneo in Lyon
You might believe you could go to an opera and take in what you see at face value. But if you did that just now in Lyon you would have had no idea what was going on.
Der fliegende Holl‰nder, Royal Opera
I wonder whether we need a new way of thinking — and talking — about operatic ‘revivals’. Perhaps the term is more meaningful when it comes to works that have been dead and buried for years, before being rediscovered by subsequent generations.
IphigÈnie en Tauride in Geneva
Hopefully this brilliant new production of IphigÈnie en Tauride from the Grand ThÈ‚tre de GenËve will find its way to the new world now that Gluck’s masterpiece has been introduced to American audiences.
Tristan et Isolde in Toulouse
Tristan first appeared on the stage of the ThȂtre du Capitole in 1928, sung in French, the same language that served its 1942 production even with Wehrmacht tanks parked in front of the opera house.
Arizona Opera presents Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin
Arizona Opera presented Eugene Onegin during and 1999-2000 season
and again on February 1 of this year as part of the 2014-2015 season. In this
country Onegin is not a crowd pleaser like La BohËme or
Carmen, but its story is believable and its music melodic and
memorable. Just hum the beginning of the “Polonaise” and your friends will
know the music, if not where it comes from.
Ernst Krenek: Reisebuch aus den ˆsterreichischen Alpen, Florian Boesch, Wigmore Hall
Florian Boesch and Roger Vignoles at the Wigmore Hall in Ernst Krenek’s Reisebuch aus den ˆsterreichischen Alpen. Matthias Goerne has called Hanns Eisler’s Hollywooder Liederbuch the Winterreise of the 20th century. Boesch and Vignoles showed how Krenek’s Reisebuch is a journey of discovery into identity at an era of extreme social change. It is a parable, indeed, of modern times.
Anna Bolena at Lyric Opera of Chicago
Lyric Opera of Chicago’s new Anna Bolena, a production shared with Minnesota Opera, features a distinguished cast including several notable premieres.
San Diego Celebrates 50th Year with La BohËme
On Tuesday January 27, 2015, San Diego Opera presented Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme. It is the opera with which the company opened in 1965 and a work that the company has faithfully performed every five years since then.
A Chat with Anita Rachvelishvili
Anita Rachvelishvili recently performed the title role in Carmen broadcast by The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD. Here she drops by for a little chat with our Maria Nockin.