Deep in the German forest, dark forces stir. Weber’s masterpiece Der Freischütz opened a new and spine-tingling chapter in 19th-century opera, and with its hunting choruses and gothic atmosphere, this tale of a young huntsman ensnared by demonic forces remains one of the great operatic thrillers. It’s natural territory for a conductor with Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s sense of history (and of colour), and Ruth Berghaus’s powerful modernist re-imagining was one of the highlights of his long creative relationship with Opernhaus Zürich. Swedish soprano Inga Nielsen (Agathe) and the great German tenor Peter Seiffert (Max) head a world-beating cast in this performance from 1999.
The Prokofiev Marathon
This suite of five concerts at Munich’s Philharmonic Hall performed by the Münchner Philharmoniker, the Mariinsky Orchestra and several soloists, forms part of the MPhil 360° Festival. The MPhil 360° Festival is a new festival which marks the beginning of Valery Gergiev’s collaboration with the Münchner Philharmoniker. Core of the program of the festival’s first edition are the five piano concertos of Prokofiev who enter into a dialogue with history and modern age. All of Prokofiev’s piano concertos are complemented by works of the German musical literature. PROGRAM Prokofiev: Piano Concerto No. 2, von Weber: “Invitation to the Dance” arr. for orchestra by Hector Berlioz
Der Freischütz
Christian Räth’s inspired staging of Der Freischütz, Weber’s seminal Romantic opera, at the Haus am Ring stands out due to the bold set and costume design by Gary McCann. To win Agathe’s hand, the young assistant forester Max has to pass a test of skill in marksmanship. The desperate lover, in order to win the shooting contest, resorts to the use
of magic bullets. With his “magnificent Heldentenor”, Andreas Schager offers “a convincing portrait” and Camilla Nylund’s Agathe arias are “captivating poetry” (Kleine Zeitung Steiermark).
Der Freischütz
Axel Köhler’s production of Der Freischütz at the Dresden State Opera was described by Die Presse as “a minor miracle in Dresden”. In the words of the Salzburger Nachrichten, Köhler “scored a bulleye” with his sombre and satanic interpretation of Weber’s Romantic opera about love, temptation, souls sold to the Devil, obsession andfaith. According to the Financial Times, Christian Thielemann and the Dresden Staatskapelle conjured up a sense of “mortal terror from the orchestra pit. […] Thielemann is in command of every detail. That makes for utterly gripping listening.”
Der Freischütz
“I am trying,” says director Vicco von Bülow, also known as Loriot, “to take this opera very seriously and to show all its horror, mystery, piousness and the German forest.” Germany’s most refinedly witty comedian staged “Der Freischütz” in 1988 at the Ludwigsburg Festival. Von Bülow considers the work “a mixture of comedy, drama, romanticism and deep religiousness.” Comedy, however, was not the guiding principle of his production. He relates the story like a tale from some romantic picture- book, in a mysterious, symbolic manner. The stars of the performance were, next to the splendid sets reminiscent at times of the paintings of Caspar David Friedrich, the excellent singers and brilliant orchestra conducted by Wolfgang Gönnenwein. Among the singers, the most highly applauded were Uwe Heilmannn as Max, Ulrike Sonntag as Ännchen and Nancy Johnson as Agathe.
Der Freischütz
Axel Köhler’s production of Der Freischütz at the Dresden State Opera was described by Die Presse as “a minor miracle in Dresden”. In the words of the Salzburger Nachrichten, Köhler “scored a bulleye” with his sombre and satanic interpretation of Weber’s Romantic opera about love, temptation, souls sold to the Devil, obsession and faith. According to the Financial Times, Christian Thielemann and the Dresden Staatskapelle conjured up a sense of “mortal terror from the orchestra pit. […] Thielemann is in command of every detail. That makes for utterly gripping listening.”
Der Freischütz
“Bull’s eye,” Carl Maria von Weber triumphantly wrote to his librettist Friedrich Kind after the enthusiastically received world premiere of Der Freischütz in 1821 in Berlin. With its emotional and gripping music, it soon became the epitome of German Romantic opera. As one of the most popular operas in the German-speaking world, Der Freischütz has now been staged on the Seebühne for the first time under the lead of director and stage designer Philipp Stölzl and conductor-in-residence Enrique Mazzola. The two teamed up again in Bregenz following their phenomenal success with Verdi’s Rigoletto. “The staging is overwhelming” (Süddeutsche Zeitung). “A small theatre miracle is taking place in Bregenz” (Der Tagesspiegel).
Der Freischütz
Christian Räth’s inspired staging of Der Freischütz, Weber’s seminal Romantic opera, at the Haus am Ring stands out due to the bold set and costume design by Gary McCann. It was “a festival of singers, that the young conductor Tomas Netopil underscored with the State Opera Orchestra with warmth. Andreas Schager, the immense Heldentenor, as Max, Camilla Nylund as the touching Agathe – a magnificent pair. The other roles were also well cast … “ (Salzburger Nachrichten)
Der Freischütz
Axel Köhler’s production of Der Freischütz at the Dresden State Opera was described by Die Presse as “a minor miracle in Dresden”. In the words of the Salzburger Nachrichten, Köhler “scored a bulleye” with his sombre and satanic interpretation of Weber’s Romantic opera about love, temptation, souls sold to the Devil, obsession andfaith. According to the Financial Times, Christian Thielemann and the Dresden Staatskapelle conjured up a sense of “mortal terror from the orchestra pit. […] Thielemann is in command of every detail. That makes for utterly gripping listening.”
Mass No. 1 (Missa Sancta)
This performance of Weber’s Missa Sancta No. 1 in E flat was recorded live from the baroque monastery at Waldsassen in Bavaria.