“A soothing love potion for the ears and eyes that you’ll want to sip again and again.” (onlinemerker.de) In his iconic production of L’elisir d’amore for the Wiener Staatsoper, legendary director Otto Schenk works with a great attention to detail. Together with his congenial set designer Jürgen Rose, they bathe the stage in a warm, southern light and create a Mediterranean flair. Bogdan Volkov in the role of Nemorino “is not only an outstanding singer with a bright, ingratiating tenor voice, finely audible in his parade aria “Una furtiva Lacrima”, but also a pleasure to perform”. Maria Nazarova “is an enchanting and charming Adina and captivates with her crystal-clear soprano, sparkling coloratura and some inlaid high notes.” (onlinemerker.de)
The Cunning Little Vixen
After quarter of a century, legendary director Otto Schenk returns to the Wiener Staatsoper to stage Leoš Janácek’s musical fairy tale The Cunning Little Vixen, conducted by Tomáš Netopil. Although the opera premiered in 1924, it took more than 90 years for The Cunning Little Vixen to enter the stage of the magnificent Wiener Staatsoper. To celebrate the fact that the work is heard at the house on the Ring for the very first time, none other than Austrian theatre luminary Otto Schenk devotes himself to staging the adventures of the clever fox and accompanying wildlife. Otto Schenk’s take on Janácek’s opera leaves nothing to be desired: “A triumph!” (Kronen Zeitung). “Tremendous applause for Schenk, the living legend!” (Wiener Zeitung).
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Wagner’s ‘Meistersinger’ is a festive opera in its own right, but at the reprise of the work at the Vienna State Opera in January 2008, the festive spirit literally leapt out into the audience as well. Vienna’s dailies exploded with praise such as ‘A feast of singers’ (Der Standard), ‘A feast … grandiose’ (Die Presse) and ‘Nearly six hours of pure enjoyment’ (Kurier). The plaudits applied to all the singers, from Hans Sachs to the night watchman, as well as to the chorus and orchestra. Among the vocal surprises of this live recording is Adrian Eröd as Beckmesser, a fully fleshed-out character whose every gesture and every note reflects a well-rounded concept of the usually unsympathetic role of the critic. As Walther von Stolzing, Johan Botha is pure tenor gold, whose impressive reserves of strength allow him to sing brilliantly and effortlessly throughout the work.