From the San Francisco Opera 1989: Samuel Ramey’s powerful bass voice and compelling stage presence make him unforgettable in the demonic title role of Boito’s version of the Faust legend, a jewel of the nineteenth-century repertoire. Robert Carsen’s sumptuous production, steeped in a vivid and timeless symbolism, “breathes a sensitivity to the music and to Boito’s intentions that is rare on the operatic stage” (New York Times). Dennis O’Neill sings Faust, with Gabriela Benacková as Margherita. (Sung in Italian)
Salzburg Festival 2024: Jedermann
There is no Salzburg Festival without Jedermann. Ever since its first performance at the festival in 1920, the morality play by Austrian playwright and festival co-founder Hugo von Hofmannsthal has been a permanent fixture of the Salzburg Festival every summer. Looking back at this storied legacy, staging Jedermann in Salzburg
is no easy feat. In this production, Canadian director Robert Carsen takes on the challenge by focusing first and foremost on the essentials of the work: “Robert Carsen has stripped away all the scaffolding to let the text speak for itself. A conservative production in the best sense of the word” (FAZ). The chance to portray Jedermann on the cathedral square stage is an honour – Philipp Hochmair, already successful with his touring one man show “Jedermann Reloaded” is “convincing” (NYT) in the role and “radiates extraordinary intensity with his striking language” (Die Presse).
Platée
Jean-Jacques Rousseau hailed “Platée” as “the best musical play ever to be heard in our theatres.” In Robert Carsen’s production, the mythological events take place in the world of Parisian haute couture and Jupiter is portrayed as the fashion god Karl Lagerfeld (1933-2019) – who has now really been transferred up to Olympus. This ingeniously apt transposition of this satirical opera into the modern day has long been a hit! The renowned specialist in baroque music, William Christie, conducts his Les Arts Florissants, the Arnold Schoenberg Chor and a fantastic cast. “A candy-coloured baroque dream” Salzburger Nachrichten // “A must-see – and not only for fashion freaks!” Bühne