Considered one of Verdi’s most challenging works, Don Carlos gets the royal treatment in this production at the Salzburg Festival directed by Herbert von Karajan. Verdi’s opera demands soloists of incredible technical ability who are also capable of communicating their character’s struggles with exceptional expressiveness. Inspired by Schiller’s eponymous historical tragedy, Don Carlos explores the conflicts between 16th-century European society and the heavy-handed political influence of the Catholic Church, as well as the roles of liberty and religion in the life of modern man.
Don Giovanni
In 1987, Herbert von Karajan conducted a historic production of Don Giovanni at the Salzburg Festival featuring an artistic team considered to this day to be one of best to have ever brought the opera to life: Samuel Ramey, Benny Goodman, Gösta Winbergh, Paata Burchuladze, Julia Varady, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Alexander Malta, and Kathleen Battle. The virtuosic soloists are supported by one of the greatest artistic partnerships of the 20th century: maestro Karajan and the Wiener Philharmoniker!
Falstaff
When Carlo Maria Giulini returned to conducting public performances of opera after an absence of fourteen years, he chose for the occasion one of the enduring comic masterpieces – Verdi’s Falstaff. The composer was almost eighty when he broke the six-year silence following the premiere of Otello, and startled the musical world by revealing his complete mastery of comic invention. It is true that much of the success for this consummate work of genius is due to a libretto of extraordinary brilliance by Arrigo Boito, who took the substance of the piece from The Merry Wives of Windsor and Henry IV, but nothing can detract from Verdi’s capacity for matching it with music of real wit and humour. Renato Bruson, the renowned interpreter of Verdi and one of the leading lyric baritones of the day, sings the title role. Katia Ricciarelli leads the trio of merry wives with Lucia Valentini-Terrani as Mistress Quickly and Brenda Boozer as Meg Page. Leo Nucci sings the role of Ford and the young lovers are here portrayed by Dalmacio Gonzalez and Barbara Hendricks. Stunning designs by Hayden Griffen and Michael Stennett provide the perfect setting for this witty interpretation of Shakespeare’s masterpiece.
Rigoletto
The live recording of Giuseppe Verdi‘s “Rigoletto” from Opernhaus Zürich presents the thrilling and dramaturgically highly precise production by stage director Tatjana Gürbaca: The chosen “Director of the Year 2013” by Opernwelt succeeded in producing a scenically reduced as well as expressively poetic production. Acclaimed by press and public alike, the scenic approach is matched by the musical expertise of Fabio Luisi: The general music director of the Opernhaus Zürich and one of the leading interpreters of Italy’s opera repertory conducts the Philharmonia Zurich and outstanding lead soloists George Petean as Rigoletto, Aleksandra Kurzak as Gilda and Saimir Pirgu as the Duke.
Luisa Miller – Dynamic
Recording of a live performance at Teatro La Fenice, Venice. Darina Takova brings a warm rounded tone to Luisa, and negotiates both the character’s tenderness and passion with dramatic conviction and persuasive musicality. Giuseppe Sabbatini’s Rodolfo makes a strong match for Takova, with a secure, colorful tenor and a dramatically compelling presence. As Walter and Wurm, baritone Alexander Vinogradov and bass Artjun Kotchinian create thrillingly villainous characters with their dark, powerful voices. Mezzo Ursula Ferri sings with richness and depth as Federica. The orchestra and chorus, led by Maurizio Benini, perform with real urgency, and Benini’s flexible tempos drive the tragedy inexorably toward its devastating climax.
La Cambiale di matrimonio
Created by Luigi Squarzina and revived by Giovanno Scandella, with scenes and costumes by Giovanni Agostinacci, this Pesaro production can count on a cast with well-established singers.
Roberto Devereux – Dynamic
Tragedia Lirica in three acts, Libretto by Salvadore Cammarano
La Vedova Scaltra
Wolf-Ferrari wrotes La vedova scaltra as pure amusement, a portrayal of fine intrigue that is, in itself, without any idealistic echoes, following the uncritical line of eighteenth-century comedy – nostalgia for a civilization with ancient roots, which the musician still felt he was part of.
Der Rosenkavalier
When Strauss and Hofmannsthal wrote «Der Rosenkavalier» – setting it in an imaginary Rococo Vienna and yet closely linked to the decadent fin de siècle – they created a profound social comedy. It is not without melancholy that the Marschallin lets her young lover Octavian go when he falls head over heels with Sophie, who hails from Faninal’s bourgeois household. As voluptuous as Strauss’ score is, it contains tender moments of dream and melancholy. Director Lydia Steier stages Strauss’ opera according to an aesthetic concept by Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein. Diana Damrau sings the Marschallin. Joana Mallwitz conducts the Orchester der Oper Zürich.
Das Rheingold
The Zurich Opera’s production of Das Rheingold, directed by Andreas Homoki and conducted by Gianandrea Noseda, presents the cosmic struggles between gods, giants, and Nibelungs over a cursed ring. Homoki emphasizes character and narrative, portraying these figures as reflections of human nature grappling with themes of love, power, and sacrifice. Noseda’s conducting, paired with Philharmonia Zürich, revitalizes Wagner’s score, while Christian Schmidt’s set design enhances the story’s timelessness. The cast, featuring Tomasz Konieczny as Wotan and Christopher Purves as Alberich, delivers powerful performances that bring the mythic characters to life.