In Laurent Pelly’s dream-like staging of Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, one of the most important bel canto works of all time, a top vocal cast shines at the Wiener Staatsoper. When the phenomenal Olga Peretyatko shows the gripping downfall of Lucia, “music and theatre merge into an explosive mixture” (Wiener Zeitung). Juan Diego Flórez, the bel canto superstar, is “probably the world’s best Edgardo” (Kronenzeitung). George Petean joins them as Enrico in the emotional triangle of love, hate and passion. With Evelino Pidò on the rostrum, the orchestra of the Wiener Staatsoper excels under this “ideal master of bel canto music” (Die Presse).
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.