Salzburg Easter Festival: Strauss, Arabella

A “lyric comedy” is how Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal described their final collaboration, on which they worked between 1927 and 1929. Arabella revolves around the true love between two very different couples – the love that unites two people forever “in joy and sorrow, hurt and forgiveness”, as Arabella herself puts it at the end of the opera. With René Fleming in the title role and a supporting cast that includes Thomas Hampson, Gabriela Benacková and the young tenor Daniel Behle – surely a star of the future – this production from the Salzburg Easter Festival was the first of the piece at the Festival since 1958. Under the Strauss specialist Christian Thielemann, it featured a Strauss ensemble that could hardly be bettered today. Renée Fleming and Thomas Hampson are a “dream couple for Richard Strauss” (Salzburger Nachrichten).

R. Strauss, Capriccio

American soprano Renée Fleming, renowned for her commanding musicianship, intelligence and interpretive abilities, sings one of her signature roles, the elegant Countess in Richard Strauss’s Capriccio in this delightful production from the Vienna State Opera. Renée Fleming stars alongside the Danish baritone Bo Skovhus and conductor Christoph Eschenbach, who leads the Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera. Also performing are Michael Schade, Markus Eiche, Kurt Rydl and Angelika Kirchschlager.

Capriccio

When the curtain fell at the Paris Opera premiere of Capriccio, the audiences rose to long and frenetic ovations. They unanimously applauded each singer in a cast of stars, but Renée Fleming was undoubtedly the leading light of this remarkable production. Every one of the performers in this production is outstanding and can be regarded as the best possible singer for the role – Opera fans from all over the world came to Paris to see this production.

This Capriccio also served as a role debut for American star soprano Renée Fleming who took on the role of the Gräfin. The critics celebrated her performance as “ideal” in all aspects: musically, dramatically and above all

vocally and she was cheered frenetically by the audience at the Palais Garnier of the Opéra National de Paris.

Dietrich Henschel had critics raving about his sensitively sung Graf, Anne Sofie von Otter won audiences over with her highly ironic interpretation of the singer Clairon. Rainer Trost presented himself both as a true actor and as a versatile tenor in the role of the composer Flamand, Gerald Finley gave a very convincing poet Olivier and Franz Hawlata was described by a critic as “a glowing” La Roche. Altogether a true ensemble of stars!

Caballé – Beyond Music

A complex and passionate portrait of a woman who can only be described as a myth. A documentary feature film about one of the most important voices in history. The film makes us re-live, through an intimate story told in first person by the artist, the most important musical, personal and emotional moments of such a long and passionate life. It accompanies Montserrat Caballé on a trip through the most significant cities, historical performances and audio recordings of her life, including testimonies of those who, through a professional or personal relationship, can help us understanding Montserrat, the person and Caballé, the diva.

The Glory of Russia – Sound and Sights of Saint Petersburg

Renée Fleming, America’s Queen of Opera, performing with the internationally acclaimed Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, in the Palaces of the Czars in Saint Petersburg. Fleming and Hvorostovsky lead the audience through Saint Petersburg performing in the Gold Ballroom of Peterhof Palace, the White Column Room and the extraordinary baroque Theater of the Yusupov Palace.