“A ‘Carmen’ dominated by emotionality”, wrote the press about this unforgettable interpretation of Georges Bizet’s masterpiece from Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu with an outstanding quartet of lead vocalists and a visually stimulating staging by Calixto Bieito. Conducted by Marc Piollet, the production features Béatrice Uria-Monzon as “a splendid and sensual” (elPeriódico) Carmen, Roberto Alagna as Don José, Marina Poplavskaya as Micaela and Erwin Schrott as Escamillo. Stage director Calixto Bieito conjures up a sensual, realistic atmosphere with sparse but powerfully symbolic props.
Elektra
Swedish soprano Iréne Theorin gives an impressive role debut as Elektra, just as Wagner singer Waltraud Meier as Klytämnestra. They are complemented by Eva-Maria Westbroek’s Chrysothemis and René Pape’s Orest. In his interpretation of Strauss’ one-act masterpiece, conductor Daniele Gatti explores the radical side of the Expressionist score, while not neglecting the late 19th-century lyricism either. His musical vision harmonizes perfectly with the forbidding atmosphere conveyed by director Nikolaus Lehnhoff and his set designer.
Hommage à Pierre Boulez on his 85th birthday
The conductor and composer Pierre Boulez is one of the most influential artists of our time. On the occasion of his 85th birthday, he conducts works from different stages of his creative development. ‘Messagesquisse’ for violoncello solo and six violoncelli. ‘Anthèms 2’ for violin solo and live electronics and ‘Le marteau sans maître’ for alto and six instruments. Boulez is joined by his friend Daniel Barenboim, the alto Hillary Summers and members of the West Eastern Divan Orchestra.
Rigoletto
Ages from its premiere at La Fenice in 1851, Italian opera director Daniele Abbado brings his new vision for Verdi’s tragic opera (and Piave’s gorgeously effective libretto) Rigoletto to Venice’s historic opera house. Opening night’s cast is Eric Cutler as The Duke, Roberto Frontali as Rigoletto, and Désirée Rancatore as Gilda. Myung-Whun Chung conducts.
Falstaff
The stout Sir John Falstaff has financial problems. To refill his empty pockets he strives for amorous affairs with Alice and Meg, the wives of the rich citizens Ford and Page. The two ladies might even have consented, had they not received identical love letters. So they decide to play a trick on him. At the same time Alice exposes her husband’s chronic jealousy. In the end, Nannetta, the Fords’ daughter, is allowed to marry for love against her father’s plans.
Finally, a nightly masquerade in Windsor park brings out the moral of the story: „Tutto nel mondo è burla – All the world’s a burlesque“.
Towards the end of his operatic work, Giuseppe Verdi succeeds in a brilliant comedy of characters with philosophical wisdom and sparkling musical wit. The libretto of Arrigo Boito is based upon William Shakespeare’s comedy „The Merry Wives of Windsor“ and scenes from „Henry IV“.
Bernd Weikl’s witty production shows the simultaneity of tragedy and comedy. The opera’s motto „All the world’s a burlesque“ is also reflected in the stage design of Thomas Doerfler and in the costumes of Julia Holewik. Both set and clothes are inspired by Shakespeare’s theatre, the Italian tradition of „Commedia dell’ arte“ and the world of circus.”
Die Entführung aus dem Serail
Barcelona’s Teatre del Liceu presents Mozart’s singspiel in an elegant production by Christof Loy with a splendid cast of top stars headed by coloratura soprano Diana Damrau in her debut at Spain’s largest and most distinguished opera house. Damrau’s “charismatic stage presence announced… that we were in the presence of a great singer”, wrote Opera News. Starring along with Damrau are Olga Peretyatko, Christoph Strehl, Norbert Ernst and Franz-Josef Selig. Christof Loy portrays Konstanze and Blonde as having developed profound feelings of respect, admiration and even love for their captors.
Bruckner, Symphony No.7 in E major
The performance of all six of Anton Bruckner’s mature symphonies on six nearly consecutive evenings is an accomplishment that can truly be called “superhuman” (Der Tagesspiegel). Daniel Barenboim – conductor, pianist, all-round musical genius – set himself this task in June 2010 with the Staatskapelle Berlin at the Berlin Philharmonie. What Barenboim and his orchestra – he has been its principal conductor since 1992 – achieve in this marathon is a new view of the Bruckner opus that opts for grandeur and the mighty theatrical gesture. Bruckner’s symphonies as “operas without words” (Der Tagesspiegel).
Bruckner, Symphony No.9 in D minor
The performance of all six of Anton Bruckner’s mature symphonies on six nearly consecutive evenings is an accomplishment that can truly be called “superhuman” (Der Tagesspiegel). Daniel Barenboim – conductor, pianist, all-round musical genius – set himself this task in June 2010 with the Staatskapelle Berlin at the Berlin Philharmonie. What Barenboim and his orchestra – he has been its principal conductor since 1992 – achieve in this marathon is a new view of the Bruckner opus that opts for grandeur and the mighty theatrical gesture. Bruckner’s symphonies as “operas without words” (Der Tagesspiegel).
Bruckner, Symphony No.4 in E flat major “Romantic”
The performance of all six of Anton Bruckner’s mature symphonies on six nearly consecutive evenings is an accomplishment that can truly be called “superhuman” (Der Tagesspiegel). Daniel Barenboim – conductor, pianist, all round musical genius – set himself this task in June 2010 with the Staatskapelle Berlin at the Berlin Philharmonie. What Barenboim and his orchestra – he has been its principal conductor since 1992 – achieve in thi marathon is a new view of the Bruckner opus that opts for grandeur and the mighty theatrical gesture. Bruckner’s symphonies as “operas without words” (Der Tagesspiegel).
Bruckner, Symphony No.6 in A major
The performance of all six of Anton Bruckner’s mature symphonies on six nearly consecutive evenings is an accomplishment that can truly be called “superhuman” (Der Tagesspiegel). Daniel Barenboim – conductor, pianist, all-round musical genius – set himself this task in June 2010 with the Staatskapelle Berlin at the Berlin Philharmonie. What Barenboim and his orchestra – he has been its principal conductor since 1992 – achieve in this marathon is a new view of the Bruckner opus that opts for grandeur and the mighty theatrical gesture. Bruckner’s symphonies as “operas without words” (Der Tagesspiegel).