Der Freischütz

Deep in the German forest, dark forces stir. Weber’s masterpiece Der Freischütz opened a new and spine-tingling chapter in 19th-century opera, and with its hunting choruses and gothic atmosphere, this tale of a young huntsman ensnared by demonic forces remains one of the great operatic thrillers. It’s natural territory for a conductor with Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s sense of history (and of colour), and Ruth Berghaus’s powerful modernist re-imagining was one of the highlights of his long creative relationship with Opernhaus Zürich. Swedish soprano Inga Nielsen (Agathe) and the great German tenor Peter Seiffert (Max) head a world-beating cast in this performance from 1999.