Chronique à la une

Filter

All columns

Don Pasquale Gärtnerplatztheater München

Helmut Pitsch

Big interest for the first opera production of Mr.Koepplinger, the new head of Munich´s second opera house the beloved Gaertnerplatztheater, under the direction of Brigitte Fassbaender, famous singer and highly regarded manager of the Strauss festival in Garmisch this Don Pasquale is a very fine elaboration of an old and traditional story. Mrs Fassbaender´s subtile characterization of each character and the cleverly transformation into the 20thcentury is very entertaining and...


Sferisterio Macerata Opera Festival: La Traviata

Helmut Pitsch

World famous opera festival at Macerata is dedicating this season to the famous set designer Josef Svoboda having died 10 years ago. The reinstallation of his legendary ' Traviata of the mirrors` together with director Henning Brockhaus, established in 1992, is the central production this year next to Carmen and La Boheme. Allievi et maestri (students and masters) being the catchphrase of the festival putting the youth and their destiny at its core. The opening of the evening...


Salzburg Festival 2012 - La Boheme

Helmut Pitsch

Puccini's masterpiece is a celebration to youth for young Italian director Damiano Michielotto. After having staged numerous operas by Rossini, Donizetti and Mozart Puccini is getting his favorite composer.    In his interpretation action never stops. In a fast pace he brilliantly tells us the story in a modern times environment and social description. The 4 friends do not represent serious artists more over they are 4 different characters of young kids of possible rich...


Valencia Festival del Mediterrani - Medea

Helmut Pitsch

Valencia´s stunning opera house is holding its 5th Festval del Mediterrani. Luigi Cherubini´s Medea being its most remarkable new production. Director Gerardo Vera together with Alejandro Andujar responsible for stage design, Juam Gomez Cornejo for light and Alvaro Luna for video creation develop a convincing dramatic and vival presentation of the story. Stage design is simple and remains the same with minor changes - a wide step being the centrer piece and bringing...


Valencia Festival del Mediterrani Tristan and Isolde

Helmut Pitsch

The last performance of the Festival del Mediterrani was dedicated to Richard Wagner, Tristan and Isolde in a "halfstaged" performance. Valencia´s wonderful operahouse designed by Spanish architect Calatrava is itself a perfect scene. Always compared to a fish or boat, swimming in the water, entering the opera house is the perfect start for the performance. You get yourself on bord of the ship, the performance being held in the opera´ s own...


Siegfried Bayerische Staatsoper München

Helmut Pitsch

The new installation of the “Ring der Nibelungen” at the Bavarian State Opera is continuing with the performance of Siegfried. The artistic duo Andreas Kriegenburg and Kent Nagano are consequently realizing their concept of telling the story of the Gods and related human beings in a very simple and individual way.Andreas Kriegenburg director´s concept is concentrating on an empty stage using a lot of people to represent the necessary decoration or equipment. This is...


Opera Online columnists