Opere from Munich

[Dave2002]

Live streaming TV from Munich will be available for several of the Bavarian State Opera's productions, with Mefistofele by Boito in November (15th Nov), and Prokofiev's Fiery Angel in December (12th Dec), and more in 2016.

The times in the schedule https://www.staatsoper.de/en/staatso...tml?no_cache=1 will be one hour ahead in the UK.

[bluestateprommer]

Just began watching several of the Bavarian State Opera production videos:
1. Boris Godunov, the Calixto Bieito production (no English subtitles, for the record)
2. The Fiery Angel, the Barrie Kosky production (supposed to go to the Metropolitan Opera this fall, if things settle in NYC by then)

I'd never seen a staging either live or Memorex by either Bieito or Kosky, so this was a dive into the deep end, so to speak. A video of the company's production of The Bartered Bride is the newest offering. There are also shorter Monday Concerts available.

[Nevilevelis]

I just watched THE FIERY ANGEL...

*gulp*

I am almost speechless, suffice to say that when the (inevitable) weirdness hits, you won't ever be able to unsee it.

NVV

[Steerpike]

Bump!

This ends on Saturday morning.

Following NVV's recommendation I've just watched it and found the 2hrs 22mins went by in no time.

Transfixing, highly recommended.

Steerpike

[Nevilevelis]

Bump!

This ends on Saturday morning.

Following NVV's recommendation I've just watched it and found the 2hrs 22mins went by in no time.

Transfixing, highly recommended.

Steerpike

[bluestateprommer]

Watched the Bavarian State Opera's production of The Bartered Bride, in an updated production by David Bösch, sung in German. That particular aspect was a bit disconcerting at first, but in the end, generally worked out in terms of musical values. (BTW, there's another on-line streaming production available for not quite 2 more weeks from Garsington Opera, sung in Czech, which I'll make time for later.) Many of the characters' names got 'Germanized' as well.

The updating certainly has its vulgar moments, as commented upon by Micaela Baranello last year here, which could be justified in one sense as trying not to sentimentalize peasant/rural life and people, but showing the dirt and grit of the countryside (not that I know a thing about rural or country life). The production does give a real farm tractor on stage, as well as a live pig. The most famous singer in the cast is Gunther Groissböck as Kecal (or Kezal in the Germanization of the character's name), portrayed and dressed as a rather sleazy type, which does make his eventual comeuppance hit a bit harder, perhaps. Selene Zanetti as Mařenka (or Maria in this version) did a splendid job, as a pinch-hitter for Christiane Karg. The final irony of this production is that it features a Czech conductor, Tomáš Hanus, whom I've never seen in any capacity before, live or Memorex, and who, if nothing else, seems to have inherited the Jiří Bělohlávek bouffant hair.

The Bavarian State Opera's newest addition, scheduled to be available this coming Friday, is a production of Gluck's Orfeo (showing the French title on the page), conducted by Ivor Bolton, and with Vesselina Kasarova, Rosemary Joshua, and Deborah York as the principal singers.

[Dave2002]

I just watched THE FIERY ANGEL...

*gulp*

I am almost speechless, suffice to say that when the (inevitable) weirdness hits, you won't ever be able to unsee it.

NVV

I skipped part of this, and went to the rather weird end section. Not really sure what to make of it. Many years ago I saw the Devils of Loudun by Penderecki at ENO - that was also very odd. Not quite the same, but the two operas did become linked slightly in my mind.

This week's Bartered Bride might be easier to cope with.

[Pianoman]

The Garsington Bartered Bride is pretty good, though their Figaro was a very hard act to follow..
I’m just about to try the Berlin Eugene Onegin, which looks a pretty spectacular production, then pause for breath and do Lady Macbeth from Dutch Opera. I nearly bought this on dvd a while back as it seemed a first choice generally among reviewers.