Il Trovatore premiered in Brussels: Tcherniakov hits a big show again, Scott Hendricks too

Il Trovatore, La Monnaie/De Munt in Brussels, June 10 2012

Director ..... Dmitri Tcherniakov

Music direction ..... Marc Minkowski

Il Conte di Luna ..... Scott Hendricks

Manrico ..... Misha Didyk

Azucena ..... Sylvie Brunet-Grupposo

Leonora ..... Marina Poplavskaya

Ferrando ..... Giovanni Furlanetto

La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra & Chorus

One more proof of greatness: Ruslan and Lyudmila directed by Dmitri Tcherniakov

Dmitri Tcherniakov is one of the five best opera directors today, and this new production of Ruslan and Lyudmila --by which the new Bolshoi Theater in Moscow reopened its gates to the opera lovers-- is one of numerous proofs that this man is uncommonly gifted, clever, audacious (in any sets of circumstances) -- in short, a genius.

You should keep in mind that the Moscow opera goers are far more conservative than those filling up the seats at the Paris Opera, and that the Bolshoi is even more conservative than The Met. With that in mind one starts watching this fascinating production and realizes how smoothly Tcherniakov leads his public to make them open up and start thinking about this opera as of something that is not taken out from the shelves and unfolded for their entertainment, but of something that is close to them, talks to them.

From the production photos alone, the show seemed to be one of those tired historic opulent productions, but 10 minutes in the show and you understand it's just the costumes that have been used to appropriately depict a traditional wedding in contemporary Russia... 

Notice that Tcherniakov started using video in a way similar to what Denis Guéguin does in  Krzysztof Warlikowski productions. Also the photos leaked prior to the premiere resembles the trick Stefan Herheim used before unveiling his Lohengrin in Berlin [when the photos mislead us to believe that the show was going to be traditionalist.]

And so, while the new productions at the Paris Opera look like tired copies of already notoriously stale productions broadcast from the Met, The Bolshoi here makes a quick leapfrog by rethinking through this Pushkin inspired opera that Tcherniakov prepared together with Vladimir Jurowski who made the score sound refreshing, and with a superb line up of singers: Mikhail Petrenko, Albina Shagimuratova, Charles Workman, Yuriy Mynenko (!), Alexandrina Pendatchanska, Almas Svilpa, Vladimir Ognovenko, and Elena Zaremba.
Tcherniakov and Jurowski are this new creative and open Russia. 

Now, do read the synopsis before watching Ruslan and Lyudmila in the video attached below. Enjoy :)

Tea at Five with Wozzeck live from Bolshoi

This evening at 5 p.m. (cet), Mezzo-TV will broadcast Wozzeck, live from Bolshoi Theater in Moscow [dir- Dmitri Tcherniakov, cnd- Teodor Currentzis, Cast: Georg Nigl, Mardi Byers, Roman Muravitsky, ...]

 

Russian public discovered Wozzeck last year [first stage performance of Berg's Wozzeck in Moscow], and both the Russian cultural circles and the foreign critics loved it. Good news is that this live broadcast will be followed by a DVD release.

By far the best Wozzeck on DVD is the one by Bieito and Weigle. Too bad the Paris Opera did not invest in recording one of its best recent productions - Wozzeck with Simon Keenlyside and Angela Denoke, directed by Christoph Marthaler and with Sylvain Cambreling conducting.

Tcherniakov is one of my top-5 fave directors, Bolshoi invested big money [its generous sponsor!] to make this show happen -- so it should be good. Currentzis must be the most passionate and one of the most innovative conductors today, plus there's Georg Nigl in the title role, and we're ready to see and hear Mardi Byers singing... -- This one is a winner, I'm tellin ya :)

Dima Tcherniakov created the finest Don Giovanni in business

I posted the link and embedded the video from ArteLiveWeb here. If you're still interested in seeing this wonderful production --targeting the adults who prefer to see more shades of gray in an opera production, rather than simple black/white portrayal of the characters--  then please do!

I saw it twice, plus one more time in fractions, thinking I might have been a bit too biased, as I globally like the Tcherniakov's work, and maybe his Don Giovanni wasn't all that good as I thought it was after seeing it only once. Well, sorry to all of you guys who disliked it, but after seeing it more than once I definitely think this is one of the finest shows we've ever seen in opera. Never did I see the singers act as good as professional actors in this sort of drama requiring classical acting, in which simplicity and spontaneity are essential, and which is so hard for many professional actors to achieve. Dima Tcherniakov made his crew do exactly that! They seemed spontaneous and natural.

Don Giovanni, July 5  2010 (Festival in Aix-en-Provence, via Arte) 

Director Dmitrii Tcherniakov

Conductor Louis Langrée

The action takes place in the house of Commendatore

Il Commendatore..... Anatoli Kotscherga

Donna Anna, his daughter..... Marlis Petersen
Don Ottavio, her new fiancé..... Colin Balzer
Zerlina, Donna Anna's daughter.... Kerstin Avemo

Masetto, Zerlina's fiancé..... David Bizic

Donna Elvira, Donna Anna's cousin..... Kristine Opolais

Don Giovanni, Donna Elvira's husband..... Bo Skovhus 

Leporello, a relative who lives in the house..... Kyle Ketelsen

Countdown to Черняков's Don Giovanni in Aix-en-Provence

You've certainly noticed that Dima Tcherniakov is one of my fave directors, so I obviously expect a lot from his new Don Giovanni which will be premiered in 4 days at Théâtre de l'Archevêché in Aix-en-Provence -- Thursday, July 1st

 Dmitri Tcherniakov during one of the rehearsals of his new production of Don Giovanni in Aix [photo by ArtComArt]

What do we know?

1. We know the cast and I think it's awesome: Bo Skovhus, Kyle Ketelsen, David Bizic, Colin Balzer, Marlis Petersen, Kristine Opolais, Kerstin Avemo, Anatoli Kotscherga, and an excellent conductor, Louis Langrée, will lead a very good Freiburger Barockorchester.
2. Here is a link to the gallery of more than 40 photos taken during the rehearsals [photos by ArtComArt] It looks promising... and I can tell the ultra-conservative French traditionalists will boo it [which is of course good! ;) ]
3.  I remind you that the third show will be live broadcast via Arte Live Web on Monday July 5. [embedded after the jump]
   
   
   
   
   

Summer Opera Festivals on Arte

Summer is approaching fast and many good old summer Opera Festivals too.

Arte TV will live broadcast two interesting new productions [and France2 one more]:

Dialogues de Tcherniakov avec Poulenc

Dialogues des Carmélites , Bayrische Staatsoper in Munich, April 23, 2010

Conductor Kent Nagano
Production Dmitri Tcherniakov


Marquis de la Force Alain Vernhes
Blanche de la Force Susan Gritton
Chevalier de la Force Bernard Richter
Madame de Croissy Sylvie Brunet
Madame Lidoine Soile Isokoski
Mère Marie Susanne Resmark
Soeur Constance Hélène Guilmette
Mère Jeanne Heike Grötzinger
Soeur Mathilde Anaïk Morel
L'aumônier Xavier Mas
1er commissaire Ulrich Reß
2ème commissaire John Chest
L'officier Christian Rieger
Le geôlier Levente Molnár
Thierry Rüdiger Trebes

Воццек Курентзисa & Черняковa

You may want to check out these two videos to get a clue about the new [smashing-looking!] production of "Wozzeck" by Dmitri Tcherniakov  (pic) and Teodor Currentzis, very recently premiered in Bolshoi theater  in Moscow.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SZFscAS25A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf2qgyXxoUk

Moscow is too far and visa-fussy, so here is hoping this production soon travels westward and/or gets released on DVD ;)