Tough show in Basel: Aida directed by Calixto Bieito

Aida, Theater Basel, September 26 2010

Michelle De Young, Sergey Khomov, and Angeles Blancas

Maurizio Barbacini Gabriel Feltz ..... conductor
Calixto Bieito ..... director


Angeles Blancas ..... Aida  
Michelle De Young ..... Amneris
Sergey Khomov ..... Radamès 

Alfred Walker ..... Amonasro  
Daniel Golossov ..... Ramfis
Andrew Murphy ..... Il re
Karl-Heinz Brandt ..... Un messagero
Rena Harms ..... Una sacerdotessa

Chorus of Theater Basel
Sinfonieorchester Basel

Migration is the oldest action against poverty. It selects those who most want help. It is good for the country to which they go; it helps break the equilibrium of poverty in the country from which they come. What is the perversity in the human soul that causes people to resist so obvious a good?

    J.K. Galbraith in The Nature of Mass Poverty, Harvard University Press, 1979.

Bieito's Aida @ Theater Basel - trailer

Bieito's Aida opens tonight at Theater Basel

For all of us who unfortunately cannot go and see the new  Calixto Bieito's show in Basle, the pics taken during the final dress rehearsal come as a mini-consolation (see below).

Note that there will be 19 shows  running until the end of 2010, so if you can squeeze in a trip to Basle...

Michelle De Young --Amneris in this production-- on her website writes:

Working with Calixto is extreme, exhausting and exhilarating. I have definitely had my comfort zones pushed, and enjoy it! It's very violent and sexual. I have fallen in love with both the character and the sing of Amneris.

More pics below

October 1st: Aida at the Rhine

We know that Calixto Bieito will direct new Aida at Theater Basel. Although Aida is my least favorite opera by Verdi, I wish I could see it (1) because of Calixto, and (2) because that theater is one of the most exciting places (artistically) in Europe right now.

If you don't care much about Calixto or Theater Basel, you might still be interested to know that the same cast will participate in a live TV-event  Aida at the Rhine, organized by the Swiss SF1.

This is the third in the series of projects, following La Traviata at Zurich Main Station in 2008 and La Bohème in the Suburbs of Bern in 2009.  Aida at the Rhine will be live broadcast from Basle on October 1st 2010 at 8 p.m. , and the live video stream will be available on this link.

This peculiar show will be directed by Georges Delnon, Gabriel Feltz will conduct and the cast includes: Angeles Blancas - Aida, Michelle de Young - Amneris, Sergei Khomov - Radames,  Daniel Golossov - Ramfis. 

2010-2011, 2011-2012, 2012-2013 in Switzerland

The largest and the most significant opera-house in Switzerland is the one in Zurich, followed by the Grand Theater in Geneva. Both theaters already announced the new productions scheduled for 2010-2011. A pretty little Opera in Lausanne did the same.

If you're interested in more audacious theaters then you'd be more curious about 2010-2011 in Basel and in Freiburg. We just learned that the Theater Freiburg will unveil the details about their new season on May 6. When Basel will say something about their next season is anyone's guess...

In the following (if you dive into "Read more") you can find the links and a list of new productions in these fine Swiss Opera Houses.

Ed: the details on 2010-2011 at  Theater Basel will be made public on April 29

Arte alert

The world's coolest TV [Arte, of course!] will soon broadcast two shows that you might wish to check out:

• Sunday, April 18, at 19:15 (cet): Recital Anna Netrebko in company of Daniel Barenboim recorded in Berlin 3 weeks ago, during the Festtage.
• Monday, April 19, at 22:45 (cet): La grande-duchesse de Gérolstein, an opera by Offenbach recorded at  Theater Basel with Anne Sofie von Otter and Norman Reinhardt among the soloists and with Hervé Niquet conducting. This show was produced this season by one of our fave directors, Christoph Marthaler.  

 

I was sorry not to be able to go and see both of these events live, so here are my two double thanks to Arte!