3 important DVD releases

I am happy to see that Deutsche Oper Berlin reacted fast and the excellent production of  Rienzi, directed by Philipp Stölzl and with superb Torsten Kerl, Kate Aldrich, and very good Camilla Nylund, Ante Jerkunica, Krzysztof Szumanski, and especially with the World's best chorus (!), will soon appear on your Amazon: UK [end of August], Germany [early September], US-Canada and France [end of September]

I saw the show in February, and very much enjoyed the whole experience -- a clever staging in particular. A big question is how much of it they were able to properly capture on DVD, but in any case this is a DVD to have in your collection!

Confirmed: Rienzi on DVD later this year

Next Sunday there will be the last show (in this run) of the excellent new Rienzi produced by Philipp Stölzl's at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin.

Not surprising to see that they've spread the dates for 6 shows over 3 months [2 shows - long break - 2 shows - long break - 2 shows] because otherwise it would be humanly impossible to sing 6 shows in a row. This opera is especially demanding on Adriano [Kate Aldrich] and Rienzi [Torsten Kerl], and also on the chorus.

Torsten Kerl (left) and Kate Aldrich & Camilla Nylund (right)

What is more important for you --who could not go and see the show but who'd love to see/listen to this strange but wonderful opera-- is that this production was filmed in February of 2010 [ when I saw it] and will be released on DVD later this year, by Unitel Classica.  The press person from the Deutsche Oper Berlin confirmed that this DVD will most probably be available in October/November this year.

You're welcome :)

Brilliant production of Rienzi in Berlin

What a way to begin 2010! First there was The Fairy Queen which instantly blew me away. Then  K und K (for Koch & Kaufmann) slammed us with unbelievably emotional Werther. Plus I liked the witty way Mussbach brought to life Norma, and finally my dream to see a well-done staged version of Rienzi came true...

As I said it before, this was my first Rienzi ever and I loved it.

Conductor  Sebastian Lang-Lessing
Director Philipp Stölzl
Choir Conductor William Spaulding

Rienzi Torsten Kerl
Irene Camilla Nylund
Steffano Colonna  Ante Jerkunica
Adriano  Kate Aldrich
Paolo Orsini Krzysztof Szumanski
Cardinal Orvieto  Lenus Carlson
Baroncelli  Clemens Bieber
Cecco del Vecchio  Stephen Bronk 

Rienzi in Berlin: hot impressions

Just a "quick" post about the second show of Rienzi , finished an hour ago at the Deutsche Oper Berlin. This was my first Rienzi ever and I loved it.
  

Torsten Kerl proves once again that he is truly excellent a singers/actor - and trust me, Rienzi is a very devillish role to sing (I bet Ben Heppner --who screwed up Lohengrin last night-- would not be able to sing a third of it). BRAVO!

Camilla Nylund was on one of her good nights although the volume is not her forte  (which we already noticed in Paris when she was miscast as Salome). Since tonight`s was a high profile show she was only mildly booed, but the bravos were much-much louder. ;)

Kate Aldrich literally stole the show. That girl had to really dig deep to deliver such a level of intensity in an otherwise unsingable role of Adriano. Impressive effort from this "small" lady and well deserved standing O for her at the end of the show.

Someone should say to Sebastian Lang-Lessing that this production is not about him, nor about the orchestra only; and that he could show some more respect for singers (instead of covering them!). Other than that - a magnificent orchestra lead by an energetic young maestro.

Philipp Stölzl, as expected, soaked a load of boos which I of course disagreed with. I thought the show was brilliant and the director`s interpretation was...err..., say, gutsy. I could understand the boos though: Philipp didn`t leave any space to ambiguities --> his Rienzi is a nasty SOB, a dictator who deserved to end the way he did...Personally, I take my hat off to him for that ;)

As for the best choir in Germany, tonight they were the best choir in the world - and I am not exaggerating ;)

What's on in Europa-Europa?

Apart from the sensational and jaw-dropping production of The Fairy Queen, as well as that excellent Norma, both premiered in Paris this month, the major European operatic event in January 2010 is undoubtedly the new production of Rienzi which was premiered last night at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. The German newspapers are already loaded with comments and critiques, reactions and simple articles about this apparently opulent and highly polarizing show. It's cut in half to last only 150 mins, in which Philipp Stolzl squeezed the elaborated parallel between Rienzi and Hitler --with all what this may entail-- pushing the boundaries far enough to spur some strong emotions, both positive and negative ones. Apparently during the show, as the new scenes unveiled, a good fraction of the audience openly booed, only to end the show with an unanimous outburst of applauses. That's what you get in Opera houses in Germany. :)

Pic lifted from the DOB web-site