Alvis Hermanis – operaexplorer

Resurrection through innocence: new “Parsifal” in Vienna

The plan to catch a new production by Alvis Hermanis in Vienna emerged as soon as the opera house announced 2016/2017 season, and a possibility to combine Easter break with a trip to Vienna proposed enticing opportunity. The symbolism of seeing Parsifal on Easter Sunday came only when the ticket was secured and travel plans […]

by antrazalite

Strikingly beautiful, unbelievably cruel story of Cio-Cio-san. Madama Butterfly, Teatro alla Scala, December 16, 2016

The opening of the new season in Teatro alla Scala is the event of utmost importance that stretches beyond Italian borders both in societal and cultural aspects. This year, the third part of the project launched by Maestro Chailly to reabilitate originally composed versions of Puccini operas – now Madama Butterfly (1904), gained unprecedented publicity […]

by antrazalite

When love for gold disappears: Die Liebe der Danae in Salzburger Festspiele, August 12th, 2016

Unfortunately the performance I have been waiting most impatiently to see left me disappointed and a bit confused. After long weekend in April, devoted to Richard Strauss, as part of Straus-Wochen in Berlin, where Danae did not fit my travel schedule, I was quite eager to get to know the opera, and had high hopes […]

by antrazalite

The Inevitable Death in Venice. I Due Foscari, Teatro alla Scala, March 18th, 2016

It was a beautiful sunny day in Milano, and sitting on the rooftop terrasse of La Rinascente, sipping pre-opera espresso and watching the sun setting over the picturesque city, excitement was gradually increasing before going to see the live performance of the newest production by Alvis Hermanis at La Scala. I should admit, that it […]

by antrazalite

Wishlist and plans for operatic adventures in 2016

Starting new year there are a lot of reviews of 2015 and just a few forward looking insights, thus I decided to put together my wishlist (or hopeful list) while absorbed in listening to Jonas Kaufmann singing Puccini at La Scala. Main unknowns yet are Munich Festspiele and Salzburg Festspiele ticket allocations which should come […]

by antrazalite

Damnation of the future: Faust recreated. La Damnation de Faust, Hector Berlioz, Opera National de Paris, December 27th, 2015

There has been so much controversy about the new production of La Damnation by Alvis Hermanis in Opera Bastille that it was almost impossible to come to the show without preconception or some opinion of what has to be expected. As I have not been lucky enough and free to choose dates for travel […]

by antrazalite

Beautifully haunting dream of illusion of happiness

GIUSEPPE VERDI • IL TROVATORE, Salzburg Festspiele, Aug 14, 2015 This was the best performance seen this season in Salzburg, great comparison of impressions after seeing production live with perceptions from recorded/ streamed performances. The cast was well balanced and complementing each other, Anna Netrebko run the performance, while both Meli and Rucinski were believable […]