Wagner's GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG

Hi all, 

The Corona Virus pandemic and subsequent lockdown period has affected us all, not just in Berlin, Germany, or Europe, but the entire world. 

Unfortunately the performing arts industry has been significantly impacted by the restrictions. In a city like Berlin, which is the only city in the world to support three state opera houses, for both performers and audiences alike, the lack of live opera performance has been sole destroying. 

Though the houses are tentatively opening their doors for an initial 4 month season, it is unlikely that we will be able to enjoy the grandeur of the large scale operatic works. 

Therefore I share with you here, a piano accompaniment to the final instalment of Richard Wagner's epic "Ring des Nibelungen" cycle: Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods). 

If you love the music, I hope you enjoy this performance. If you are a singer, I hope that it is of some use for you practicing along to the accompaniment. 

Please subscribe to the YouTube channel, and feel free to like and share the recordings. 

Hopefully we get back to the live performances sooner rather than later. 

MJT

Götterdämmerung. 1.Aufzug (First Act)

Götterdämmerung. 2.Aufzug (Second Act)

Götterdämmerung. 3.Aufzug (Third Act)

 

Komische Oper Berlin "Orpheus"

As the end of the opera season approaches in Berlin (breaking over Summer), the Komische Oper Berlin opened their final revival production on Friday night (23.06.2017): Monteverdi/Kats-Chernin's "Orpheus".

Care of theoperaplatform.eu

The production originates from 2012 and was the first production of Barrie Kosky's Intendanz. In fact, it was the first show of his Monteverdi Trilogie: all three Monteverdi Operas performed in one day! It is a very colourful and lively production, with a set resembling the Garden of Eden. 

Care of www.komische-oper-berlin.de / Photo: Iko Freese

Monteverdi's score from 1607 re-tells the classic tale of the singer/musician Orpheus travelling into the underworld (Hades) to rescue his love Eurydice, who was bitten by a snake. Through the guidance of Amor (Love), Orpheus charms the guard to Hades (Charon) by singing him to sleep and continues to the centre and pleads with the God Pluto, to return his love. Pluto accepts, under the condition that Orpheus not turn his gaze towards her while leaving the underworld. As per the myth, Orpheus cannot resist, and not trusting that she is following, Orpheus turns back and Eurydice is lost to the underworld forever. 

Care of www.komische-oper-berlin.de / Photo: Iko Freese

Monteverdi's score has been re-orchestrated and re-imagined by Australian composer, Elena Kats-Chernin (similar to "Poppea" - see blogpost here) and is wonderfully exotic and diverse. Conducted in 2017 by Matthew Toogood, it is quite a difficult production to coordinate musically, as there are five various orchestras positioned around the theatre, and the chorus sings not only onstage, but in true surround sound around the stalls of the auditorium. 

Care of www.komische-oper-berlin.de / Photo: Iko Freese

Reprising the title role is Ensemble Baritone Dominik Köninger, and Kammersänger Peter Renz returns as Amor. All other singers are new to the production: Talya Liebermann as the fated Eurydice, mezzo-soprano Maria Fiselier in two roles as Sylvia and Proserpine, and bass Önay Köse as the guard Charon and the God Pluto. The Chorus of the Komische Oper Berlin are a major part of the opera, as are the dancers and Puppeters. 

With only four more performances, it is worth booking tickets as this show often sells out. 

 

Komische Oper Berlin: The Coronation of Poppea

The Komische Oper Berlin is one of three opera houses/companies in Berlin. Historically the mandate was a "house for the people", meaning that all the works were translated into and sung in German. More recently the house has expanded into a greater repertoire, with lesser performed russian and french works being presented. The Komische Oper Berlin's other great focus has been pushing the boundaries of direction and how traditional operas are presented. 

In the case of Monteverdi's "The Coronation of Poppea", the music from the 1600s has been radically modernised by Australian composer Elena Kats-Chernin to include modern and electronic instruments. What this achieves is a far greater sound palate, with which to accompany the drama onstage, led by conductor Matthew Toogood (coincidentally also Australian, but Berlin based). The drama created by intendant and director Barrie Kosky (rounding out ironically the Australian trilogy here) is extremely clear, distilling the complexity of the story and characters, and captures the raw emotions of the piece: eroticism, danger, murder, lust, wisdom, infatuation, and more. An ancient Roman thriller, where essentially everyone except the two main protagonists is murdered. 

A great advantage of the Komische Oper for foreigners is that each seat has an individual surtitle screen, which can display the real-time sung text in either German, English, French or Turkish. Tickets are extremely well priced (starting at €12), and at the conclusion of the performance one is even gifted a complimentary chocolate. 

There are only two performances left of "Poppea" - tonight 26. May at 7:30pm and 3. June at 7:30pm.

Here is Elena Kats-Chernin discussing her re-writing of the work for 2017:

Menotti's THE MEDIUM 31.10.2014

Menotti's THE MEDIUM

"The Medium" is a two-act, one hour opera by the italian-american composer Gian Carlo Menotti. 

It tells a story of Madam Flora/Baba as a fraud communicator with the dead (think Whoopie Goldberg in the film "Ghost"), until this particular seance, whereby she has a true experience of someone (or something) touching her throat. From that moment she continues to become more obsessed with finding out the answer and growing with fear, frustration and anxiety. At the end of the opera she shoots the mute, Toby, thinking that he is the ghost. 

Design: Ellen Leather

While this a rarely performed Chamber Opera, it is extremely well composed, compact and dramatic. 

A performance in Berlin recently took place at the restaurant P103, Potsdamer Strasse 103, and another is planned for Halloween on Friday 31 October at 22:00. I suggest getting along to see it, as the performance is by donation only, and it is easy enough to have dinner first then enjoy drinks during the performance itself. 

L. Rose Nolan & R. Elizabeth Baz in THE MEDIUM / Photo: Niko Tourkos

The opera is sung in English and features an international cast as follows:

Monica - Elizabeth Baz

Madam Flora - Rose Nolan

Mrs Gobineau - Ellen Leather

Mr Gobineau - Oskar Koziolek-Goetz

Mrs Nolan - Alexandra Broneske

Toby - a mute (imagined)

Musical Director - Matthew Toogood

Come along and support these young artists by leaving a donation!!!