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".

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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: