Fairytales often speak directly to our unconscious, revealing drives and truths that are not always apparent to our conscious selves. It is therefore not surprising that many tales are replicated across countries and cultures, even if the characters and details vary. The Slavic fable of Rusalka, for example, has counterparts with the French Melusine, Germanic Nixie and numerous others, including, most famously, Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Little Mermaid.” Although Rusalka is a simple story of a water nymph who relinquishes the power of speech so that she can become human to be with a prince with whom she has fallen in love, her motivations lie deep within the unconscious, taking in sexual awakening, resentment and a desire to return to an innocent state, and it was these aspects of the narrative that the director, David Radok, wished to explore.

A Journey Into the Unconscious

Although it is not a unique nor a particularly profound reading, Radok’s presentation, for which he also designed the scenery, was hugely successful. Not only did he capture the full dramatic and emotional dimensions of the work, but his ability to convey the drama within the context of Rusalka’s unconscious motivations was expertly rendered and allowed the audience to fully engage with his interpretation.

Act one opened to a stage that blended a large room in a house with windows and doors in a watery blue-grey colour with wooden walkways and reeds as would be found in a marshy area, and that stretched from inside the room to the outside world. This was Rusalka’s world; it was secure and safe, in which the walls represented the borders between the known and unknown, between innocence and knowledge. Rusalka, like many a teenager, was desperate to open the doors, to leave the secure and safe world behind, and to explore what else exists; the prince provided the impetus that awakened her sexual desires and thus set her on the path. Unfortunately, that door opens in only one direction; innocence is not something that can ever be regained.

Act two takes her into a world of luxury and frivolity, of betrayal and lust. It is a complex world of suffering, illusion and disappointment. Radok’s staging was brilliantly conceived to create the impression of wealth through chandeliers and the façade of a mansion and an outdoor area dedicated to dancing. He also ensured that Rusalka’s disillusionment was clearly portrayed through her detached meanderings between the dancers and attempts to find a way out through the dense undergrowth that surrounded the dancing area.

Act three finds her back in her original room, but everything has changed. The roof is leaking, and the plants are dying; everything looks to be in a state of decay. No longer human, but neither a nymph, she allows her resentment for the outside world to grow and retreats into her watery world, shuts the doors, and closes the shutters on the windows, but it is not innocence that she finds, only isolation.

It was a reading that fitted sympathetically with the surface fairytale narrative, with each complementing the other to provide a layered and satisfying staging. Radok also ensured that the visual presentation was sensitively developed to draw out the dramatic significance of the events and to manage the tensions. The costume designer, Zuzana Ježková, created a series of costumes that set the characters in the Victorian period, detailed to reflect the characters’ natures. The Water Goblin appeared slimy and unkempt in old blue and grey coloured garments, while the three wood sprites were in greeny blue, light shifts. Jezibaba’s blue and grey costume gave her the appearance of a matron or nanny figure. All appeared as if water was their natural habitat. The Prince and Princess, on the other hand, definitely came from the civilized human world and were dressed as wealthy Victorians of high status. It was the costumes of the chorus for the ballroom scene that really stood out. They were all attired in black with top hats, including the women, which gave them a sinister appearance; they were certainly not benign, nor did they act in a manner sympathetic towards Rusalka. The two worlds, the human and nonhuman, were visually clearly divided. Rusalka’s changing costumes reflected her movement between the two worlds but always in a way that ensured she appeared different from those around her.

Ivanović Oversees a Musically Engaging Performance

It was also a reading that complemented the score perfectly, which the conductor Marko Ivanović sensitively brought to life with the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno. The pace and dynamic contrasts were carefully judged to support the onstage drama, if on occasions slightly understated, while the dance episodes were lively and graceful. It was also a reading that caught the beauty of the score.

Soprano Jana Šrejma Kačírková produced an emotionally compelling performance in the role of Rusalka. As the young and innocent water nymph, she was headstrong, rebellious, and yearning for love that she convincingly captured with a vocally expressive presentation, which she convincingly transformed into an insecure, bewildered and downtrodden young woman, before finally returning to the watery depths, hollowed out by her experience with humans.

Kačírková possesses a secure, resonant voice, which she uses with considerable skill to present emotional states, in which her pleading with her father and then with Jezibaba were particularly well developed as she coated her voice with longing and desire overlaid with an insistent determination to get her own way. There is also a pleasing energy in the voice so that even when singing in a more subdued manner, you could sense a restless spirit ready to explode at any minute. Her ability to move the voice freely enabled her to capture Rusalka’s disoriented state in acts two and three as she moved her voice flexibly across the range, with neatly placed accents and dynamic contrasts that expertly caught her pain and grief. It was, therefore, slightly disappointing that her rendition of the showpiece aria, “Song of the Moon,” did not really take flight; it was pleasant enough, and she allowed her emotions to strengthen as the aria progressed, but overall, it was too understated to convince.

Tenor Peter Berger made an excellent impression as the Prince, whom he played as a weak-willed and frivolous character, totally at the mercy of his fast-changing passions. Even as an old man, when he returns to Rusalka, full of remorse, to ask her forgiveness, he readily accepts her kiss that he knows will kill him. It appeared as the easy way out rather than an expression of deep love, despite his passionate pleading. Vocally, it was a role that seemed to suit him almost perfectly. He possesses a voice with a passionate, sweet-sounding tone that moves securely and with agility across the range, allowing for a lyrically strong performance, which he delivered with confidence and emotional force.

Vodnik, the water goblin, was given an engaging yet not wholly sympathetic reading by bass Jan Štáva. He was suitably anxious about and supportive of his daughter Rusalka but was abusive and sexually aggressive towards the wood spirits. His singing had a determined, even fierce, quality that gave him an imposing demeanour. Although certainly not lacking in beauty, his crafting of the vocal line was focused on promoting the meaning of the text, which he furnished with emotional honesty.

Soprano Eliška Gattringerová was thoroughly dislikable as the Foreign Princess. She was cynical, vicious and served only her own interests. Her voice had a harsh, strident edge, which she used forcefully and energetically to assert her will over both the Prince and Rusalka, whom she treated as an inferior.

Mezzo-soprano Václava Krejčí portrayed the witch, Jezibaba, as hard, unforgiving and cold, and treated Rusalka with total contempt. She possesses an agile, secure voice over which she exhibits excellent control, which she used to create a compelling vocal portrayal that captured her vicious and opportunistic nature. Her forceful response to Rusalka’s pleading in Act three was expertly rendered as she spat out her lines full of bile, which also showed off its nuanced colouring.

No attempt was made by Radok to hide the fact that the three wood spirits were based on Wagner’s Rheinmaidens; if anything, it appeared he wished to draw attention to the fact. With their greeny-blue costumes that evoked connections with the watery depths and their playfully cruel taunting of the Water Goblin, one could so easily have mistaken it for the opening scene of “Das Rheingold.” Played by soprano Doubravka Novotná, and contraltos Ivana Pavlu and Monika Jägerová, they acted their parts as a group, yet each managed to maintain an individual identity.

Baritone Tadeáš Hoza gave a solid performance as the Hunter.

The choir of the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre, under the direction of Pavel Koñárek, produced an energetic and beautifully sung performance, played out the dance routines wonderfully, and acted out their Act two roles convincingly to create an oppressive, even threatening presence.

Overall, it was a high-quality presentation, for which Radok must take a large share of the credit. It was an imaginative and dramatically convincing reading, which in no way is meant to belittle the contribution made by the orchestra or the singers, who all gave strong performances and made it the most successful of the four operas I reviewed at this year’s festival.

The post Janáček Brno Festival 2024 Review: Rusalka appeared first on OperaWire.

Operas in alphabetical order 

The season will include Petar Selem’s production of Verdi’s “Aida” with Andriy Yurkevych conducting.

Performance Dates: TBA

Bizet’s “Carmen” returns in Grischa Asagaroff’s production. 

Performance Date: Sept. 25, 2024

Jiří Habart conducts Mozart’s “Così fan tutte.”

Performance Date: Feb. 15, 2025

Ole Anders Tandberg’s production of Wagner’s “Der Fliegende Holländer” returns.

Performance Dates: May 18, 2025

Hermann Bäumer and Richard Hein conduct Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier.”

Performance Dates: Sept. 7-21, 2024

Vladimír Morávek’s production of Mozart’s “Die Zauberflöte” returns.

Performance Dates: August 30, 2024-March 23, 2025

Jan Kučera and David Radok’s “Don Buoso” and Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” will be presented in a double bill.

Performance Date: Jan 29, 2025

Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” will be conducted by Zbyněk Müller.

Performance Dates Dec. 15, 2024

Gounod’s “Faust” will be presented in a new production by Jan Philipp Gloger. Sébastien Rouland and Zbyněk Müller conduct.

Performance Dates: March 13-26, 2025

Humperdinck’s “Hänsel und Gretel” will be conducted by Richard Hein and Anna Novotná Pešková.

Performance Dates: Dec. 15, 2024 & March 9, 2025

Rossini’s “Il barbiere di Siviglia” will be directed by Magdalena Švecová. 

Performance Date: Oct. 2, 2024

Calixto Bieito directs a new production of Janáček’s “Jenůfa.” The work stars Alzbeta Polácková, Dana Buresová, Ales Briscein, and Martin Srejma.

Performance Date: May 22, 2025

Janáček’s “Jenůfa” will also be performed in the classic Jiří Nekvasil production. 

Performance Dates: Sept. 11 & 16, 2024

Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” returns in Julia Burbach‘s production.

Performance Dates: August 25-Dec. 17, 2024

Puccini’s “La bohème” will be conducted by Mykola Dyadyura and Jiří Štrunc.

Performance Dates: TBA

Verdi’s “La Traviata” will be conducted by Anna Novotná Pešková, Vincenzo Milletarì, and Jiří Štrunc.

Performance Dates: TBA

Shostakovich’s “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk” will be directed by Martin Čičvák.

Performance Dates: Oct. 6 & 23, 2024

Reimann’s “Lear” will be conducted by Hermann Bäumer and directed by Barbora Horáková Joly. Tómas Tómasson stars in the title role.

Performance Dates: June 6 & 17, 2025

Ligeti’s “Le Grand Macabre” will be conducted by Jiří Rožeň.

Performance Dates: Oct. 10 & 13, 2024

Marek Šedivý and Zdeněk Klauda conduct Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro.”

Performance Dates: August 31-Sept. 26, 2024

Semtana’s “Libuše” will be directed by Jan Burian.

Performance Dates: TBA

Andriy Yurkevych conducts Verdi’s “Macbeth.”

Performance Dates: TBA

Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” will be revived.

Performance Date: Dec. 1, 2024

Puccini’s “Manon Lescaut” will get a new production by Sláva Daubnerová.

Cherubini’s “Médée” will be directed by Roland Schwab in a new production.

Performance Dates: Jan. 23-19, 2025

Tomáš Ondřej Pilař directed Verdi’s “Nabucco.”

Performance Dates: August 24, 2024-Jan. 30, 2025

“Opera is Fun!” will be performed.

Performance Dates: TBA

Verdi’s “Otello” will be directed by Martin Čičvák.

Performance Dates: Sept. 26, 2024-Feb. 16, 2025

Performance Dates: Feb. 28 & March 10, 2025

Rameau’s “Platée” will be directed by SKUTR. 

Performance Dates: Nov. 21, 2024-June 1, 2025 

Gabriel Feltz conducts Verdi’s “Rigoletto.”

Performance Dates: TBA

Sláva Daubnerová directs Gounod’s “Roméo et Juliette.” 

Performance Dates: TBA

Dvořák’s “Rusalka” will be conducted by David Švec.

Performance Dates: Sept. 21 & 27, 2024

Fibich’s “Šárka” will receive a new production by Kay Link.

 Performance Dates: June 5 & 15, 2025

Smetana’s “The Bartered Bride” returns in Alice Nellis.

Performance Dates: August 28-Sept. 28, 2024

Janáček’s “The Cunning Little Vixen” will be performed in Ondřej Havelka’s production.

Performance Dates: TBA

Dvořák’s “The Devil and Kate” will be performed in Marián Chudovský’s production.

Performance Dates: Dec. 8 & March 8, 2025

Smetana’s “The Secret” returns.

Performance Dates: August 28, 2024-May 28, 2025 

Ondrej Olos and Vincenzo Milletarì conduct Puccini’s “Tosca.”

Performance Dates: August 23-Sept. 10, 2024

Andrea Sanguineti’s Puccini’s “Turandot.”

Performance Date: Nov 3, 2024

The post Prague National Theatre Announces 2024-25 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

In November, she will be performing as Rusalka in this year’s Brno Janacek festival, which OperaWire shall also be covering.

OperaWire: What is the next opera you will sing in? 

Jana Šrejma Kačirková: Smetana’s “Dalibor” in Brno.

OW: What was the first opera in which you performed?

JSK: I sang in “La Boheme” and “Polish Blood” when I was a child. I was 12 at the time.

OW: At what age did you know that you wanted to become an opera singer?

JSK: I didn’t want to become an opera singer; I wanted to be a pop singer. However, my mother told me to learn how to sing first, and then choose what to sing. And it was my teacher, the famous opera singer, Libuse Dominska, who convinced me to sing opera. She was a role model for me, and I wanted to do it for her.

OW: What was the first opera in which you sang a major role?

JSK: It was Susanna in “Le Nozze di Figaro.”

OW: If you were having a dinner party and you could choose three guests, one of whom had to have a connection with opera, who would they be?

JSK: Anna Netrebko, the director David Radok and my daughter Anna.

OW: What is your favorite piece of non-classical music?

JSK: “Les Misérables”

OW: If you weren’t an opera singer, what career would you like to follow?

JSK: Anything in which I can meet people. Maybe I would be a translator.

OW: If you were a radio talkshow host, who would you most like to interview?

JSK: My grandfather. He died 15 years ago, but it was like he left yesterday. He had a big personality and had a big effect on me.

OW: What city in the world would you most like to visit? 

JSK: Paris. I have never been.

OW: What is your favorite food?

JSK: I love eating. I can eat anything. I love Chinese food.

OW: What is your favorite holiday destination?

JSK: Cape Verde. It is like paradise. It is a calm place with a tropical climate.

OW: Who is your favorite painter?

JSK: Monet

OW: What book are you reading at the moment?

JSK: I am reading a detective novel by Tess Gerritson called “Instinct.”

OW: You are singing Rusalka at the Brno Janacek Festival this November. The director will be David Radok. What is it like to work with him?

JSK: He is a genius. I love working with him. Every minute of working with him is great. He loves the singers’ ideas; he loves directing; he is very precise and wants everyone to be involved in the production. He wants energy on the stage, and he wants everyone to feel important. Everybody who works for him wants to do the right thing for him and to make him happy.

The post Meet The Person Behind The Voice: Soprano Jana Šrejma Kačirková appeared first on OperaWire.

Britten’s “Peter Grimes” is a director’s dream.

Who is Grimes? It is certain he is a loner; an outsider and a social misfit open to fits of temper. Yet there is also a sensitive side to his nature that comes out intermittently throughout the opera, notably in his aria “Now the Great Bear and the Pleiades” and in the reflective passage, “In dreams I’ve built myself some kindlier home.” Undoubtedly, he is a deeply layered and ambiguous figure, but is he capable of murder, sadism or worse? And what of the other characters in the story, particularly the people of the Borough, who come together as a crowd with a single intent: do they have any responsibility for the boy’s death and for accentuating Grimes’ dysfunctional behavior?

The options open to the director, which fall between the two extremes of Grimes the victim and Grimes the murderer, are manyfold, and over the years they have offered up many different and interesting interpretations.

Grimes Versus the Crowd

The director, David Radok, took a largely unambiguous approach. For him, Grimes is a victim who is unable to deal successfully with the pressures of the Borough’s intolerant, inward-looking and small-minded populace. When his apprentice, John, falls to his death in Act two, Radok makes it very clear that Grimes is innocent of his death and shines the light of blame directly onto the mob. Startled by the noise of the crowd approaching his house, he turns and lets go of the rope holding John as he climbs down the cliff, who falls to his death. Of course, he does not portray Grimes as wholly innocent; his violence, his inability to control his temper and his disinterest which verged on contempt for the community, were all clearly on view. By comparison with many other productions, however, he was a far more sympathetic character. And why not? Britten’s sympathies with Grimes are clearly evident in the music.

The tenor Joachim Bäckström produced a first-rate performance in the role and successfully captured Grimes’ sensitivities. He often came across as noble and reflective, which made his violent and coarse outbursts appear disjointed and wild, although never gratuitous. Rather, they were born of his frustrations, resulting from his inability to connect with and understand the wider community, and crowds do not take kindly to such people!

At least, the audience had little problem sympathizing with Bäckström’s Grimes, which made his assault on Ellen all the more shocking and dramatically pungent. Moreover, it was very difficult to believe that he had murdered any of the boys. The impression was reinforced by the beautiful and tender expressivity that Bäckström was able to imbue the vocal line, in which his own suffering, frustrations and sense of non-understanding were clearly wrought. His singing of “Now the Great Bear and the Pleiades” was sung in complete isolation in the pub, full of people. While the perplexed crowd looked on without any comprehension whatsoever of what Grimes was saying, he gave voice to his thoughts, totally unaware of their presence. It was a fine moment that showed off his sensitively crafted phrasing and pleasing timbre to good effect.

Radok’s treatment of the crowd, however, was unsympathetic. Clearly identifying it as the source of the problem, he took every opportunity to portray their intolerance, and the pressures they exert, on all around them to conform to their prejudices, values and views. He used their physical presence to menace people, and it was not just Grimes who fell victim; anyone who stepped outside the prescribed limits would be targeted. The well-meaning Ellen Orford was subjected to its rough treatment as they surrounded and closed in on her space, intimidating her for not sharing its view of Grimes. Mrs. Sedley was mocked by the crowd, not because of her vicious tongue or hypocrisy, but because she thought the pub and its customers were below her. There was no ambiguity in its part in the drama; if it were not for the crowd, John would not have fallen to his death.

His interpretation was supported by the chorus-master, Pavel Koñárek, who led the Janáčkovy Opera Chorus in a brilliantly sung performance that highlighted both its sentimental nature and its vicious intent, particularly in the Act three chorus “Who holds himself apart,” where they faced the audience and cried out “Peter Grimes” again and again with increasing ferocity.

Grimes’ Clearly Defined Relationships

Likewise, Radok’s portrayal and development of the other characters and their relationships, especially between Grimes and Ellen and Grimes and Balstrode, were expertly crafted to carry the narrative in a clear and dramatically strong manner that highlighted his interpretation.

Does Grimes love Ellen, or does he see her simply as a means of salvation? There was little on Grimes’ part to suggest any real love, but Jana Šrejma Kačírková’s Ellen was clearly committed to him. She stood up for him against the crowd; she suffered when she realized that Grimes was beating John; and her cry of pain when she understood that Balstrode was asking Grimes to take his own life was spine-chilling. It was an exceptionally strong performance that captured the roller coaster of her emotions. Moreover, her voice was perfect for the role. Her singing was secure, agile and expressive, topped by a beautiful, silvery upper register that positively shone. Even in the most dramatically intense moments, she sang without any sense of vocal anxiety. Her aria “Glitter of waves and glitter of sunlight,” sung against a choral background of parishioners in the church, not only showed off the tonal beauty of her voice and her delightful phrasing, but also its wonderful dexterity. Her confrontation with Grimes, which immediately followed, confirmed the quality of her expression as she articulated her concerns and inner conflict, in which her voice rang out, drenched with emotional strength.

Baritone Svatopluk Sem was an unsentimental, practical Balstrode who dealt fairly with Grimes, but who was more interested in bringing stability to the Borough. His singing was resonant, secure and forthright, successfully conveying the impression of a person of good standing within the community. His exchanges with Grimes were direct and explicit, clearly displaying that he felt no personal animosity towards him, but neither did he shirk from saying what he believed to be necessary.

The Borough’s gossip, Mrs. Sedley, was essayed by contralto Jitka Sapara Fischerová, who provided a compelling characterization that drew heavily upon the stereotype. She was a real busy body, always around, listening to and judging; nothing escaped her prying eyes. She sang with a great deal of versatility as she moved her voice effortlessly in order to capture a range of negative traits; sometimes she sounded haughty and hypocritical, at other times she coated the voice with a vicious curl, yet she always sounded judgmental.

The role of Auntie is based firmly on the traditional image of the pub landlady. She has to be cheerful, strong-willed and able to roll with the banter of the customers. It really needs to be played as a stereotype to work effectively. Unfortunately, mezzo-soprano Jana Hrochová did not quite capture the stereotype, and the character fell a little flat. She was not helped by her poor pronunciation of English. Musically, she sounded strong.

Baritone Jiří Hájek gave a nuanced performance as the apothecary Ned Keene, which allowed the character to move beyond the stereotypically loud-mouthed showoff by highlighting his intelligence and fundamental decency. His singing was secure and resonant, and his English intonation was excellent.

Bass Jan Štáva made an excellent impression in the role of Swallow. Possessing the necessary gravitas for the role, he sang with the necessary confidence and certainty for his position as a lawyer and as a man of authority. His voice has a pleasing, rounded quality, which he used expressively to bring the character to life.

The two nieces were played by sopranos Andrea Široká and Tereza Kyzlinková. As is normally the case, they acted out their part as a pair, both supporting and sparking off each other. They were frivolous and provocative, flirtatious and coquettish. Both gave solid singing performances.

Bob Boles is the typical religious hypocrite. All is correct on the surface, but after a few drinks, he is aggressive, lecherous and opinionated. Tenor Vít Nosek gave a convincing, animated performance, playing up all his character’s negative traits. He was a splendid drunk.

Bass David Nykl produced a strong, secure and confident reading of Hobson, while tenor Petr Levíček convinced as the weak-willed and ineffectual Reverend Horace Adams.

Yet what were we to make of the boy, John? He was certainly afraid of Grimes and did not want to be in his presence. Grimes did beat him; that much is certain. But was it possible to read more into this than just the reactions of a fragile child who finds himself in strange surroundings without anyone to turn to? This was a question that was left hanging and was probably the most ambivalent part of Radok’s interpretation.

A Strongly Designed Staging

Radok, who was also responsible for the scenery, created a set that was dominated by the sea. Across the back of the stage was a seascape, which changed in accordance with the lighting, sensitively designed by Přemysl Janda. As the tensions of the Borough rose and the mists blew in, the set darkened, and the sea became more menacing. It was a marvelous idea that acted on a number of levels: it successfully created the necessary claustrophobic atmosphere and reflected the depth and changing passions of Grimes, but it was also aesthetically pleasing in itself. A rail ran in front of the sea to create a promenade where the citizens of the Borough congregated, creating a sense of shared experience penned in by the sea.

The pub scene in Act one was carefully constructed so that as the storm raged, the people of the Borough, who have been forced to seek refuge inside, are constantly battling to keep the doors and windows closed and into ever closer contact with each other, allowing their shifting emotions to connect to the rising and falling of the storm.

Zuzana Ježková‘s costumes were taken from the mid-20^th century and neatly designed to reflect the characters’ roles and personalities. They sat sympathetically against Radok’s scenery and helped create a visually strong presentation that supported the connection between the narrative and psychology of Grimes and the crowd.

The conductor Marko Ivanović took a similar interpretation to that which he employed for Brno National Theatre’s production of “Salome,” in which he focused on promoting the dramatic nature of the work. He elicited strong dynamic contrasts from the Orchestra Janáčkovy Opera and sensitively managed the tensions over the course of the scenes to meet the needs of the onstage drama. It was a musically exciting reading with a strong forward momentum. And the second sea interlude was absolutely superb; it was certainly the best reading that I have heard. On the negative side, however, the textures were not always well-balanced. Individual sections would occasionally stand out in rude fashion and compromise the atmospheric effect. There was also a tendency to cut short the line in slower passages when it could have been extended to give the sound a deeper, fuller body.

Overall, this was an impressive production. The singing was excellent, the orchestral sound was dramatically strong and Radok’s reading was clearly focused to bring out the strength of the narrative, albeit one that downplayed many of the ambiguities that lie within the work, particularly in the case of Grimes himself, who was presented as the victim of the mob. It was, nevertheless, a captivating presentation, one that kept the audience engrossed throughout the evening.

The post Brno National Theater 2023-24 Review: Peter Grimes appeared first on OperaWire.

Immediately after the curtain came down on Brno National Theater’s excellent production of Richard Strauss’ “Salome,” OperaWire nipped around to the stage door for an interview appointment with Slovakian soprano Linda Ballová, who had just produced a stunning performance in the titular role.

It is unlikely that many opera-goers in Western countries will have heard the name; her performances have largely been confined to Slovakia and the Czech Republic, while her experience in Western houses has been confined to a four-year stint spent at Aachen Opera in Germany when she first started out in her professional career.

After witnessing her interpretation of Salome, one can only wonder why her name is not far better known!

OperaWire: Why did you become an opera singer?

Linda Ballová: My mother tells me that when I was a little child, of about four or five years old, I told her that I wanted to be an opera singer, not a pop singer, but an opera singer. When she asked me why, I replied that I knew I wanted to do this. This occurred just after we had been to watch “Carmen” at the Bratislava National Theatre.

OW: What was your path into the profession?

LB: At five, I was a little too young to go to a special school for music, but there was a children’s choir I joined, and I got a singing teacher. The conductor of the choir was, in fact, my singing teacher. I stayed with her for lessons from the age of five until I was 19. In the meantime, I studied languages at the gymnasium, even though at the time I wanted to go to the conservatory. But my parents told me that I had to have a proper education so that if singing didn’t work out for me, there would be something to fall back on. After this, I went to the conservatory for six years, where I studied with Dagmar Livorová, and then to the University of Musical Arts in Bratislava for five years, where I studied with Zlatica Livorová. So, I was 30 before I finished my studies, although I started performing before that. I was really lucky because I had very good teachers.

OW: When did you start performing on stage? 

LB: I started when I was in the conservatory with very small parts. At the time, I was mezzo-soprano, or at least that is how I saw myself. This was because my middle range was nothing, and my teachers told me that if I didn’t have the middle range, then I wouldn’t have the lows or highs. Then, in my third year at university, I was asked to sing Milada in Smetana’s opera “Dalibor.” My teachers told me not to do it because it would destroy my voice. But I did it anyway, and it worked!

Afterwards, my teacher asked me to sing one of Milada’s arias, which I did. She said, Okay, you are a soprano!

At the beginning, I was doing small roles and covering larger roles. Then I got a place at the opera in Aachen, in Germany, where I stayed for four years, and I sang roles like Jenufa, Ariadne and Rusalka, which were really good for my voice. This is where I gained much of my initial experience. After that, I returned to Slovakia. I sang a few roles in the National Theatre and applied for a job teaching in the conservatory.

OW: How did you start singing at the Brno National Theatre? 

LB: They have really good singers here in Brno and they went to China to perform “The Makropulos Case,” for which I was the cover. They said that I didn’t need to travel as they did not expect I would be required; however, just in case, they had a visa sorted out. I was told that if I didn’t hear the day before the performance, then I could relax. On the day of the performance, they called me and told me that I would be singing that evening. I thought that it would be impossible. They called me at 9:00 a.m. and by 2:00 p.m., I was flying to Shanghai. I was rushed through the arrivals in record time and taken straight to the theatre. I had never sung in this production. I had to get changed immediately, and the conductor was speaking in one ear and the assistant director in the other ear. Amazingly, it went really well, but I cannot remember a thing about it! The next day, the adrenalin kicked in, and I became really stressed, and I couldn’t eat a thing. Five months later, they offered me the role of Elisabetta in “Don Carlos.” That is how I started in Brno.

OW: You sing a wide range of roles in a wide variety of languages. What are your favorite roles and composers to sing?

 LB: I like to sing Puccini, but people tell me that I should do more Verdi. Both fit my voice well. I would love to sing Tosca, but I know I am not Tosca! It may come later. I was asked to sing Turandot, but that is also not for me, and so I turned it down. My favorite composer is Janáček and I want to sing more of his roles.

Everybody was telling me that the role of Salome was very hard, but I don’t have that feeling; it is so well-written that I didn’t feel any stress or anxiety in the voice.

OW: Describe your voice. 

LB: I used to think that my voice had an iron-like quality, but when I listen to recordings of myself, I don’t have the same impression. If I had to describe it, I would say it has a full, round sound. I can go as high as D3, but I don’t like to go that high. I just use it to warm up.

OW: Are there specific challenges for Czech and Slovak singers who wish to sing in Western theaters?

LB: Yes, it is more difficult, but this is only if you do not have a Western agent, which I don’t. I think that is really the only problem. I would say that here we sing in a greater variety of languages, for example, French, German, Russian, Czech and Italian, far more frequently, but we have fewer opportunities. But if you don’t have the right agent, it is like that you don’t exist!

OW: Are there any significant differences between Slovak singers and Czech singers? 

LB: There are big differences. The schools are very different. So, for example, in Slovakia there is more emphasis on the bel canto style of singing, while in the Czech Republic there is more of a German style of singing. Also, with Slovakian singers, you don’t hear a strong Slovakian accent, but when a Czech singer is singing in Italian or German, you can immediately hear the Czech accent; not all of them, of course, but in general.

OW: What were the challenges of singing “Salome?”

LB: Of course, there are musical challenges for the breathing, the position and the technique, but I found the biggest challenge to be psychological; by this, I mean the way I need to deal with the emotions that role generates in me. I was in a grocery store after rehearsals one day, and a lady asked me how I was, and I just burst into tears. I was in the wrong mental state, caused by my close identification with Salome. David Radok, the director, told me that if I didn’t feel like this, then I wouldn’t be normal, as he was trying to push me to the limits, but to a point where he can still manipulate the character. At one point, I actually felt that it was not going to work and that I needed to visit a psychiatrist. It was much harder for me to live with Salome than to sing the role. My colleagues told me that it is great to play a negative role because everyone has hatred inside, and you can just put it out there on the stage. It doesn’t work for me, however.

OW: What are your ambitions? 

LB: Honestly, my ambitions are to sing well and to do my job well.

However, I would really like to sing in Covent Garden or at the Vienna State Opera. Also, I would like to sing in one of the big German houses, such as Berlin or Munich. My big dream is obviously the New York Met. But I need to keep my feet on the ground.

I am happy singing the repertory I am already doing. I am not too fond of Salome, however, because I don’t like the character, but many people have told me that it was very good.

The post Q & A: Soprano Linda Ballová On Her Career Path, ‘Salome,’ & the Challenges for Slovak Singers in Europe appeared first on OperaWire.

(Photo: Marek Olbryzmek)

Linda Ballová’s Stunning Performance

For the Brno National Theatre’s production, it was the relatively unknown Slovakian Linda Ballová who was cast in the role, and the initial impressions were not particularly encouraging. She entered the stage dressed in an insipid green dressing gown, which did absolutely nothing to help her stand out from those about her, and her voice, although technically correct, lacked presence. This proved to be only a short teething problem, and her performance soon developed into a captivating, dramatically powerful interpretation.

Her major confrontation with Jochanaan was expertly crafted to bring out the complete lack of any connection between them. He has nothing but contempt and hatred for her behavior, while she is obsessed with his lips. They barely listened to each other’s words while voicing their own feelings. Ballová’s construction of the vocal line was expressively strong; her colorful and dynamic inflections were brilliantly woven into her presentation, adding depth and strength to her emotionally extreme delivery. It also allowed her to display her vocal agility as she moved the voice freely and securely, climbing smoothly and forcefully into her upper register while soaring above the orchestra, spinning out beautifully long lines, and indulging in audacious leaps underpinned by her frustrations and emotional excess.

She was always attentive to Salome’s state of mind, both in the way she acted out the part and in the nuance with which she engaged with the vocal side of her performance. When Herod tries to persuade her not to go ahead with her demand for Jochanaan’s head, the ice-cold tone with which she was able to imbue the words “Gib mir den Kopf des Jochanaan,” as she stood impassively gazing out towards the audience, was chilling.

“Ah! du wolltest mich nicht deinen Mund küssen lasse” was performed sitting alone at the front of the stage, her face and clothes covered in blood. Her rendition was emotionally overwhelming, as she poured everything into it. The contrasts she was able to bring to the piece were fascinating and captured her mental disconnection with reality. The voice moved calmly and sprang forth erratically without missing a heartbeat. Her ability to hold the line as the voice meandered in different directions was superb, and the consistent quality of the voice as she soared above the orchestra was simply wonderful.

A Strong Cast Throughout

Jaroslav Březina was a weak, pathetic Herod, who was at the mercy of his lecherous passions, which he voiced with a wanton and lascivious fervor, showing off his expressive, high-flying tenor to good effect. He also successfully highlighted his common origins with his crude and unsophisticated behavior and dress. During Salome’s dance, he stared leeringly, overcome with lust and totally incapacitated. Although he operated well outside the normal moral framework, Salome’s demand for the head of the prophet was too much for his fragile mentality, which he expertly captured in his desperate, pleading tones as he begged Salome to reconsider before eventually collapsing in a heap. It was a role that appeared to suit Brezina well.

Herodias is a great role for any female singer wishing to show off their acting skills, and I doubt there have been many as compelling as that of Eva Urbanová. Hers was a Herodious, who had descended into a psychological abyss in which the normal rules of acceptable behavior had long since been abandoned. She had a disdain, verging on contempt, even hatred, for her husband, Herod, attacking him on every possible occasion, brilliantly intoning the line with unconcealed malice. But it was her transformation into an eerily calm, almost contented observer that sent a chill down the spine. As Salome writhed around the stage with the head of Joachannan and Herod lay motionless in the corner, she sat eating a healthy-looking salad, completely untroubled by the horror unfolding around her.

Baritone Birger Radde created a strong impression as the intolerant and intense Jochanaan, successfully capturing the certainty and fervor of his faith. His voice possesses an attractive timber. It is secure, firm and well-grounded, and when singing from his imprisonment in the cistern, he was able to project his voice so that it rang out, his authoritative and defiant tone echoing resonantly across the stage. When Salome demanded to see him, he was defiant and dismissive, barely even bothering to look at her, coating his voice with scorn and contempt to the point that his disgust for her was palpable; not that this bothered Salome, who became more entranced by him.

The tenor Vít Nosek added to the instability of the situation with his effective portrait of Narraboth. Suitably besotted, he could not keep his eyes off Salome, but his jerky physical actions gave the impression of someone who had lost control. His suicide was excellently staged; no one even noticed and certainly didn’t care. Vocally, he was secure and captured his character’s mental instability successfully.

The five Jews, played by tenors Zbigniew Malak, Pavel Valenta, Petr Levíček, Michael Robotka and baritone Kornél Mikecz, were an energetic and noisy bunch, arguing animatedly with each other.

The minor roles were all given strong performances. Mezzo-soprano Jana Hrochová produced a clearly defined reading of Herdodes’ page. Bass Josef Škarka convinced in the roles of the first Nazarene and first soldier; tenor Zoltán Korda was a worthwhile second Nazarene; bass David Nykl was convincing as the second soldier and the Capadocian; and mezzo-soprano Jitka Zerhauová gave a tidy interpretation of the Slave Girl.

The conductor, Marko Ivanović, produced a mixed reading from the Janáčkovy Opera Orchestra. On the positive side, he captured the dramatic side of the score perfectly and was sensitively attuned to the onstage action. It was also a vibrant performance that successfully brought out the dynamic contrasts to good effect and ensured the overall arc of the music was well-managed. However, he failed to highlight the musical contours, especially in the early scenes; the motifs, which give the music a Middle Eastern feel and conjure up the warmth of the desert, slipped by, so that the heat and the sultry atmosphere were largely missed. Fortunately, this aspect of the performance improved over the course of the opera.

Director David Radok’s Clear Characterizations

The director, David Radok, did a brilliant job in delving deep into the cores of the characters in order to build nuanced yet well-defined personalities, even in the cases of the minor roles, to uncover their mental instabilities, which he then highlighted through imaginative devices, ranging from Narraboth’s physical movements to Herodias’ calm demeanor as she ate supper while Salome writhed around on the floor with Jochanaan’s head. The overall result was a completely bizarre environment in which anything was permissible, provided the person possessed the necessary power.

The scenographer, Dragan Stojčevski, created a single set consisting of an all-black stage with a window at the back, opening onto a room in the palace where Herod’s birthday celebration was taking place. In the front, to one side, there was the cistern with a metal cable to raise and lower Jochanaan. Together with Přemysl Janda’s subdued lighting, it created a dark, oppressive atmosphere in which the party in the background was occasionally used to create a sharp contrast with, or to magnify, the grotesque behavior in front, as when the guests appeared to be engaged in a dance of death.

Zuzana Ježková’s costume designs were modern in design, with the exception of Herod’s, who had a toga added to his military costume. Although they fitted comfortably with the staging, their impact was fairly tepid and did little to promote the drama.

At the centre of the opera is the famous “Dance of the Seven Veils.” However, it turned out to be fairly disappointing. The idea behind it was a good one. Rather than dancing just for Herod or in front of a small company of people, Salome was surrounded by Herod and his dinner guests, along with a few servants. She moved between them, taunting them with an air of defiance. However, Andrea Časraková’s choreography did not work. Lacking coordination, it moved from one idea to the next, so that at times Salome appeared to be transitioning between ideas. It gave the impression of having no overall conception and was often not in sympathy with the orchestra.

This may not have been a perfect production, but it was very, very good. This was as intense a production of Strauss’ masterpiece as one may have witnessed. Everything was neatly coordinated to bring out the dysfunction of the characters and the debauched, amoral state of Herod’s court. It was a gripping piece of theatre from start to finish, and Ballová’s performance was breathtaking.

The post Brno National Theater 2023-24 Review: Salome appeared first on OperaWire.

Following Linda Ballová’s compelling performance in the title role of “Salome” at the Brno National Theatre, OperaWire thought it would be interesting to interview the Slovakian soprano. After which, we had a short chat to find out more about the person behind the voice.

OperaWire: What was the first opera you saw? 

Linda Ballová: It was “Carmen” at Bratislava Opera when I was five years old.

OW: Can you remember what your thoughts about it were? 

LB: I remember that Carmen and Don José were both very old. At least, that is what they looked like through my child eyes. I thought, why is this about a grandpa and grandma when they were supposed to be young? I also remember thinking that I wanted to be on the stage.

OW: What is your next scheduled performance? 

LB: Mimì in “La Boheme” in Bratislava.

OW: What attracted you to the role? 

LB: From the time of my studies in the conservatory, it has been my favorite opera.

OW: What character have you met on stage that you most disliked? 

LB: Herod.

OW: It might seem obvious, but what do you dislike about him? 

LB: Everything about him. He is a weak person, and he is trying to show people that he is not like that. When weak people get into power, they can become very dangerous, and this is what he became.

OW: Name three people, living or dead, that you would like to invite to a dinner party, one of whom, at least, must have something to do with opera. 

LB: David Radok, the director of “Salome,” Mirella Freni and Freddie Mercury.

OW: Why Freddie Mercury? 

LB: I think if he were present, it would be fun. He is very extravagant and an extrovert, and that is the opposite of me, which makes me interested in him as a person. I also love his music and the way he sang it. He is my mother’s favorite singer, and although we listened a lot to classical music, we also listened to “Queen,” and other bands.

OW: What is your favorite film? 

LB: “The Luzhin Defence,” directed by Marleen Gorris.

OW: Do you play chess? 

LB: No. I have never learned to play chess, but I love it. For me, the minds of chess players interest me; they have to think so far ahead. I cannot do that, so even if I played, I would not be very good at it.

OW: What is your favorite piece of classical, non-opera music? 

LB: Rachmaninov’s piano concerto No.2.

OW: What attracted you to the piece?  

LB: I bought a four CD collection of his concertos for my father. I used to listen to them, and the second touched my heart and won’t leave.

OW: If you weren’t an opera singer, what career would you have followed? 

LB: A doctor.

OW: Is that because your mother is a doctor?

LB: Yes, probably. I think if she had been a coal miner, I would have wanted to do that. I wanted to be like her. Now, I am happy I didn’t become a doctor.

OW: If, you were a radio talkshow host, who would you most like to interview, and why? 

LB: Mirella Freni. I would like to know how she became an opera singer. I know she had a special diet; before every performance she ate spaghetti, but then when she retired, she never ate it again.

OW: Where would you most like to go on holiday? 

LB: New York. When I see films and documentaries set in the city, I am always fascinated by the energy of the place. I would like to experience it for myself.

OW: What is your favorite food?

LB: Like Mirella Freni, I always eat the same food before I go on stage. In my case, it is steak and vegetables. It gives me energy. I get hungry when I perform, and on occasions, I finish it off during the interval.

OW: Name two adjectives that describe Salome. 

LB: Cruel and Victim.

OW: Did you like playing Salome? 

LB: I do now. However, I found learning the role very difficult because her character was so different from anything I had experienced. There is nothing in her that I can relate to; it does not feel nice to be Salome. I feel sorry for her in some ways because she was brought up in a very dysfunctional environment, so it is not all her fault.

The post Meet the Person Behind the Voice: Soprano Linda Ballová appeared first on OperaWire.

“Libuse” will star Dana Buresová and will be conducted by Robert Jindra.

Performance Dates: Sept. 2 – 28, 2023

“La Traviata” will feature Marie Fajtová, Lucie Kanková, Jana Sibera, and Taritza Véliz as Violetta Valéry. Andriy Yurkevych, Jirí Strunc, and Giedre Slekyte conduct.

Performance Dates: Sept. 3, 2023 – March 20, 2024

“Carmen” will be headlined by Jordanka Milkova and Nana Dzidziguri in the title role. Rastislav Stúr and Zbynek Müller conduct.

Performance Dates: Sept. 7, 2023 – Jan. 11, 2024

“Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” gets a revival. Andriy Yurkevych and Richard Hein conduct the production by Ondrej Havelka.

Performance Dates: Sept. 8, 2023 – March 19, 2024 

“Die Zauberflöte” will star Petr Nekoranec, Richard Samek, Katerina Knezíková, Lucie Kanková, and Jirí Sulzenko, among others. Jaroslav Kyzlink and Zdenek Klauda share conducting duties.

Performance Dates: Sept. 9, 2023 

“Don Giovanni” will be headlined by Pavol Kubán and Jirí Brückler in the title role. Karsten Januschke and David Svec conduct.

Performance Dates: Sept 9 – Oct. 21, 2023

“Schwanda the Bagpiper” will be conducted by Jan Chalupecky and Zbynek Müller with the title role entrusted to Jirí Brückler and Svatopluk Sem.

Performance Dates: Sept. 10 – Oct. 7, 2023

“The Bartered Bride” stars Jana Sibera, Katerina Knezíková, and Alzbeta Polácková as Marenka. Jaroslav Kyzlink and David Svec conduct.

Performance Dates: Sept. 12 – 21, 2023

“L’Elisir d’Amore” will be presented in a production directed by Julia Burbach conducted by Andriy Yurkevych.

Performance Dates: Sept. 22, 2023 – March 3, 2024

The company will present “Opera is Fun.”

Performance Dates: Sept. 24, 2023

“Il Barbiere di Siviglia” will star Petr Nekoranec, Jirí Sulzenko, Arnheiour Eiríksdóttir, and Adam Plachetka, among others. Jaroslav Kzylink, Marek Sedivy, and Jan Chalupecky conduct.

Performance Dates: Sept. 29 & Oct. 27, 2023

“Rusalka” will have two different stagings. First up is the classic production by Zdenek Toska starring Alzbeta Polácková, Petra Alvarez Simková, and Katerina Knezíková splitting duties in the title role. Ondrej Olos and Jirí Strunc conduct.

Performance Dates: Sept. 29, 2023 – Jan. 7, 2024

“Der Rosenkavalier” will star Petra Alvarez Simková, Timo Riihonen, Karolina Gumos, and Martin Bátra. Gabriel Feltz and Richard Hein conduct a production by Andreas Homoki.

Performance Dates: Oct. 22, 2023

The double bill of Jan Kučera’s “Buoso’s Ghost” and Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi” will be conducted by Giancarlo Andretta and features a production by David Radok. Štefan Margita stars as Don Buoso in the former with Svatopluk Sem taking on the lead in the Puccini classic.

Performance Dates: Nov. 3, 2023 – June 26, 2024 

Andriy Yurkevych and Jirí Strunc conduct “La Bohème” with a cast starring Remus Alazaroae, Lyudmila Korsun, Marie Fajtová, and Pavol Kubán.

Performance Dates: Nov. 5, 2023

“The Storm” by Novák will be conducted by Robert Jindra.

Performance Dates: Nov. 11, 2023

“Lady Macbeth of Mstensk” will be conducted by Herman Bäumer. Martin Cicvák directs.

Performance Dates: Nov. 24 – Dec. 17, 2023

David Svec conducts Hindemith’s “Tuttifäntchen.”

Performance Dates: Nov. 30 – Dec. 3, 2023

The company will revive “Ball im Savoy.” Jan Kucera and Anna Novotná-Pesková conduct a cast starring Vanda Sipová and Doubravka Soucková.

Performance Dates: Dec. 6, 2023 – March 17, 2024

“Così fan tutte” gets a revival conducted by Karsten Januchke and Jan Chalupecky. It will star Marie Fajtová, Katerina Kneziková, Michaela Zajmi, Arnheiour Eiríksdóttir, and Martin Srejma, among others.

Performance Dates: Dec. 6, 2023 – May 3, 2024

“The Devil and Kate” will be conducted by Robert Jindra and David Svec with Ales Briscein, Jana Kurucová, Michaela Zajmi, Richard Samek starring.

Performance Dates: Dec. 12, 2023

“Ariadne auf Naxos” will be conducted by Robert Jindra and directed by Sláva Daubnerová.

Performance Dates: Jan 19 – May 30, 2024

“Mefistofele” will be conducted by Gabriel Feltz.

Performance Dates: Feb. 8, 2024

“Nabucco” will be conducted by Andriy Yurkevych in a production by Tomás Ondrej Pilar.

Performance Dates: Feb. 15 – May 12, 2024

Zemlinsky’s “Kleider machen Leute” will be conducted by Giedre Slektyte and Richard Hein with a cast starring Joseph Dennis, Daniel Matousek, Michal Marhold, and Jana Sibera, among others.

Performance Dates: March 7 – April 7, 2024

“Rusalka” will also be presented in a production by SKUTR, conducted by Tomás Netopil.

Performance Dates: March 8 – June 2, 2024

For “Roméo et Juliette” audiences will see Jana Sibera and Petr Nekoranec in the title roles. Andriy Yurkevych and Richard Hein conduct.

Performance Dates: May 5 & 18, 2024

“Armida” is set to star Alzbeta Polácková and Frantisek Zahradnicek. Robert Jindra conducts a production by Jiri Herman.

Performance Dates: May 19 – June 25, 2024

Smetana’s “The Secret” will be conducted by Robert Jindra. Ondrek Havelka conducts.

Performance Dates: May  24 – June 16, 2024

“Le Grande Macabre” will be conducted by Jirí Rozen.

Performance Dates: June 14, 2024

Andriy Yurkevych and Richard Hein will conduct “Aida” with a cast staring Ewa Plonka and Maritina Tampakopoulos in the title role. Other cast members include Michal Lehotsky and Denys Pivnitskyi.

Performance Dates: TBA

Richard Hein conducts “Hänsel und Gretel.” The cast stars Jana Horáková Levicová, Michaela Zakmi, Yukiko Kinko, and Jana Sibera sharing the two title roles.

Performance Dates: TBA 

Alzbeta Polkácková sings the title role of “Jenufa.” Robert Jindra conducts.

Performance Dates: TBA 

Calixto Bieito’s production of “Katya Kabanova” will be conducted by Jaroslav Kyzlink and stars Alzbeta Polkácková in the title role.

Performance Dates: TBA

“Le Nozze di Figaro” will be conducted by Zbynek Müller and Petr Popelka. It will star Milos Horák and Jan Stáva in the title role.

Performance Dates: TBA

For “Macbeth,” audiences will see Olafur Sigurdarson and Marina Prudenskaya as the titular couple. Andriy Yurkevych and Jirí Strunc will conduct.

Performance Dates: TBA

Andriy Yurkevych and Jirí Strunc will conduct “Madama Butterfly” with a cast starring Csilla Boross and Olga Busuioc as Cio-Cio San.

Performance Dates: TBA

Olafur Sigurdarson, Daniel Capkovic, Daniel Luis de Vicente, and Aluda Todua share the title role of “Rigoletto.” Vincenzo Milletarì and Richard Hein split conducting duties.

Performance Dates: TBA

Petra Alvarez Simková, Ghiulnara Raileanu, Rodrigo Porras Garulo, Peter Berger, Matteo Lippi, Krzysztof Szumanski, and Daniel Capkovic headline “Tosca.” Andriy Yurkevych and Jirí Strunc conduct.

Performance Dates: TBA

The post National Theatre Opera and State Opera of Prague Unveils 2023-24 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

The Finnish National Opera has announced its 2020-21 season featuring the continuation of the New Ring Cycle.

Operas (in Alphabetical Order)

The Finnish Opera will showcase a production of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci“ directed by Damiano Michieletto. “Cavalleria” is heading by  Niina Keitel, Eduardo Aladren, Ángel Ódena, and Merle Silmato while “Pagliacci” stars Marjukka Tepponen, Mika Pohjonen, and Ódena.

Performance Dates: Sept. March 26-May 8, 2021

The New Ring continues to be unveiled with Wagner’s “Die Walküre.” The production directed by Anna Kelo stars Joachim Bäckström, Jyrki Korhonen, Tommi Hakala, Miina-Liisa Värelä, Johanna Rusanen, and Lilli Paasikivi. Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts.

Performance Dates: August 28-Sept. 9, 2020

Alan Buribayev conducts Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin“ starring Boris Pinkhasovich, Olesya Golovneva, Jussi Myllys, Elli Vallinoja, and Jyrki Korhonen.

Performance Dates: March 18-April 24, 2021

Jaakko Kuusisto conducts his work “Ice” in a production by Anna Kelo. The opera, written by Juhani Koivisto, stars Ville Rusanen, Aarne Pelkonen, Mari Palo, Hanna Rantala, and Marcus Groth.

Performance Dates: Oct. 22-Nov. 19, 2020

Veronika Dzhioeva, Monika-Evelin Liiv, Claudio Otelli, and Mika Pohjonen star in Verdi’s “Il Trovatore“ with Patrick Fournillier conducting.

Performance Dates: Sept. 11-Oct. 1, 2020

Kaija Saariaho and Sofi Oksanen’s new opera “Innocence” makes its world premiere. Susanna Mälkki conducts the production by Simon Stone and stars Jenny Carlstedt, Anu Komsi, Tuomas Pursio, Iida Antola, Markus Nykänen, and Jukka Rasilainen.

Performance Dates: Jan. 29-Feb. 23, 2021

Natalia Kreslina, Alexey Kosarev, Joonas Eloranta, and Alexander Teliga star in Shostakovich’s “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk.” The production is conducted by Hannu Lintu.

Performance Dates: Oct. 10- 23, 2020

Armin Kolarczyk, Silja Aalto, Jussi Merikanto, Iida Antola, and Elli Vallinoja stars in Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro“ with Christoph Altstaedt conducting.

Performance Dates: Dec. 15, 2020-Jan. 1, 2021

Harri Karri conducts Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly“ starring Hye-Youn Lee and Jeni Packalen.

Performance Dates: March 6-25, 2021

Mika Pohjonen, Reetta Haavisto, Olafur Sigurdarson, and Sari Nordqvist star in a new production of Britten’s “Peter Grimes.” Stuart Stratford conducts the production by David Radok.

Performance Dates: Feb. 12-24, 2021

Anna Kelo’s new Ring continues with “Siegfried.” Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts an international cast headed by Daniel Brenna, Tommi Hakala, Jukka Rasilainen, Sari Nordqvist, Johanna Rusanen, and Krista Kujala.

Performance Dates: May 14-June 1, 2021

Mari Palo and Reetta Haavisto share the title role in Lehar’s “The Merry Widow.” The production also stars Olli Tuovinen, Waltteri Torikka, Jyrki Korhonen, Jouni Kokora, Sanna Iljin, Johanna Lehesvuori, Olavi Suominen, and Markus Nykänen.

Performance Dates: Nov. 20-Dec. 31, 2020

The post Ángel Ódena, Tommi Hakala & Daniel Brenna Highlight Finnish National Opera’s 2020-21 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

The season opens with Barrie Kosky’s production of “Carmen,” which was previously seen in Frankfurt and in London. French Canadian soprano Michele Losier will sing her first staged Carmen, alternating with Elisabeth Jansson. Migran Agadzhanyan and Niels Jørgen Riis will share the role of Don Jose while Michaëla will be sung by Gisela Stille and Sofie Elkjaer Jensen. Anatoli Sivko sings Escamillo and Alexander Vedernikov, the company’s Chief Conductor, will conduct. 

Performance Dates: Sept. 14, 2019 – Feb. 15, 2020

A revival of Martin Lyngbo’s production of Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Seviglia” will feature baritone Luthando Qave as Figaro, Anna Kasyan as Rosina, tenor Ruzil Gatin as Almaviva, Per Bach Nissen as Bartolo and Simon Duus as Basilio. Vincenzo Milletari conducts.

Performance Dates: Sept. 21, 2019 – Nov. 21, 2019

The company will world premiere of Danish composer Hans Abrahamsen “Snedronningen (The Snow Queen),” based on a fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The cast will include Sofie Elkjaer Jensen, Melis Jaatinen, Johanne Bock, Johan Reuter, Sibylle Glosted, Gert Henning-Jensen, Jens Christian Tvilum and Morten Grove Frandsen. The opera will be directed by Francisco Negrin and conducted by Michael Boder.

Performance Dates: Oct. 13, 2019 – Dec. 3, 2019

A concert version of Richard Wagner’s “Tristan and Isolde” will get three performances with Christopher Ventris and Ann Petersen in the title roles, Kyungil Ko as King Marke, Hanne Fischer as Brangäne and Egils Silins as Kurwenal. Lothar Koenigs will be on the podium.

Performance Dates: Oct. 27, 2019 – Nov. 14, 2019

Director Tim Albery brings his vision to Mozart’s “Cosi fan Tutte.” Performances will be conducted by Paul Goodwin and will include Anna Kasyan as Fiordiligi, Kari Dahl Nielsen as Dorabella, Sine Bundgaard as Despina, Matteo Macchioni as Ferrando, Magnus Ingemund Kjelstad as Guglielmo and William Dazeley as Don Alfonso.

Performance Dates: Dec. 12, 2019 – March 3, 2020

The Den Jyske Opera company will offer its take on Tchaikovsky’s “Eugene Onegin.” Tecwyn Evans conducts a cast that includes baritones Jens Søndergaard and Leif Jone Ølberg in the title role, sopranos Tanja Christine Kuhn and Elin Pritchard alternating as Tatiana, tenors Dmitri Bashkirov and Philippe Do as Lenski as well as Valerian Ruminski as Gremin.

Performance Dates: Nov. 19-20, 2019

Director James Brining will produce Steven Sondheim’s musical “Sweeney Todd,” starring Palle Knudsen and David Kempster in the title role. The cast will also include Susanne Resmark, Johanne Bock, Nicholas Morton, Simon Duus, Cassandra Lemoine and Renate Ekerhovd. Ian Ryan conducts.

Performance Dates: Nov. 23, 2019 – Feb. 22, 2020

A revival of David Radok’s production of Verdi’s “La Traviata” will star Francesca Dotto and Gisela Stille as Violetta. Italian tenors Francesco Castoro and Matteo Lippi will alternate the role of Alfredo while baritone David Kempster will sing Germont. British conductor Richard Farnes will conduct.

Performance Dates: Jan. 18 – June 7, 2020

Canadian director Robert Carsen and video artist Will Duke will present a production of Mozart’s “Idomeneo.” Julia Jones will conduct a cast that will include Niels Jœgen Riis, Sine Bundgaard, Margaux de Valensart, and Michael Kristensen. The role of Idamante will be sung by a tenor, Gert Henning-Jensen.

Performance Dates: Feb. 29 – April 28, 2020

Monteverdi’s “Orfeo” will get a production by Concerto Copenhagen, conducted by Lars Ulrik Mortensen and staged by Jetske Mijnssen. French tenor and baroque specialist Marc Mauillon will sing the title role. Sofie Lund-Tonnesen, Ellen Larsson, Mia Bergström, Kyungil Ko and Mark Milhofer round out the cast.

Performance Dates: March 7 – 21, 2020

The Opera Academy will present the rarely played “Postcard from Morocco” by American composer Dominick Argento, in a production by Ebbe Knudsen. The cast will include Renate Ekerhovd, Amanda Larsson, Hedvig Haugerud, Mathias Monrad Møller, Fredrik Bjellsäter and Martin Villbrand.

Performance Dates: March 14 – 21, 2020

Den Jyske Opera will return to present a couple of performances of Mozart’s “Die Entführung aus dem Serail,” in a version with a reworked libretto by Philipp Kochheim, in a co-production with Theater Münster. The cast will include Lina Johnson and Clara Cecilie Thomsen as Konstanze, Silvia Micu as Blonde, Alexander Geller and Bo Kristian Jensen alternating as Belmonte, Andrew Dickinson and Conny Thimander as Pedrillo and Hakan Tirasoglu as Osmin. Claus Efland will conduct.

Performance Dates: March 27 – 28, 2020

Soprano Ann Petersen will sing the title role of Strauss’ “Ariadne auf Naxos,” in a production by English director Katie Mitchell. The cast will also include Swedish tenor Daniel Johansson as Bacchus, Heather Engebretson as Zerbinetta and Elisabeth Jansson as The Composer and Michael Kraus as the Music Master. Alexander Vedernikov will conduct.

Performance Dates: March 31 – April 25, 2020

“The Merchant of Death” will get its premiere. The new opera is composed by Peter Bruun and will take on Alfred Nobel and his discovery of dynamite and the contradiction between manufacturing weapons and working for peace. The title role of Alfred Nobel will be sung by Teit Kanstrup, along with Stina Schmidt as Bertha von Suttner and Frederikke Kampmann as Sofie Hess.

Performance Dates: March 31 – April 5, 2020

“The Handmaid’s Tale,” a successful modern opera by Danish composer Poul Ruders gets a revival. Originally performed in Danish in 2000 in Copenhagen, the opera has also been performed in English in London, Boston, Minnesota and Toronto. This production will be in English, directed by John Fulljames and conducted by Giedre Šlekyte. The cast will include Rachel Kelly, Sarah Champion, Jacob Andersen, Gisela Stille, Margaux de Valensart, Sofie Elkjaer Jensen, Hanne Fischer, and Johanne Bock.

Performance Dates: May 1 – June 6, 2020

The post Ann Petersen, Christopher Ventris & Michele Losier Highlight Royal Danish Opera’s 2019-2020 Season appeared first on OperaWire.