Netrebko triumphs as Aida

By James Imam, 12 August 2017

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“Muti's reading of the score is extraordinary, both for its sophistication and originality”

Reviewed at Großes Festspielhaus, Salzburg on 9 August 2017

Verdi, Aida

Riccardo Muti, Conductor

Shirin Neshat, Director

Christian Schmidt, Set Designer

Tatyana van Walsum, Costume Designer

Ekaterina Semenchuk, Amneris

Francesco Meli, Radamès

Luca Salsi, Amonasro

Anna Netrebko, Aida

Roberto Tagliavini, King of Egypt

Dmitry Belosselskiy, Ramfis

Benedetta Torre, Priestess

Bror Magnus Tødenes, A messenger

Vienna Philharmonic

Concert Association Vienna State Opera Chorus

Ernst Raffelsberger, Choirmaster / chorus director

Une céleste Aïda dans la fosse de l'Opéra Bastille

Stéphane Lelièvre, 24th September

L'opéra de Verdi en est à sa troisième nouvelle production en douze ans dans la Grande Boutique, pour un succès – une fois encore – avant tout musical…

***11

Kunstinstallation mit Sängerbeteiligung: Aida in Salzburg

Isabella Steppan, 19th August

Shirin Neshats Inszenierung bleibt trotz Überarbeitung und einem grundsätzlich interessanten Konzept problematisch; musikalisch stimmt an diesem Abend dafür (fast) alles.

****1

Romeo Castellucci directs a new Pelléas et Mélisande at La Scala

Laura Servidei, 26th April

The Italian director makes his long-awaited Italian operatic debut at the Teatro alla Scala in a production which perfectly mirrors Debussy’s most enigmatic creation.

****1

Chiaroscuro extinguished: a self-indulgent Poppea in Copenhagen

Mengguang Huang, 26th April

Christoph Marthaler’s staging of Monteverdi’s Poppea for the Royal Danish Opera is a study in boredom.

**111

Wretches like us: the LPO’s concert Wozzeck cuts to the quick

Peter Quantrill, 25th April

Beautifully prepared singing and playing brings out the tender side to Berg's modernist classic as part of the Southbank Centre’s Multitudes festival.

****1

Lepage’s Bluebeard and Erwartung pairing remains compelling theatre

John Gilks, 25th April

Some 30 years after its first appearance, Robert Lepage’s double bill of Duke Bluebeards Castle and Erwartung is still strikingly effective and very modern-looking music theatre.

*****

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James Imam

James Imam is an arts journalist writing for publications including The Financial Times, The Times, Musical America and Opera magazine. He grew up in Manchester, read anthropology at Cambridge and has since lived in Milan. As a once-aspiring countertenor he has an abiding interest in Baroque music.

Netrebko triumphs as musical performances transcend Salzburg Festival staging of Aida