Strauss' Arabella: a psychological contemplation of love and life

By Ako Imamura, 24 November 2014

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Reviewed at Gran Teatre del Liceu: Auditorium, Barcelona on 23 November 2014

Strauss R., Arabella

Gran Teatre del Liceu

Antoni Ros Marbà, Conductor

Christof Loy, Director

Herbert Murauer, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Anne Schwanewilms, Arabella

Ofèlia Sala, Zdenka

James Rutherford, Mandryka

Susanne Elmark, The Fiakermilli

Doris Soffel, Adelaide

Thomas Piffka, Count Elemer

Will Hartmann, Matteo

Orquesta Sinfónica del Gran Teatre del Liceu

The starry trio of Davidsen-Hilley-Mälkki saves Tristan und Isolde

Maria Sánchez, 12th January

A highly unbalanced premiere, its opportunity to become one of the Liceu's historic productions prevented by the contrast between dramaturgy and music.

****1

Àlex Ollé's La bohème gets an unfair reception at the Liceu

Maria Sánchez, 14th June

Contrasting sensations at the Liceu, where the audience punished a production of La bohème with boos and gave rapturous applause to a cast that performed at half throttle.

*****

Aleu's video brilliance powers a dystopian Liceu Turandot

David Karlin, 8th October

Fine musical performances blend with staggering video artistry in Aleu's spectacular science-fiction setting.

*****

Thomas’ Hamlet in concert at the Liceu

John Marten Barnard, 10th March

Ambroise Thomas’ Hamlet in concert in the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona is enthusiastically conducted by Daniel Oren.

****1

Vocal sparkle but a dull staging in the Liceu's Puritani

John Marten Barnard, 11th October

I puritani returns to Barcelona’s Liceu with Annilese Miskimmon’s production. Javier Camerena and Pretty Yende lead the inauguration of the season with a fine example of romantic bel canto.

****1

A forlorn Manon Lescaut arrives in Barcelona

John Marten Barnard, 7th June

Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu stages Puccini’s first great success as an operatic composer, Manon Lescaut with the stage direction of Davide Livermore.

***11

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Ako Imamura

Atsuko (Ako) Imamura is a retired investment banker in New York City. Born in Japan, she trained as cultural anthropologist in the US before turning to ﬁnance. She now spends her time attending opera and classical music concerts in New York and in Europe. Wagner is her favorite opera composer.