Girl power rules: Vienna State Opera with Die Frau ohne Schatten

By David Karlin, 26 May 2019

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“Can there be a more potent opera orchestra than the Vienna State Opera’s?”

Reviewed at Wiener Staatsoper, Vienna on 25 May 2019

Strauss R., Die Frau ohne Schatten

Vienna State Opera

Christian Thielemann, Conductor

Vincent Huguet, Director

Aurélie Maestre, Set Designer

Caroline de Vivaise, Costume Designer

Nina Stemme, Barak the Dyer's Wife

Camilla Nylund, Empress

Evelyn Herlitzius, Nurse

Stephen Gould, Emperor

Wolfgang Koch, Barak, the Dyer

Maria Nazarova, The Guardian of the Threshold, The Voice of a Falcon

Monika Bohinec, A Voice From Above

Benjamin Bruns, The Apparition of a Youth

Thomas Ebenstein, The Hunchback, Barak's Brother

Sebastian Holecek, The Messenger of Keikobad

Ryan Speedo Green, The One-Armed Man, Barak’s Brother

Samuel Hasselhorn, The One-Eyed Man, Barak’s Brother

Bertrand Couderc, Lighting Designer, Video

Concert Association Vienna State Opera Chorus

Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera

At half mast: Simon Boccanegra revived in Vienna

Orsolya Gyárfás, 19th April

Marco Armiliato’s conducting thrills and Federica Lombardi's radiant Amelia stands out in the Wiener Staatsoper’s latest revival of Simon Boccanegra.

***11

Anna Netrebko shines in Vienna’s timeless Tosca

Laura Servidei, 18th April

In a world where opera productions often stray into the abstract, the Wiener Staatsoper’s Tosca offers a refreshing return to tradition – and Anna Netrebko delivers a splendid performance.

****1

Tragedy in the mirror: Minghella’s Madama Butterfly in Vienna

Laura Servidei, 14th March

Ermonela Jaho returns to one of her signature roles as Cio-Cio-San, delivering a searing and deeply nuanced portrayal.

****1

Too much and too little: Jan Lauwers’ restless Clemenza in Vienna

Chanda VanderHart, 12th March

The creative team behind the new Staatsoper Clemenza is unwilling to trust that Mozart’s opera is interesting enough to stand on its own.

***11

An Idomeneo shattered to pieces at the Wiener Staatsoper

Orsolya Gyárfás, 23rd January

A committed cast struggles to lend a spark of life to Kasper Holten's static staging of Mozart's first mature opera.

**111

A holiday Bohème: Puccini, Zeffirelli and tradition in Vienna

Laura Servidei, 21st December

Giacomo Sagripanti conducts a luxuriant reading with a cast anchored by Juan Diego Flórez and Nicole Car, in Zeffirelli’s familiar, generous, unabashedly emotional production.

***11

More reviews...

David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

Girl power rules: Vienna State Opera celebrates its 150 years with Die Frau ohne Schatten