Ragnarök: the long twilight of the Stockholm Ring

By John Johnston, 31 May 2017

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“Stemme's Brünnhilde prowls the stage like a tigress, her blazing eyes cowering all”

Reviewed at Royal Swedish Opera, Stockholm on 29 May 2017

Wagner, Götterdämmerung

Royal Swedish Opera

Marko Letonja, Conductor

Staffan Valdemar Holm, Director

Bente Lykke Møller, Costume Designer

Lars Cleveman, Siegfried

Nina Stemme, Brünnhilde

Ola Eliasson, Gunther

Sara Olsson, Gutrune

Falk Struckmann, Hagen

Johan Edholm, Alberich

Katarina Dalayman, Waltraute

Katarina Leoson, First Norn

Susann Végh, Second Norn, Wellgunde

Emma Vetter, Third Norn

Vivianne Holmberg, Woglinde

Johanna Rudström, Flosshilde

Royal Swedish Opera Chorus

Royal Swedish Orchestra

Stemme leads an explosive Jenůfa at Royal Swedish Opera

David Karlin, 25th October

Janáček’s drama of infanticide is delivered at full power by Nina Stemme and Agneta Eichenholz in Annilese Miskimmon’s well-crafted production. The orchestra, however, are just too loud.

****1

Overpowering Candide at Royal Swedish Opera

David Karlin, 25th October

Ole Anders Tandberg's edgy take on Bernstein's satirical operetta is lifted by some good performances but marred by an overpowering orchestra.

***11

A dark, brutal Don Giovanni in Stockholm

Laura Servidei, 28th March

The Royal Swedish Opera revives Tandberg’s 2014 production with a solid cast of Swedish singers.

***11

Swedish première of Szymanowski’s King Roger in Stockholm

Laura Servidei, 19th March

Elin Rombo shines in a co-production of King Roger with the Royal Swedish Opera and Teatr Wielki, in Warsaw

***11

Anne Sofie von Otter dominates the scene in Stockholm's Carmélites

Laura Servidei, 6th February

The Royal Swedish Opera revives Garpe’s production of Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites with a committed cast.

***11

Carmen meets Tosca at the Royal Swedish Opera

Laura Servidei, 19th January

A semi-successful production with an interesting underlying idea and a solid cast brings Bizet’s masterpiece back to Stockholm.

***11

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John Johnston

John Johnston was a contributor to Bachtrack 2017-19. John was a true gentleman and lifelong opera "nut" who frequently travelled across Europe to catch performances, making regular pilgrimages to the Bayreuth Festival among others. His supreme knowledge and appreciation of voices meant he took to reviewing like the proverbial duck to water. We enjoyed his style and his insatiable appetite for catching rare operas and new productions wherever he could.