House arrested: Janáček's last opera in Munich

By Matthew Rye, 28 May 2018

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“Never one to tell one story when two or three will do, Castorf rather overplays his hand”

Reviewed at Nationaltheater, Munich on 26 May 2018

Janáček, From the House of the Dead (in tschechischer Sprache)

Bavarian State Opera

Simone Young, Conductor

Frank Castorf, Director

Aleksandar Denić, Set Designer

Adriana Braga Peretzki, Costume Designer

Evgeniya Sotnikova, Aljeja

Manuel Günther, Big prisoner/Nikita

Aleš Briscein, Luka Kuzmič (Filka Morozov)

Kevin Conners, Šapkin

Charles Workman, Skuratov

Christian Rieger, Prison governor

Bo Skovhus, Šiškov

Tim Kuypers, Small prisoner

Peter Rose, Alexandr Petrovič Gorjančikov

Niamh O'Sullivan, Prostitute

Dean Power, Čerevin, Voice

Ulrich Reß, Elderly prisoner

Matthew Grills, Kedril

Peter Lobert, Priest

Alexander Milev, Blacksmith

Johannes Kammler, Čekunov

Callum Thorpe, Prisoner as Don Juan and Brahmin

Rainer Casper, Lighting Designer

Andreas Deinert, Video

Jens Crull, Video

Sören Eckhoff, Choirmaster / chorus director

Miron Hakenbeck, Dramaturgy

Bayerisches Staatsorchester

Bayerischer Staatsopernchor

Jones’ wicked Hänsel und Gretel returns to the Bayerische Staatsoper

Mark Pullinger, 6th December

Even without a gingerbread house, there’s enough wickedness in Richard Jones’ staging of Humperdinck’s opera for sweet tooths to savour.

****1

No fairy tale: Kušej’s Rusalka works with devastating force in Munich

Orsolya Gyárfás, 26th July

Asmik Grigorian leads a searing performance in Martin Kušej’s 15-year-old, yet ever-fresh, outstanding production of Dvořák's opera.

****1

Everlasting Everding: another beautiful Munich Zauberflöte revival

Laura Servidei, 4th January

August Everding’s Magic Flute is revived in Munich with a solid cast for the enjoyment of all ages.

***11

And they were the most divine gods: Das Rheingold in Munich

Phillip Richter, 3rd November

Tobias Kratzer's prelude to this new Ring cycle exceeds all expectations and scores a musical-theatrical success.

*****

All play and no work: an exuberant Figaro in Munich

Orsolya Gyárfás, 17th July

Evgeny Titov's new production is heavy on the jokes and light in substance, but delights anyway thanks to its high-class cast.

****1

Waltzing masks and masquerades in Kosky’s new Fledermaus

Zenaida des Aubris, 23rd December

Expect sequins and swinging chandeliers in the Australian director's new Fledermaus at the Bayerische Staatsoper.

****1

More reviews...

Matthew Rye

Matthew read music at Oxford and worked in music journalism for 30 years as a writer, critic and editor. He wrote numerous programme and CD booklet notes, spent 13 years as a Daily Telegraph critic, worked at BBC Music Magazine and was reviews editor of The Strad. He also wrote for The Wagner Journal and Opera and blogged at ferneklang.blogspot.co.uk. He was general editor of 1001 Classical Recordings You Must Hear Before You Die (Cassell Illustrated, 2007) and was the author of a new series of eBooks, Masterpieces of Music (Erudition).