Nostalgia and neurosis as Die tote Stadt returns to the Semperoper after nearly a century

By John Johnston, 23 January 2018

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“Bösch directs with nightmare edginess and physiological insight”

Reviewed at Semperoper, Dresden on 21 January 2018

Korngold, Die tote Stadt (The Dead City)

Semperoper Dresden

Dmitri Jurowski, Conductor

David Bösch, Director

Patrick Bannwart, Set Designer

Falko Herold, Costume Designer

Burkhard Fritz, Paul

Manuela Uhl, Marietta

Christoph Pohl, Frank, Fritz

Timothy Oliver, Graf Albert

Khanyiso Gwenxane, Victorin

Tichina Vaughn, Brigitta

Staatskapelle Dresden

Sächsischer Staatsopernchor Dresden

Thielemann bids farewell to Dresden with an excellent new FroSch

Ako Imamura, 27th March

David Bösch directs a creative and thoughtful new production of Die Frau ohne Schatten at the Semperoper in Christian Thielemann's final opera as Principal Conductor.

*****

Detlev Glanert's Die Jüdin von Toledo premieres at the Semperoper

Zenaida des Aubris, 10th February

Robert Carsen stages the world premiere production of Glanert's opera, based Franz Grillparzer's 1851 play, in stringent, minimalist style.

*****

Moving singing, but missed opportunities in Dresden’s new Aida

Zoltán Szabó, 17th March

Katharina Thalbach offers a traditional staging at the Semperoper, with fine vocal performances led by Krassimira Stoyanova, Francesco Meli and Oksana Volkova.

***11

Peter Konwitschny returns to the Semperoper with Les Huguenots

Laura Servidei, 29th June

John Osborn leads a very successful premiere of Peter Konwitschny's new production of Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots in Dresden

****1

Nabucco marks a successful debut of Saioa Hernández as Abigaille

Laura Servidei, 25th May

Saioa Hernández leads a solid cast in Dresden in a somewhat disappointing new production by David Bösch.

***11

Folk rhythms and changing times in Dresden's Bartered Bride

John Johnston, 25th April

What brought real distinction and authenticity to the evening, as so often in this house, was the outstanding playing of the Staatskapelle conducted by Tomaš Netopil. From the start of the overture with its rapidly scurrying fugato for strings and pointed phrasing from the woodwind one felt the true sense of Smetana’s Czech inflected rhythms and harmonies

***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.