Das Wunder der Heliane makes long-awaited US debut

Aušrinė Stundytė (Heliane)

David Cangelosi (Blind Judge), Alfred Walker (Ruler) and Daniel Brenna (Stranger)

Alfred Walker (Ruler)

By Cameron Kelsall, 29 July 2019

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“Botstein led a thoughtful and affecting account of the score”

Reviewed at Richard B Fisher Center for the Performing Arts: Sosnoff Theater, Annandale-on-Hudson on 28 July 2019

Korngold, Das Wunder der Heliane

SummerScape Opera

Leon Botstein, Conductor

Christian Räth, Director

Esther Bialas, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Thomas C Hase, Lighting Designer

American Symphony Orchestra

Alfred Walker, Herrscher (Ruler)

Aušrinė Stundytė, Heliane

Daniel Brenna, Fremder (Stranger)

Jennifer Feinstein, Botin (Messenger)

David Cangelosi, Blinder Schwertrichter (Blind Judge)

Nicholas Brownlee, Pförtner (Doorman)

Almost rescued from tyranny: Smetena's Dalibor stuns at Bard

Robert Levine, 27th July

Bedřich Smetana’s patriotic opera Dalibor is given a rare outing at Bard College, directed by Jean-Romain Vesperini and conducted by Leon Botstein.

****1

Damning with faint praise: Berlioz at Bard

Cameron Kelsall, 18th August

As part of a festival considering the composer's oeuvre, Leon Botstein leads a concert performance of La Damnation de Faust lacking in French style.

**111

The fat knight sings in Bard Festival's Sir John in Love

Cameron Kelsall, 13th August

A two-week Ralph Vaughan Williams retrospective closed with his gentle, folksy spin on Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor.

***11

Saint-Saëns rarity Henry VIII takes the crown at Bard SummerScape

Cameron Kelsall, 21st July

Conductor Leon Botstein and director Jean-Roumain Vesperini treat this Tudor soap opera with appropriate grandeur, while a top-notch cast deliver the vocal goods.

****1

Strauss' Silent Woman makes a grand noise at Bard

Robert Levine, 24th July

Bard’s always courageous Music Director, Leon Botstein, never one to shy away from a challenge, presents Strauss' comedy uncut.

****1

Bard Musical Festival presents a thrilling Die tote Stadt

Cameron Kelsall, 18th August

American singers Clay Hilley and Sara Jakubiak offered performances of distinction in two fiendishly difficult roles.

****1

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Cameron Kelsall

Cameron Kelsall is a classical music critic and cultural reporter. He has written for Bachtrack since 2019, and his byline has appeared in many national and international classical music publications. Based in Philadelphia, he regularly travels around the United States for musical events. In addition to his career in journalism, Cameron also teaches in the Theatre Arts program at the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a certified sommelier and avid home cook. His favorite composer is Mahler. Twitter: @CameronPKelsall.

Better late than never: Das Wunder der Heliane makes long-awaited US debut