Send in the clowns: Stefan Herheim’s Lulu in Copenhagen

By Aksel Tollåli, 22 November 2014

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“Herheim’s production... constantly balances the grotesquely comical and the deeply tragic”

Reviewed at The Opera House: Main Stage, Copenhagen on 20 November 2014

Berg, Lulu

Royal Danish Opera

Michael Boder, Conductor

Stefan Herheim, Director

Gesine Völlm, Costume Designer

Heike Scheele, Set Designer

Sine Bundgaard, Lulu

Randi Stene, Countess Geschwitz

Tuva Semmingsen, High-School Boy, Theatrical Dresser

Gert Henning-Jensen, The Painter

Ralf Lukas, Dr. Schön / Jack the Ripper

Britten’s The Turn of the Screw in Copenhagen

David Karlin, 6th October

Anthony Almeida and Rosanna Vize's deconstructed ghostly country house provides plenty of tension; fine vocal qualities are marred by poor intelligibility.

***11

The other Lulu: a Danish rarity in Copenhagen

Aksel Tollåli, 4th February

Dénise Beck shines as the Princess Sidi in the Royal Danish Opera's production of Friedrich Kuhlau's Lulu, receiving its first performances in 180 years.

***11

Carl Nielsen’s Maskarade: Love in the time of selfies

Aksel Tollåli, 18th April

Kasper Holten's production of Carl Nielsen's delightful comedy Maskarade delights in Copenhagen.

***11

The king is not well: Nielsen’s Saul og David

Aksel Tollåli, 17th April

The Royal Danish Opera's new production of Carl Nielsen's first opera Saul og David updates the action to the present-day Middle east and, while well-sung, comes off as overly simplistic.

**111

An occasionally brilliant Don Giovanni at the Royal Danish Opera

Kevin W Ng, 25th May

Malin Hartelius and Palle Knudsen electrify an otherwise competent Don Giovanni in Copenhagen.

***11

Tito désabusé dans le spectacle de Jetske Mijnssen à Copenhague

Irma Foletti, 13th September

Une distribution vocale de très bon niveau, un orchestre en excellente forme, une mise en scène convaincante : la nouvelle production de l'opus mozartien à l'Opéra royal du Danemark est une réussite.

****1

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Aksel Tollåli

Aksel is currently studying towards a degree in musicology at the University of Oslo. At the moment he is an exchange student at Goldsmiths College in London. He is also a choral singer and a trombonist. His musical interests include 20th-cenury French music, Baroque opera and the music of Richard Strauss.