Sulimsky and Grigorian grip Salzburg as the murderous Macbeths

Asmik Grigorian (Lady Macbeth) and Vladislav Sulimsky (Macbeth)

Asmik Grigorian (Lady Macbeth), Vladislav Sulimsky (Macbeth) and Jonathan Tetelman (Macduff)

Vladislav Sulimsky (Macbeth) and Asmik Grigorian (Lady Macbeth)

Tareq Nazmi (Banquo), Vladislav Sulimsky (Macbeth) and chorus

Vladislav Sulimsky (Macbeth)

By Mark Pullinger, 07 August 2023

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“they held the show together as the magnetic central pairing”

Reviewed at Großes Festspielhaus, Salzburg on 6 August 2023

Verdi, Macbeth

Philippe Jordan, Conductor

Krzysztof Warlikowski, Director

Małgorzata Szczęśniak, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Felice Ross, Lighting Designer

Vienna Philharmonic

Concert Association Vienna State Opera Chorus

Denis Guéguin, Video

Christian Longchamp, Dramaturgy

Vladislav Sulimsky, Macbeth

Asmik Grigorian, Lady Macbeth

Tareq Nazmi, Banquo

Jonathan Tetelman, Macduff

Evan LeRoy Johnson, Malcolm

Alexei Kulagin, Doctor

Caterina Piva, Servant to Macbeth

Claude Bardouil, Choreography

Angelika Prokopp Summer Academy of the Vienna Philharmonic

Krzysztof Warlikowski’s spellbinding double bill a success in Naples

Lorenzo Fiorito, 24th May

Strong performances from Elīna Garanča, Barbara Hannigan and John Relyea plus innovative stage direction make for a standout production.

*****

Warlikowski’s prison: From the House of the Dead in Rome

Alissa Balocco, 23rd May

The Polish director comes to Italy for the first time to direct Janáček's last opera, with the young Belarusian Dmitry Matvienko conducting.

***11

Beauty and courage in Tristan und Isolde in Munich

Ako Imamura, 10th April

Bayrischer Staatsoper’s revival of Warlikowski’s static production of Tristan und Isolde featured a sensational role debut of Elena Pankratova as Isolde.

****1

Shock and awe in Paris with Bernstein's A Quiet Place

David Karlin, 9th March

In the expert hands of both director Warlikowski and conductor Kent Nagano, the sequel to Bernstein's Trouble in Tahiti proves to be even darker and more dramatic.

*****

Black Swan: Barbara Hannigan returns in Warlikowski's Lulu

Kevin W Ng, 18th November

Barbara Hannigan is better than ever in Krzysztof Warlikowski's iconic Lulu at La Monnaie – an historic event.

*****

Super stars: musical riches in Munich's new Tristan und Isolde

Hugo Shirley, 29th June

The Bayerische Staatsoper's new Tristan und Isolde, featuring two stellar role debuts, is scenically disappointing but musically superb.

****1

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.

Vladislav Sulimsky and Asmik Grigorian grip Salzburg as the murderous Macbeths