Red Moon Rising: Orff in Prague

By Frank Kuznik, 21 October 2016

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“...a minor miracle, if you happen to be deeply schooled in Central European communism”

Reviewed at National Theatre (Národní divadlo), Prague on 20 October 2016

Orff, Die Kluge (The Wise Woman)

Orff, Der Mond (The Moon)

Prague National Theatre Opera

Zbyněk Müller, Conductor

Nikol Kraft, Conductor

Jiří Nekvasil, Director

Daniel Dvořák, Set Designer

Simona Rybáková, Costume Designer

Roman Janál, The king, A farmer

Svatopluk Sem, The king, A farmer

Zdeněk Plech, The peasant, Saint Peter

František Zahradníček, The peasant, Saint Peter

Olga Jelínková, The peasant's wise daughter

Jana Sibera, The peasant's wise daughter

Jaroslav Březina, The storyteller

Ondrej Šaling, The storyteller

Prague National Theatre Orchestra

Parsifal reconsidered: A provocative improvisation in Prague

Frank Kuznik, 26th March

Timo Riihonen and Ester Pavlů stand out in a strong cast which carries Andreas Homoki's revised version of Wagner's final opera.

****1

Musically excellent Bartered Bride in Prague marred by meta production

Dominic Lowe, 4th March

Smetana in Prague is never likely to be less than a delight, and the National Theatre assembles a fine cast for a revival of Alice Nellis' production of his greatest opera.

****1

In Prague, a high-minded new Rheingold never gets off the ground

Frank Kuznik, 12th February

Sláva Daubnerová's contemporary treatment of the Ring opener at the Prague National Theatre is socially ambitious but artistically disappointing.

***11

Dido and Aeneas in Prague: wide-eyed wonderment

David Karlin, 15th January

Alice Nellis' staging of Purcell's masterpiece is both historically faithful and innovatively modern. With Collegium 1704 providing the early music chops, it's a rare treat.

*****

Revival of Ostrčil’s The Legend of Erin misses the mark in Prague

Frank Kuznik, 16th October

An ambitious effort to honor hometown hero Otakar Ostrčil sags under its own weight at the Prague National Theatre.

***11

A bleak Jenůfa from Calixto Bieito

Frank Kuznik, 22nd May

The director drains the life out of an impassioned opera with a staging devoid of authenticity and ideas.

**111

More reviews...

Frank Kuznik

Frank Kuznik is the former Editor-in-Chief and Culture Editor of The Prague Post, Central Europe’s premier English-language weekly newspaper. He currently divides his time between Prague and his hometown in the US, Cleveland, where he covers northeast Ohio's dynamic classical music scene. In Prague he is an habitué of the Rudolfinum, National Theater, State Opera and other storied classical music venues, and an unabashed fan of Czech music.

Red Moon Rising: Prague National Theatre opens with Orff and Grimm