Beyond mere technical wizardry: Petrushka at the Komische Oper

By Stephen Crowe, 29 January 2017

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“the synchronization between performer and screens is eye-popping”

Reviewed at Komische Oper Berlin, Berlin on 28 January 2017

Ravel, L'Enfant et les sortilèges

Stravinsky, Petrushka

Komische Oper Berlin

Markus Poschner, Conductor

Suzanne Andrade, Director

Pia Leong, Set Designer

1927, Costume Designer

Nadja Mchantaf, The Child

Brigitte Geller, Bat, Shepherdess

Julia Giebel, Fire, Nightingale, Princess

Mirka Wagner, Owl, The armchair

Maria Fiselier, Cat (female), Squirrel

Ezgi Kutlu, China Cup, Dragonfly, Mother

Ivan Turšić, Little old man, Tree frog, Wedgwood teapot

Denis Milo, Cat (male), Clock

Carsten Sabrowski, Chair, Tree

Esme Appleton, Director

Katrin Kath, Costume Designer

Ulrich Lenz, Dramaturgy

Diego Leetz, Lighting Designer

Paul Barritt, Video

Tiago Alexandre Fonesca, Acrobatics

Pauliina Räsänen, Acrobatics

Slava Volkov, Acrobatics

Orchester der Komischen Oper Berlin

Handel’s Belshazzar at Komische Oper Berlin

Zenaida des Aubris, 28th March

The Baroque confectionery of Herbert Fritsch's production of Handel's oratorio belies a serious core which is all too close to today's headlines.

****1

Barrie Kosky directs a ferocious new Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk

Zenaida des Aubris, 31st January

Shostakovich's opera is laid bare in Berlin, to devastating effect, with a distinguished cast led by Ambur Braid.

****1

Masks and obsessions: Evgeny Titov’s Salome at Komische Oper Berlin

Zenaida des Aubris, 22nd November

Salome is faceless and the Dance of the Seven Veils becomes a sardonic commentary on seduction in Komische Oper Berlin's austere new staging.

****1

Opulent minimalism: Kosky directs a new staging of Akhnaten

Zenaida des Aubris, 23rd March

Barrie Kosky's new production of Philip Glass' Akhnaten for Komische Oper at the Schillertheater removes any egyptological references.

****1

A blade too dull: Kosky directs Sweeney Todd at Komische Oper

Elena Luporini, 17th November

With a brand new production by Barrie Kosky, Komische Oper Berlin's first venture into the Sondheim repertoire mostly falls flat.

**111

Kirill Serebrennikov’s Marriage of Figaro challenges Edinburgh

David Smythe, 16th August

Komische Oper Berlin's The Marriage of Figaro is staged at the Edinburgh International Festival with a strong cast headed by Penny Sofroniadou and Peter Kellner.

****1

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Stephen Crowe

Stephen Crowe is an English composer of operas and experimental music. He was born in Bolton, but grew up in Nottingham. Crowe studied Fine Art at John Moores University, Liverpool, and Composition at Goldsmiths College, University of London. He is a guitarist, and performs free improvisation on a regular basis in Berlin. He sings in 'StreisBAND', a hardcore Barbra Streisand covers band, which received warm praise from Henry Rollins.

Beyond mere technical wizardry: thrilling reinterpretation of Petrushka at the Komische Oper