Magnificent music and opulent visuals

By Judith Wiemers, 23 January 2017

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“the directors’ decision to embrace the original’s eclecticism pays off”

Reviewed at Schillertheater: Großer Saal, Berlin on 21 January 2017

Purcell, King Arthur

Staatsoper Berlin

René Jacobs, Conductor

Sven-Eric Bechtolf, Director

Julian Crouch, Set Designer

Kevin Pollard, Costume Designer

Robin Johannsen, Honour, She

Anett Fritsch, Philidel

Johannes Weisser, Grimbald

Benno Schachtner, He

Oliver Stokowski, Osmond

Olaf Freese, Lighting Designer

Joshua Higgason, Video

Martin Wright, Choirmaster / chorus director

Detlef Giese, Dramaturgy

Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin

Staatsopernchor Berlin

Love is in the hare: a new Cunning Little Vixen opens in Berlin

Elena Luporini, 28th February

The Staatsoper's new production of Janáček's opera buzzes with life thanks to Sir Simon Rattle's conducting and an excellent cast led by Vera-Lotte Boecker and Magdalena Kožená.

****1

Pintscher’s Das kalte Herz premieres at Staatsoper Unter den Linden

Elena Luporini, 14th January

On a snowy January evening, the premiere of Matthias Pintscher’s new opera Das kalte Herz fails to warm up the Berlin public.

**111

Happy 100th birthday, Wozzeck! Thielemann leads Berlin revival

Elena Luporini, 14th December

The Staatsoper Unter den Linden celebrates the 100th birthday of Alban Berg's masterpiece with a stellar cast in Andrea Breth’s revived production.

***11

Low on laughs: Die schweigsame Frau in Berlin

Elena Luporini, 19th July

Newly General Music Director Christian Thielemann and Jan Philipp Gloger bring Richard Strauss' Die schweigsame Frau to the Staatsoper Berlin for the first time, but la commedia is hardly stupenda.

**111

A Norma cooking on medium at Berlin’s Staatsoper Unter den Linden

Elena Luporini, 13th April

Despite excellent performances from Rachel Willis-Sørensen and Elmina Hasan, the Staatsoper Unter den Linden's new production of Norma lacks a pinch of salt.

***11

To the Moon and back: Janáček’s Mr Brouček visits Berlin

Elena Luporini, 16th March

Robert Carsen's new production of Janáček’s The Excursions of Mr Brouček for the Staatsoper Unter den Linden scores a well-deserved success thanks to a stellar – or rather, lunar – conducted by Sir Simon Rattle.

*****

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Judith Wiemers

A graduate of Universität zu Köln, Judith is currently undertaking a Phd in Music at Queen’s University Belfast, where she investigates German film musicals from the 1930s. She is passionate about opera, choral singing and Irish fiddle music, and thoroughly enjoys writing about all aspects of music.

Magnificent music and opulent visuals: Purcell's King Arthur in Berlin