Dramatic music-making at its finest as Homoki's Zurich Ring begins

By Andrew Larkin, 01 May 2022

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“kudos goes to the horns for their sure navigation through treacherous pianissimo arpeggios”

Reviewed at Opernhaus, Zurich on 30 April 2022

Wagner, Das Rheingold

Zurich Opera

Gianandrea Noseda, Conductor

Andreas Homoki, Director

Christian Schmidt, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Franck Evin, Lighting Designer

Orchester der Oper Zürich

Werner Hintze, Dramaturgy

Beate Breidenbach, Dramaturgy

Florian Schaaf, Set Designer

Tomasz Konieczny, Wotan

Jordan Shanahan, Donner

Omer Kobiljak, Froh

Matthias Klink, Loge

Christopher Purves, Alberich

Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke, Mime

Patricia Bardon, Fricka

Kiandra Howarth, Freia

Anna Danik, Erda

David Soar, Fasolt

Oleg Davydof, Fafner

Uliana Alexyuk, Woglinde

Niamh O'Sullivan, Wellgunde

Siena Licht Miller, Flosshilde

A Baroque Netflix evening: Zurich’s star-studded Giulio Cesare

Mengguang Huang, 28th March

Davide Livermore’s high-octane production transforms Handel into a lavish blockbuster. While the superstars shine, the relentless entertainment-first approach often sacrifices musical refinement and dramatic logic for Netflix-style spectacle.

***11

A Rosenkavalier in vivid hues opens the Zurich Opera season

Laura Servidei, 21st September

Lydia Steier stages Strauss’ masterpiece to open Zurich Opera’s first premiere under the new artistic direction – a triumphant success.

****1

Handel’s Serse as a quirky modern tale in Zurich

Laura Servidei, 29th September

Christophe Dumaux shines as Arsamene in Nina Russi’s enjoyable production of Handel’s masterpiece revived at the Opernhaus Zürich under the baton of Enrico Onofri.

***11

Anna Pirozzi shines as a queen bee Turandot

Laura Servidei, 3rd July

Anna Pirozzi and Piero Pretti bring Italian sunshine to Baumgarten’s confused production at the Opernhaus Zürich.

**111

A feast for the eyes and ears: Lehár’s Merry Widow in Zurich

Thomas Schacher, 20th February

Barrie Kosky stages the famous Viennese operetta as a whirlwind spectacle. Marlis Petersen shines in the title role vocally and theatrically. Michael Volle does not live up to expectations.

****1

Werther in the sky at Opernhaus Zürich

Laura Servidei, 23rd January

Benjamin Bernheim leads a very good cast in a revival of Tatjana Gürbaca's interesting 2017 production.

***11

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Andrew Larkin

Andrew Larkin is a pianist, composer and teacher from Dublin. Educated at Dublin and at Cambridge, he has performed all around Europe and Mexico. He currently teaches piano and composition in Dublin.