The king is not well: Nielsen’s Saul og David

By Aksel Tollåli, 20 April 2015

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Reviewed at The Opera House: Main Stage, Copenhagen on 17 April 2015

Nielsen, Saul and David

Royal Danish Opera

Michael Schønwandt, Conductor

Sir David Pountney, Director

Robert Innes Hopkins, Set Designer, Costume Designer

Johan Reuter, Saul

Niels Jørgen Riis, David

Ann Petersen, Michal

Susanne Resmark, Witch of Endor

Morten Staugaard, Samuel

Michael Kristensen, Jonathan

Leif Jone Ølberg, Abner

Signe Sneh Schreiber, Abishai

The Royal Danish Orchestra

Britten’s The Turn of the Screw in Copenhagen

David Karlin, 6th October

Anthony Almeida and Rosanna Vize's deconstructed ghostly country house provides plenty of tension; fine vocal qualities are marred by poor intelligibility.

***11

The other Lulu: a Danish rarity in Copenhagen

Aksel Tollåli, 4th February

Dénise Beck shines as the Princess Sidi in the Royal Danish Opera's production of Friedrich Kuhlau's Lulu, receiving its first performances in 180 years.

***11

Carl Nielsen’s Maskarade: Love in the time of selfies

Aksel Tollåli, 18th April

Kasper Holten's production of Carl Nielsen's delightful comedy Maskarade delights in Copenhagen.

***11

Send in the clowns: Stefan Herheim’s Lulu in Copenhagen

Aksel Tollåli, 20th November

Zombie clowns abound in Stefan Herheim's uncomfortably comical and upsetting Copenhagen production of Alban Berg's Lulu.

*****

An occasionally brilliant Don Giovanni at the Royal Danish Opera

Kevin W Ng, 25th May

Malin Hartelius and Palle Knudsen electrify an otherwise competent Don Giovanni in Copenhagen.

***11

Tito désabusé dans le spectacle de Jetske Mijnssen à Copenhague

Irma Foletti, 13th September

Une distribution vocale de très bon niveau, un orchestre en excellente forme, une mise en scène convaincante : la nouvelle production de l'opus mozartien à l'Opéra royal du Danemark est une réussite.

****1

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Aksel Tollåli

Aksel is currently studying towards a degree in musicology at the University of Oslo. At the moment he is an exchange student at Goldsmiths College in London. He is also a choral singer and a trombonist. His musical interests include 20th-cenury French music, Baroque opera and the music of Richard Strauss.

The king is not well: Carl Nielsen’s Saul og David in Copenhagen