Moving singing, but missed opportunities in Dresden’s new Aida

By Zoltán Szabó, 17 March 2022

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“Oksana Volkova... the dark hues of her mellow mezzo never lost resonance”

Reviewed at Semperoper, Dresden on 17 March 2022

Verdi, Aida

Semperoper Dresden

Christian Thielemann, Conductor

Katharina Thalbach, Director

Ezio Toffolutti, Set Designer

Fabio Antoci, Lighting Designer

Staatskapelle Dresden

Sächsischer Staatsopernchor Dresden

Krassimira Stoyanova, Aida

Oksana Volkova, Amneris

Francesco Meli, Radamès

Quinn Kelsey, Amonasro

Georg Zeppenfeld, Ramfis

Ofeliya Pogosyan, Priestess

Simeon Esper, A messenger

Andreas Bauer Kanabas, King of Egypt

Sinfoniechor Dresden

Thielemann bids farewell to Dresden with an excellent new FroSch

Ako Imamura, 27th March

David Bösch directs a creative and thoughtful new production of Die Frau ohne Schatten at the Semperoper in Christian Thielemann's final opera as Principal Conductor.

*****

Detlev Glanert's Die Jüdin von Toledo premieres at the Semperoper

Zenaida des Aubris, 10th February

Robert Carsen stages the world premiere production of Glanert's opera, based Franz Grillparzer's 1851 play, in stringent, minimalist style.

*****

Peter Konwitschny returns to the Semperoper with Les Huguenots

Laura Servidei, 29th June

John Osborn leads a very successful premiere of Peter Konwitschny's new production of Meyerbeer's Les Huguenots in Dresden

****1

Nabucco marks a successful debut of Saioa Hernández as Abigaille

Laura Servidei, 25th May

Saioa Hernández leads a solid cast in Dresden in a somewhat disappointing new production by David Bösch.

***11

Folk rhythms and changing times in Dresden's Bartered Bride

John Johnston, 25th April

What brought real distinction and authenticity to the evening, as so often in this house, was the outstanding playing of the Staatskapelle conducted by Tomaš Netopil. From the start of the overture with its rapidly scurrying fugato for strings and pointed phrasing from the woodwind one felt the true sense of Smetana’s Czech inflected rhythms and harmonies

***11

A miraculous Ariadne auf Naxos in Dresden

Ako Imamura, 12th December

Christian Thielemann led a memorable performance of Strauss's chamber opera Ariadne auf Naxos with a strong cast in a new straightforward production by David Hermann.

*****

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Zoltán Szabó

Zoltán Szabó is a cellist and musicologist. Having migrated from his native Hungary to Australia in 1985, he worked with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in Sydney until 1991, when he became Principal Cello with Opera Australia. In 2017, he was awarded with a Doctor of Philosophy degree (PhD). Currently, he is teaching music history and musicology at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music.