A comprehensively excellent Werther in Barcelona

By David Karlin, 29 January 2017

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“Massenet’s lush score took on Puccini-esque levels of emotional swell”

Reviewed at Gran Teatre del Liceu: Auditorium, Barcelona on 28 January 2017

Massenet, Werther

Gran Teatre del Liceu

Alain Altinoglu, Conductor

Willy Decker, Director, Set Designer

Wolfgang Gussmann, Costume Designer

Piotr Beczała, Werther

Anna Caterina Antonacci, Charlotte

Joan Martín-Royo, Albert

Elena Sancho Pereg, Sophie

Stefano Palatchi, Le Bailli

Antoni Comas, Schmidt

Marc Canturri, Johann

Orquesta Sinfónica del Gran Teatre del Liceu

The starry trio of Davidsen-Hilley-Mälkki saves Tristan und Isolde

Maria Sánchez, 12th January

A highly unbalanced premiere, its opportunity to become one of the Liceu's historic productions prevented by the contrast between dramaturgy and music.

****1

Àlex Ollé's La bohème gets an unfair reception at the Liceu

Maria Sánchez, 14th June

Contrasting sensations at the Liceu, where the audience punished a production of La bohème with boos and gave rapturous applause to a cast that performed at half throttle.

*****

Aleu's video brilliance powers a dystopian Liceu Turandot

David Karlin, 8th October

Fine musical performances blend with staggering video artistry in Aleu's spectacular science-fiction setting.

*****

Thomas’ Hamlet in concert at the Liceu

John Marten Barnard, 10th March

Ambroise Thomas’ Hamlet in concert in the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona is enthusiastically conducted by Daniel Oren.

****1

Vocal sparkle but a dull staging in the Liceu's Puritani

John Marten Barnard, 11th October

I puritani returns to Barcelona’s Liceu with Annilese Miskimmon’s production. Javier Camerena and Pretty Yende lead the inauguration of the season with a fine example of romantic bel canto.

****1

A forlorn Manon Lescaut arrives in Barcelona

John Marten Barnard, 7th June

Barcelona’s Gran Teatre del Liceu stages Puccini’s first great success as an operatic composer, Manon Lescaut with the stage direction of Davide Livermore.

***11

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David Karlin

David is a co-founder of Bachtrack. He is a musical omnivore interested in almost all types of music, but with a particular love of Italian opera. You can contact him from this link.

Piotr Beczała leads a comprehensively excellent Werther in Barcelona