Jörg Widmann's Babylon revised for Staatsoper Berlin premiere

By Zenaida des Aubris, 11 March 2019

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“Andreas Kriegenburg paints cliché-rich figures with a big psychological brush”

Reviewed at Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin on 9 March 2019

Widmann, Babylon

Staatsoper Berlin

Christopher Ward, Conductor

Andreas Kriegenburg, Director

Harald Thor, Set Designer

Tanja Hofmann, Costume Designer

Mojca Erdmann, Seele

Susanne Elmark, Inanna

Charles Workman, Tammu

Sir John Tomlinson, Priesterkönig

Marina Prudenskaya, Euphrat

Andrew Watts, Skorpionmensch

Felix von Manteuffel, Ezachiel

David Oštrek, Ein Schreiber, Pförtner zur Unterwelt

Florian Hoffmann, Priester

Otto Katzameier, Der Tod

Staatsopernchor Berlin

Staatskapelle Berlin

Olaf Freese, Lighting Designer

Eyes wide shut for Berlin’s new Ballo

Mark Pullinger, 29th March

At the Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Rafael R Villalobos addresses the problems he perceives with Verdi’s Un ballo in maschera, although the musical performances – led by Anna Netrebko – compensate.

***11

Young stars shine in the Staatsoper Berlin’s Rosenkavalier

Mark Pullinger, 28th March

Patricia Nolz makes an outstanding role debut as Christian Thielemann conducts a thrusting Rosenkavalier to open the Staatsoper Unter den Linden's Festtage.

*****

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

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Zenaida des Aubris

Zenaida des Aubris, based in Berlin, has over 30 years experience in artist management and production of classical music and opera in the United States, Europe and Asia. Currently, she offers consultation to music competitions and schools as well as to individual recent graduates on how to manage themselves and kickstart their careers through her company Opera Career Advice.