A musical thrill at the Wiener Konzerthaus: Simon Boccanegra recorded live

By Snapdragon, 19 April 2013

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Reviewed at Konzerthaus: Großer Saal, Vienna on 17 April 2013

Verdi, Simon Boccanegra

Vienna Symphony Orchestra

Wiener Singakademie

Thomas Hampson, Simon Boccanegra

Kristine Opolais, Amelia Grimaldi

Carlo Colombara, Jacopo Fiesco

Joseph Calleja, Gabriele Adorno

Luca Pisaroni, Paolo Albiani

Massimo Zanetti, Conductor

Resplendent Strauss from Canellakis and the Wiener Symphoniker

Mark Pullinger, 17th December

Leif Ove Andsnes joins the Vienna Symphony in the Musikverein's Golden Hall for a glowing account of Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto before a terrific Tod und Verklärung.

*****

Wiener Symphoniker parties in style at the Concertgebouw

Clare Varney, 3rd November

Jan Lisiecki joins Petr Popelka and the touring Wiener Symphoniker at the Concertgebouw for Grieg's Piano Concerto.

****1

Stefan Herheim’s bold Fledermaus at MusikTheater an der Wien

Chanda VanderHart, 13th October

Herheim’s Fledermaus is a risky experiment that, miraculously, works – at least in a city that knows it so intimately.

****1

Grigorian and Akhmetshina dazzle in a secular Norma

Chanda VanderHart, 19th February

In a week where Vienna welcomes two new productions of Bellini's Norma, MusikTheater an der Wien sets a high bar with Vasily Barkhatov's staging.

****1

A spectacular Freischütz in Bregenz

Thomas Schacher, 19th July

At the Bregenz Festival, director Philpp Stölzl gives us a radical updating of the classic, with an interpretation many miles away from Weber.

***11

Love in time of the drug wars: a contemporary Tancredi at Bregenz

Orsolya Gyárfás, 18th July

Anna Goryachova and Mélissa Petit shine as doomed lovers Tancredi and Amenaide, while Jan Philipp Gloger's contemporary setting has much to offer, but doesn't quite nail the landing.

***11

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Snapdragon

Snapdragon is an experienced concert- and opera-goer in Vienna and other music metropoles. Musical emphases include opera (especially Baroque opera) and piano music. As an Austrian native, Snapdragon can’t resist an operetta every now and then.