In program interviews, director Marcin Łakomicki and conductor Markus Stenz suggest that Holländer is really about sexism in modern society and a reinforcement of gender roles. A modern European man educated in what passes for the humanities today might think so. But the deeper contexts are ignored.
Under Spain’s Democratic Memory Law, the Francoist nobility was collectively singled out for extirpation, and its heads of family found themselves officially ‘disennobled.’
The tricouleur now seems to represent the empty promises of a failed experiment that has gone on for too long.
Hungary has produced singers who built international careers, and two of them were on hand to fill leading roles here.
Tiezzi’s production eschews the interpretive fripperies and psychological baggage common in contemporary Wagner productions in favor of appealing abstractions.
Time may yet tell what Prigozhin was thinking when he launched his insurrection. But he probably did not expect it to end with his flight from the country, the loss of his militia, and extreme personal vulnerability to Putin’s vindictive hand.
Andrea Chénier‘s high melodrama and appealing theme of feminine self-sacrifice has proved more lasting and appealing than the true story it is based on—but this is how opera thrives.
Like Johnson himself, his resignation honours were outsized. In May, calls came for Johnson’s list to be scrapped altogether.
In addition to being Verdi’s last work, Falstaff has also been widely considered his least characteristic composition. Its memorable scenes and lively characters have allowed it to hold the stage ever since its 1893 premiere.
The Vienna Philharmonic’s visits to New York date back to 1956—a fine example of cultural diplomacy in the Cold War world and an enduring tradition.
MasterVoices does not appear to be planning any Gilbert and Sullivan next season, but it should consider exploring that repertoire as it moves on. Events in Britain might just demand it.
Sonya Yoncheva lacked that flame in crucial moments, though comparative listening across performances suggests that Maurizio Benini’s pedestrian conducting may well have been the culprit.
