The phenomenon of the all-star open-air or festival gala is as enduring as it is polarizing. Die Operngala der Stars – Live aus Baden-Baden (recorded in July 2007 at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden and released by Deutsche Grammophon) stands as an archetypal snapshot of the mid-2000s operatic marketing machine. Featuring Anna Netrebko, Elīna Garanča, Ramón Vargas, and Ludovic Tézier, accompanied by the SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden und Freiburg under the baton of Marco Armiliato, the event encapsulates both the undeniable vocal glamour and the inherent artistic limitations of the gala format. International critical reaction across the Anglophone, German, French, and Italian press revealed a clear consensus: behind the glossy televised spectacle lay uneven musical substance. The undisputed victor of the evening was Elīna Garanča. Critics across European journals praised her immaculate vocal production, crystalline timbre, and aristocratic phrasing. While her rendition of Saint-Saëns’s “Mon cœur s’ouvre à ta voix” received respectable marks, it was her sparkling performance of the Carceleras from Ruperto Chapí’s zarzuela Las hijas del Zebedeo that stole the spotlight, infusing the hall with genuine theatrical vitality and effortless coloratura. In stark contrast, Anna Netrebko’s contribution provoked significant debate. While German promotional reviews and local press highlighted her charismatic presence and crystalline clarity, international vocal connoisseurs pointed out noticeable vocal strain and technical fatigue. Her attempt at Bellini’s daunting “Casta Diva” (Norma) revealed unsteady breath control, pitch discrepancies, and a palpable lack of bel canto finish—shortcomings subsequently explained by a vocal indisposition that led to cancellations shortly after the gala. Her best moments came instead in collaborative duets, notably the Lakmé Flower Duet alongside Garanča, where their timbre blend was undeniably luminous. Among the male soloists, French baritone Ludovic Tézier garnered the highest critical respect. His aristocratic line, noble phrasing, and impeccable diction in Rodrigo’s death scene from Verdi’s Don Carlo provided a masterclass in French-Italianate style. Tenor Ramón Vargas demonstrated his signature warmth and lyricism, particularly in the duet from Bizet’s Les pêcheurs de perles with Tézier, though signs of vocal pushing were evident in the higher register during “Una furtiva lagrima”. Marco Armiliato’s conducting with the SWR Sinfonieorchester was functional, providing flexible and reliable support without imposing distinct interpretive depth. Ultimately, Die Operngala der Stars survives primarily as a high-society visual and cultural artifact—brilliant for Garanča’s ascent and Tézier’s elegance, yet a reminder of the compromises of stadium-style opera recitals. dzen.ru/...uew
Operas
Carlos Kleibers Münchner „Fledermaus“: Ein musikalische Meisterwerk der Lebensfreude und Melancholie
Der Zauber einer Silvesternacht Die Silvestervorstellung von Johann Strauss’ „Die Fledermaus“ an der Bayerischen Staatsoper in München aus dem Jahr 1986, geleitet von dem legendären Dirigenten Carlos Kleiber und inszeniert von Otto Schenk, nimmt in der Operngeschichte einen einzigartigen, fast mythologischen Rang ein. Diese Produktion, festgehalten auf dem Höhepunkt von Kleibers künstlerischer Reife, transzendiert das Genre der Wiener Operette und erhebt es durch musikalische Präzision, psychologische Schärfe und unbändige Vitalität in den Rang eines Meisterwerks...
The Threads of Fate and Sovereign Torment: A Critical Examination of the Geneva Idoménée
In the sweeping visual and sonic landscape of Mozart’s Idomeneo, presented at the Grand Théâtre de Genève, the production achieves a rare synthesis of antique myth and contemporary theatricality. At the helm of this monumental staging is Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, whose choreography binds the performers not merely to movement, but to the very life-breath of the drama. Interwoven with his kinetic vision are the striking installations of Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota, whose endless expanses of red thread dominate the physical space...
The Labyrinth of Disguise and Desire: Georg Friedrich Händel’s Deidamia in Göttingen
The staging of Georg Friedrich Händel’s final opera, Deidamia, at the International Händel Festival Göttingen, in a co-production with the Wexford Festival Opera, offers a fascinating encounter with the composer’s late theatrical output. Premiered originally in London in 1741, Deidamia occupies a unique position in Händel’s oeuvre, blending the conventions of opera seria with a lighter, almost ironic dramatic touch that anticipates the stylistic shifts of the mid-18th century. Paolo Antonio Rolli’s...
