Tagged with 'Calixto Bieito'

A monumental event: the Hamburg State Opera will stage Carl Orff's triptych Trionfi on 21 September 2024. The production will be directed by Calixto Bieito and conducted by Kent Nagano.

The Carmina Burana with their mighty O Fortuna choirs are undoubtedly one of the most famous musical works of the modern era. However, the performance as a ‘Trittico teatrale’, i.e. as a combination of the three works Carmina Burana, Catulli Carmina and Trionfo di Afrodite, is a rarity on the world's stages. With Trionfi, Carl Orff created a trilogy that searches for new forms of expression for music theatre and moves between the poles of opera, oratorio and cantata. 

Trionfi by Carl Orff: an XXL version of Carmina Burana

The title of the triptych refers back to the so-called Trionfi, the pageants and masquerades in the Italian republics and principalities of the Renaissance: heroes and gods of antiquity and their entourages were traditionally presented in these processions. In Orff's Trionfi, however, it is not a mythical figure that is at the centre of the action, but the world-dominating driving force of love itself is shown in its most diverse facets. In a sense, this driving force is explored by going back to the beginnings of our occidental history: from the Middle Ages back to Roman antiquity, and from there back to ancient Greece.

From a monastery text via Catullus to the Greek poet Sappho: Orff's enthusiasm was ignited by her timeless love poetry. However, as only fragments of this poet have survived, Orff felt compelled to mould lyrical fragments, individual stanzas and short verses into a whole. In contrast to the visually powerful Carmina Burana and the action-packed Catulli Carmina, the Trionfo di Afrodite is a ‘scenic concerto’ based primarily on words and music. (Johannes Schindlbeck, Orff Centre Munich)

Trionfi will be performed in a total of six performances at the Hamburg State Opera until 12 October 2024. This rarity is not to be missed. 

 

Further Reading:

Carl Orff: composer profile https://www.schott-music.com/en/person/carl-orff

Trionfi: work details and online score https://www.schott-music.com/en/trionfi-no250853.html 

Website Hamburg State Opera https://www.staatsoper-hamburg.de/en/schedule/event.php?AuffNr=210249

 

photo: Andrii Yalanskyi

On 10 February 2024, the Staatstheater Hannover will present Aribert Reimann's Lear, one of the most significant operas of the 20th century. The production will be directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins, and the music will be conducted by Stephan Zilias.

Two productions of Modest Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov will open the year 2024: on 14 January 2024, the Bavarian State Opera will present the revival of its successful production at the Munich National Theatre. The production by Calixto Bieito will be under the musical direction of Dima Slobodeniouk. On 28 January 2024, the National Theatre Mannheim will stage a new production of the piece at the Theater im Pfalzbau in Ludwigshafen. The director here is Lorenzo Fioroni, with Roberto Rizzi Brignoli conducting. Both productions use the historical-critical performance material published by Verlagsgruppe Hermann.

On 29 September 2018, a new production of Arnold Schoenberg’s celebrated opera Moses and Aron directed by Calixto Bieito opens at the Semperoper Dresden, with John Tomlinson and Lance Ryan in the title roles of Moses and Aron. Alan Gilbert will conduct, before beginning his new post as principal conductor of the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in 2019.



Although Schoenberg wrote the libretto for Moses und Aron in three acts, by 1937 he had completed the score for the first two acts only, leaving the final act without music. Much later, the opera was premiered at the Zurich Opera House by conductor Hans Rosbaud on 6 June 1957 without a third act, which was still in need of music. In the last year of his life Schoenberg abandoned his long-held plan to complete the third act, and suggested it should be performed as spoken libretto instead.

Moses and Aron: Two brothers lead their people

While Moses tends his flock, God appears to him and commands him to tell the people of Israel of God’s will and presence, to free Israel from foreign gods and lead them out of slavery. Moses at first feels incapable of carrying out the order, so his brother Aron is placed in command beside him as better able to convey the message of God to the people of Israel.

Schoenberg depicts the contrasting personalities of the two brothers musically through their style of singing: Moses sings almost exclusively in Sprechgesang, whilst Aron is portrayed through lyrical and expressive bel canto. Despite the prominence of the brothers in the story however, the main role of the opera is arguably assigned to the chorus, who are tasked with conveying the deeper meaning of Moses und Aron to the audience.

Moses und Aron is about the impossibility of finding words or images to make sense of life. This impossibility is at the heart of the opera’s tension, but as you listen to the music your ear becomes accustomed to it. This opera is without fault - like “Wozzeck” or “Salome”, it´s a perfect opera, perfect! - Calixto Bieito

Following the premiere on 29 September, four further performances of Moses und Aron will take place from 3-15 October.

• Arnold Schoenberg - profile


• Moses and und Aron - work details


• Semperoper Dresden

 

 

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© Semperoper Dresden/ Foto: Ludwig Olah