tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10998624988235409472012-01-30T13:54:33.118+01:00Wagneropera.net's blog on Richard Wagner.Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.comBlogger3731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-66067141177449329892012-01-30T13:54:00.000+01:002012-01-30T13:54:33.122+01:00

Helsinki Tristan und Isolde Helsinki Music Centre, concert hall August 2012: 18 + 21 Conductor: Esa-Pekka Salonen Visual artist: Bill Viola Artistic collaborator: Peter Sellars Tristan: Gary Lehman Isolde: Violeta Urmana König Marke: Matti Salminen Kurwenal: Jukka Rasilainen Also: Waltteri Torikka, Tuomas Katajala, Arttu Kataja Helsinki Festival Homepage See the Wagner Calendar for more

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-77531836817582920362012-01-26T23:13:00.003+01:002012-01-30T10:04:25.647+01:00

Diego Torre (Rodolfo) and Marita Sølberg (Mimi) in La Boheme at the Norwegian National Opera.   Stefan Herheim's La Bohème (Oslo) to cinemas in Norway 4 February, approximately medio March on Norwegian television. DVD will be released in May 2012. Wagneropera.net met Alexander Meier-Dörzenbach, the dramaturg in Stefan Herheim's production team, to discuss the new La Bohème production in Oslo.

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The budget cuts at the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen continues to create havoc in the beautiful Danish capital: Now Keith Warner resigns in protest. Keith Warner announced at a staff meeting at the Opera House that he has been granted a release from his contract, which was to expire on 31 July 2014. As a consequence Jakub Hrůša, who has since October 2011 been acting artistic consultant

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-15436890068410547302012-01-11T08:45:00.001+01:002012-01-11T08:53:10.554+01:00

Washington National Opera (WNO) today announced several new initiatives as part of a long-range plan to build on its tradition of artistic excellence, including the Washington premiere of Richard Wagner’s complete “American Ring” cycle and a multipart New American Works Project for young American composers and librettists. Additionally, WNO announced it will add a holiday opera to its season

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-40674478559049605642011-12-23T10:52:00.001+01:002012-01-21T10:13:37.043+01:00

Tenor Ian Storey stars in the title role with soprano Elisabete Matos as Irene and mezzo-soprano Geraldine Chauvet in her US debut as Adriano. Music Director Laureate and Opera Orchestra of New York founder Eve Queler conducts The Opera Orchestra of New York continues its 41st season with an opera-in-concert performance of Wagner’s Rienzi conducted by Music

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-52126365371963523662011-12-16T17:53:00.000+01:002011-12-16T17:53:25.277+01:00

A funny "Wagner scene" from Larry David's Curb your Enthusiasm.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-67123688997558434882011-12-15T16:08:00.002+01:002011-12-15T16:08:49.532+01:00

Helsinki Festival will be bringing Richard Wagner’s opera Tristan und Isolde to Helsinki’s new Music Centre on 18 and 21 August 2012. This truly unique and sumptuously visual production of the classic work, a collaboration between conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, director Peter Sellars and video artist Bill Viola, will expand beyond the confines of the stage to take over the entire concert hall

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-72997034547352836492011-12-10T19:03:00.000+01:002011-12-10T19:03:19.050+01:00

Seth Godin talks about the music industry not understanding the customers. Do you agree with him? Seth Godin has written thirteen books that have been translated into more than thirty languages. Every one has been a bestseller. He writes about the post-industrial revolution, the way ideas spread, marketing, quitting, leadership and most of all, changing everything. Godin’s second book,

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-76695076958446012792011-12-10T13:39:00.003+01:002011-12-10T13:39:00.427+01:00

I read Herr v. Weber's book to him, and it occurs to him how impossible it is for us to civilize these peoples (Kaffirs, Zulus, etc.). What clothes would we give them? Cosima Wagner: Diaries. December 10, 1879

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-52231735436549032612011-12-01T22:22:00.000+01:002011-12-02T07:57:57.192+01:00

The Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra’s presentation of Wagner’s Ring Cycle will reach its peak in the 2012-2013 season with the “Ring of the Nibelung” tetralogy. Season 2011 | 2012 Tuesday, March 27, 2012 | 6 pm Tristan and Isolde Saturday, May 5, 2012 | 6 pm Tannhäuser and the Singing Contest on the Wartburg FOLLOWING SEASONS   –   WAGNER CYCLE Thursday, November 22, 2012 | 8 pm Ring of

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-91581353578998571892011-12-01T14:39:00.000+01:002011-12-01T14:39:16.123+01:00

Photo: Enrico Nawrath/Bayreuther Festspiele Hans Neuenfels' production of Lohengrin (Bayreuth) will be released in June 2012, according to Opus Arte's Facebook page.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-60687737582087330652011-11-19T19:05:00.000+01:002011-11-19T19:05:11.173+01:00

Continuing the Ring and Parsifal in 2007/2008, Der fliegende Holländer and Lohengrin in 2008/2009 and Tristan und Isolde in 2009/2010, The Royal Opera will stage a Wagner production each Season, culminating in a revival of the Ring in 2012. The magnitude of this project and interest in Wagner’s work is such that ROH has created a special group to support these productions. The Wagner Circle

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-42862170479230989882011-11-02T16:17:00.002+01:002011-11-02T16:50:50.522+01:00

In part three of Metropolitan Opera's new Ring production by Robert Lepage, Wagner’s cosmic vision focuses on his hero’s early conquests, while Robert Lepage’s revolutionary stage machine transforms itself from bewitched forest to mountaintop love nest. Jay Hunter Morris sings the title role and Deborah Voigt’s Brünnhilde is his prize. Bryn Terfel is the Wanderer. Fabio Luisi conducts.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-90037885710410791182011-10-31T19:40:00.001+01:002011-10-31T20:06:37.317+01:00

The magnificent production at the Norwegian National Opera of Monteverdi's L'incoronazione di Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea) by director Ole Anders Tandberg is now ready for an international audience as a TV Opera Drama. The musical level is high, and the director shows that he ranks among the very best in Europe today. The (some traditionalists would say) extreme production actually

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-653078785723973632011-10-31T11:56:00.000+01:002011-10-31T11:56:04.750+01:00

In 1934 Heinz Tietjen (1881-1967) conducted and staged Rheingold, conducted and staged Walküre, conducted and staged Siegfried, conducted and staged Götterdämmerung, conducted and staged Meistersinger - and finally staged Parsifal. Beat that. Heinz Tietjen at the Bayreuth Festival

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-71095520735928387012011-10-13T23:34:00.000+02:002011-10-13T23:34:01.156+02:00

Maestro Riccardo Muti was awarded the 2011 Birgit Nilsson Prize by H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden at a festive ceremony of celebration and musical inspiration held at the Royal Swedish Opera in Stockholm on Thursday evening, October 13. This Prize of one million dollars, established by Birgit Nilsson herself, is the most generous prize in the world of classical music. Acceptance

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-59431075414473899622011-09-13T14:06:00.000+02:002011-09-13T14:47:42.125+02:00

<a href ="http://answers.polldaddy.com/poll/1061897/" >Your favourite Siegmund/Sieglinde on DVD</a> <br /> <span style="font-size:9px;"> (<a href ="http://www.polldaddy.com"> surveys</a>)</span> Peter Hofmann / Jeannine Altmeyer (Cheréau/

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-2440798670352532622011-09-09T21:35:00.002+02:002011-09-10T00:12:41.469+02:00

Stig Fogh Andersen as Tannhäuser Kasper Holten's production of Tannhäuser is an interesting reading of the story set in the 19th Century in an atmosphere that evokes Strindberg and Ibsen. Tannhäuser is torn between his mission as an artist (the Venus world) and his obligations as a husband and a father (Elisabeth's world). The Rome narration is his own retelling of the work of fiction he has

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-47274138514411070162011-08-28T20:22:00.000+02:002011-08-28T20:22:09.804+02:00

For the Festival Season 2012 there will be some novelties in Bayreuth Festival's ticket sale: For the first time tickets can be applied for online. At http://ticket.btfs.de applicants can register starting September 15, 2011. First time applicants can register her. Repeat orders can also be placed in the system: The customers receive a personal access code with their annual ticket order form

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-12233412182981355072011-08-28T19:43:00.001+02:002011-08-28T19:45:07.519+02:00

Great news from Bayreuth! On 5 August 2012 Stefan Herheim's Parsifal will be recorded! Conductor will be Philippe Jordan, according to the Bayreuth Festival newsletter.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-87702839290963570802011-08-24T11:53:00.001+02:002011-08-24T18:40:02.358+02:00

Today is the final performance of Katharina Wagner's Meistersinger production. Stefan Vinke will sing Walther von Stolzing (replaces Burkhard Fritz). Have you seen the production in Bayreuth or on DVD? Will you miss the it?

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-993346831082039292011-08-04T18:25:00.001+02:002011-08-04T18:26:24.080+02:00

"From the earliest days of its festivals, to sing or conduct at Bayreuth was to receive the accolade of greatness in the Wagnerian field. Glance through the programmes of the past and one finds a galaxy of famous names. They all considered it the highest honour they could win and came, in the old days, for very low fees. Artistically and professionally the Bayreuth

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-14437169160932165522011-08-04T15:22:00.000+02:002011-08-04T15:22:29.768+02:00

Excerpts from Mark Berry's review on Wagneropera.net: The orchestra was on fine form indeed, its strings silky and aspiring upwards in the First Act Prelude. (There was actually a minor slip here, but that merely served to highlight the excellence elsewhere.) Andris Nelsons fashioned an account of the score that was largely unobtrusive. There were occasions when his growing mannerism of

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-57703176611297981092011-08-03T18:21:00.004+02:002011-08-12T23:05:22.054+02:00

All photos: Enrico Nawrath / Bayreuther Festspiele Wagneropera.net's critic Mark Berry searched for what might be valuable in Sebastian Baumgarten's production of Tannhäuser at the Bayreuth Festival this summer to attempt to discover what grounds there might be for a dissenting opinion. Unfortunately, that was to prove a devil’s advocacy too far. Joop van Lieshour’s ‘obsessive

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-10749654868380284212011-08-01T15:48:00.000+02:002011-08-01T15:48:50.120+02:00

Norway mourns the massacre victims. At least 77 persons, most of them teenagers at a summer camp in Utøya, were killed by a right-wing extremist. All photos: Per-Erik Skramstad / Webkommunikasjon.no See terms and conditions if you wish to use this photo on your website See all photos on Wagneropera.net Outside the Cathedral in Oslo people gathered to mourn. Outside the Cathedral in Oslo

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The opera section of the 2011 Festival in Erl is completely devoted to Richard Wagner Tannhäuser July 8, 16, 29 Passionsspielhaus Erl Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg July 15, 23 Passionsspielhaus Erl Parsifal July 22 Premiere Also 31. Juli 2011, 11 Uhr - Matinée Passionsspielhaus Erl Parsifal Cast 2011 Parsifal Zvetan Michailov, Michael Baba, Marc Horus Gurnemanz Franz Hawlata, Johannes

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-1848067427610562342011-06-25T22:54:00.003+02:002011-06-25T22:56:36.975+02:00

In its meeting on 22 June 2011, the city council of Leipzig has conceded an extraordinary grant to Oper Leipzig for the celebrations on the upcoming occasion of the Wagner Anniversary in 2013, according to a press release from the Bayreuth Festival. The celebrations will focus on a cooperation of Oper Leipzig with the Bayreuth Festival, intending joint performances of the early works of Richard

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-57135331018501027312011-06-23T16:53:00.000+02:002011-06-23T16:53:09.541+02:00

Highly regarded when it premiered in 1983 to commemorate the centenary of Richard Wagner’s death, director Tony Palmer’s newly re-mastered Wagner biographical film is still an important addition to any Wagnerian’s DVD collection. The film’s 16:9 aspect ratio makes it perfect for today’s wide-screen high-definition TVs, while enhancing Palmer’s breathtaking natural panoramas, according

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-71805581542731430142011-06-06T07:38:00.000+02:002011-06-06T07:38:53.937+02:00

Dr. Roger Scruton introduces Paul Heise’s quest to grasp the conceptual unity of Richard Wagner’s music-drama, The Ring of  the Nibelung, at www.wagnerheim.com, where Mr. Heise has made  it available free so that it can be read in its entirety.  This is an effort to grasp Wagner’s tetralogy as a whole (libretto text, plot,  and music) in the literature. Its central argument is that Wagner’s

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-8199005907588762392011-05-15T11:38:00.000+02:002011-05-15T11:38:04.236+02:00

Das Aug vergeht vor solchem Glanz! - Seht, näher kommt er schon heran! An einer goldnen Kette zieht der Schwan! Photo: Per-Erik Skramstad This summer's Bayreuth Festival is approaching. On the programme this year is Tannhäuser (new production by Sebastian Baumgarten), Parsifal (Stefan Herheim), Meistersinger (Katharina Wagner), Tristan und Isolde (Christoph Marthaler) and Lohengrin (Hans

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-80415104908620666852011-04-04T14:07:00.000+02:002011-04-04T14:07:12.314+02:00

The Royal Danish Opera has announced the 2011/12 programme, featuring a new production of Parsifal by Keith Warner, with Hartmut Haenchen conducting. Cast includes Stig Fogh Andersen, Stephen Milling and John Lundgren. March 2012: 22, 26 April 2012: 11, 14, 18, 22 May 2012: 4, 5, 13 kglteater.dk

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Michael Schulz's production of Der Ring des Nibelungen in Weimar will be exclusively performed in two festive cycles in combination with the new production of Tristan und Isolde. The two Weimar Wagner Weeks feature an accompanying programme of evening song recitals, lectures and discussions. More on Wagneropera.net

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-13126016493687044052011-03-28T13:48:00.000+02:002011-03-28T13:48:35.286+02:00

English opera director Graham Vick is the man behind the new Tristan und Isolde at Deutsche Oper in Berlin. Here is the official trailer. Conductor: Donald Runnicles Cast: Peter Seiffert, Petra Maria Schnitzer, Eike Wilm Schulte, Jane Irwin http://www.deutscheoperberlin.de/?page=haus&subpage=einblicke&textId=138215

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-59328114618256494032011-03-21T20:45:00.002+01:002011-03-21T20:45:00.764+01:00

The Baldwin-Wallace College Conservatory of Music is proud to announce the founding of a new summer music program created to help launch the careers of singers beginning to explore the Wagnerian repertoire. B-W’s Wagner Intensive will be held from Saturday, July 23 to Saturday July 30, 2011 in the newly renovated B-W Conservatory of Music facility.  Top Wagner singers and teachers Jane Eaglen

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-46841970149708555482011-03-08T17:19:00.001+01:002011-03-08T17:21:54.902+01:00

Marek Janowski and the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin continue their Wagner concert series at the Berlin Philharmonie with the stage-consecrating festival play Parsifal on April 8, 2011.  Cast includes  Michelle DeYoung (Kundry), Evgeny Nikitin as Amfortas, Christian Elsner as Parsifal and Franz-Josef Selig as Gurnemanz. In a series to be concluded in 2013, the RSB conducted by Marek

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-83928595609243076242011-03-02T08:20:00.002+01:002011-03-04T16:28:17.172+01:00

Detlef Roth as Amfortas in Stefan Herheim's Parsifal production at Bayreuth. Photo: Enrico Nawrath / Bayreuther Festspiele The cast of the Bayreuth Festival 2011 has been announced with no great surprises. The new Tannhäuser by Sebastian Baumgarten includes two Scandinavian Nordic Wagner singers, Lars Cleveman as Tannhäuser and Camilla Nylund as Elisabeth. And after hearing Michael Nagy as

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-42265185324423475082011-02-24T21:19:00.001+01:002011-02-25T14:55:59.634+01:00

A new interview is published on Wagneropera.net today. Detlef Roth, Amfortas in Stefan Herheim's Parsifal production at Bayreuth talks about singing Wagner and singing at Bayreuth. Among many other interesting things, Roth explained conductor Daniele  Gatti's approach to Amfortas. "Gatti," he says, "had a very clear idea about how the role should be sung. He wanted even more piano than we did

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-34075123156177525842011-02-12T13:43:00.000+01:002011-02-12T13:43:07.729+01:00

Die singende Stadt (The Singing City) is a documentary film about the opera house Staatsoper Stuttgart and Calixto Bieito's Parsifal Production. The film was made by Vadim Jendreyko. It will be shown in German theatres from 10 February. No information about a DVD / Bluray release has been published yet. Die singende Stadt - the trailer See

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-5600925964810236562011-02-07T23:11:00.001+01:002011-02-07T23:25:34.322+01:00

I hope you'll forgive me for posting this very off topic blog post. But I've just returned from Spitsbergen, Svalbard's largest island, working on web related matters for Spitsbergen Travel. Svalbard is the last stop before the North Pole. I wanted to share with you a couple of photos of this magnificent Arctic landscape. The dark season is about to end, and in some weeks they'll have the

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-47770188314949447962011-01-29T20:13:00.000+01:002011-01-29T20:13:32.905+01:00

Manchester International Festival (MIF) have commissioned Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé to produce a concert version of Die Walküre performed over two nights at The Bridgewater Hall, which has arguably the UK’s finest orchestral acoustic. We have also commissioned Gerard McBurney to create The Madness of an Extraordinary Plan, a new dramatic prologue to Die Walküre. Sir Mark Elder leads the Hallé

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-90779453966612625522011-01-17T19:51:00.000+01:002011-01-17T19:51:48.563+01:00

The Bergen International Festival has joined forces with a number of other European cultural institutions to create a new musical theatre performance with Greenland as the starting point. This production has been titled ±0, and will be staged by Swiss director Christoph Marthaler. ±0 – plus minus zero – is the point where solid and liquid meet, where solid ground becomes thin ice. Few

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-28844588322792194782011-01-01T16:24:00.002+01:002011-01-01T16:27:13.751+01:00

Happy New Year to all Wagner lovers! My greatest Wagner experiences in 2010 were the new productions of Tannhäuser (Stefan Herheim in Oslo) and Lohengrin (Hans Neuenfels / Andris Nelsons in Bayreuth). What was your greatest Wagner experience in 2010?

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-32759975477872709702010-12-26T14:09:00.007+01:002011-01-01T16:27:58.903+01:00

  Hans Hotter on Bayreuth: It was the main point of interest when one was being interviewed René Kollo (1995) on the decaying festival: Bayreuth ist vom Sender, der neue Impulse in die Welt gab, zum Empfänger geworden. Waltraud Meier/Edo De Waart: The orchestra is very loud. Andrew Shore on Bayreuth Penelope Turing on the New Bayreuth style: Any operahouse putting on a new

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-80626256525424109522010-12-13T13:52:00.000+01:002010-12-13T13:52:13.950+01:00

Tannhäuser has returned to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in a new production by Tim Albery. On Wagneropera.net Mark Berry reviews the premiere, being especially positive towards the conductor and the cast: "Above all," Mark Berry writes, "this return to the Royal Opera House of Tannhäuser proved a musical triumph. Semyon Bychkov’s conducting was superior even to that of his Lohengrin

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-37262140276979356652010-12-13T08:15:00.000+01:002010-12-13T08:15:02.334+01:00

The Jette Parker Young Artists Programme supports the artistic development of young professional singers, conductors, directors and répétiteurs. The Young Artists are an international group of outstanding professionals at the start of their career who have undertaken formal training and have already worked with professional companies. the Young Artists are not students but contracted salaried

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-88724158017819024372010-12-09T08:00:00.000+01:002010-12-09T08:00:28.145+01:00

"There is no pleasure in looking at the outside world, and my constant prayer is that I may succeed in keeping R. in his element by concealing the realities of life from him as much as possible." Cosima Wagner: Diaries, 9 December 1879

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-15213691317664877192010-11-29T12:05:00.001+01:002010-11-29T12:19:20.506+01:00

A new production of Parsifal will premiere at the Royal Theatre La Monnaie in Brussels 27 January 2011. Hartmut Haenchen, who conducted the infamous Paris production by Krysztof Warlikowski (the one using a clip from Rosselini's film ”Germany Year Zero”), will conduct a cast led by Swedish superstar Anna Larsson making her role debut as Kundry. According to some commentators, Haenchen's

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-70694204632302020762010-11-25T22:30:00.001+01:002010-12-06T12:12:16.390+01:00

The Wagner Journal has two important features currently on its website: a dramaturgical analysis by Edward A. Bortnichak and Paula M. Bortnichak of the new Bayreuth Festival production of Lohengrin by Hans Neuenfels, addressing the production from a sociological perspective, and an online debate between Barry Emslie and Mark Berry on the thorny issue of anti-semitism in Wagner's works. Also

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-38022335209581099852010-11-23T21:26:00.000+01:002010-11-23T21:26:35.279+01:00

Winner of the Lauritz Melchior International Singing Competition 2010 was Allison Denise Oakes. She also won the Orchestra Prize and the Public's Prize. Total prize sum was 38.500 Euros for all three.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-32856262036519978872010-11-12T17:38:00.000+01:002010-11-12T17:38:42.286+01:00

Gary Lehman tells about how he went from baritone to Wagner tenor.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-24682437243366904412010-10-27T20:52:00.000+02:002010-10-27T20:52:20.416+02:00

The dusty Lohengrin production by Elijah Moshinsky from Royal Opera House Covent Garden is now moving to Chicago Lyric Opera. Wagnerian superstars like Johan Botha (one of the best singing Lohengrins today), Emily Magee (see Peter Konwitschny's Lohengrin production on DVD), Michaela Schuster (Ortrud) and Georg Zeppenfeld (Herald - last seen in this role at Bayreuth this summer in Hans

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-14097601541220977162010-10-27T09:48:00.000+02:002010-10-27T09:48:31.620+02:00

Manchester International Festival presents a new collaboration with the Hallé and The Bridgewater Hall; Wagner's Die Walküre supported by a specially commissioned dramatic prologue 'The Madness of An Extraordinary Plan: A Guide to Wagner's Ring Cycle'. Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé return to Wagner's Ring Cycle with a concert version of Die Walküre. This follows their 2009 presentation of

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-83504637319616787092010-10-21T12:46:00.003+02:002010-10-21T12:46:00.325+02:00

Tickets for the performances of Richard Wagner’s opera Parsifal on 25–28 August 2011, performed within the frameworks of European Capital of Culture Tallinn 2011 and Nargen Festival, are now available. The opera, staged in Noblessner Foundry, is performed for the first time in Estonia. The music director is Arvo Volmer, stage director Nicola Raab (Germany), designer Robert Innes Hopkins (England

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-73463019845489667772010-10-14T17:29:00.001+02:002010-10-14T17:30:15.239+02:00

With Richard Wagner’s opera Der Fliegende Holländer, the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (RSB) and Marek Janowski begin their series featuring concert performances of the ten most important of Wagner’s works for the stage on November 13, 2010. An international elite of Wagner singers including, among others, Matti Salminen, Nina Stemme, Albert Dohmen, Christian Elsner, Ricarda Merbeth, Robert

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-51150134514794294302010-10-12T12:02:00.001+02:002010-10-12T12:02:00.233+02:00

Opera Australia has officially announced details of its Ring cycle in Melbourne in 2013, Opera Magazine reports. Three complete cycles will be given in November and December, before the co-producing Houston Grand Opera takes over the production for its first-ever Ring; it plans to present the operas over the course of four seasons, beginning in 2014. The Melbourne production team will be led by

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-79180629993068609922010-10-11T20:35:00.001+02:002010-10-11T20:35:00.814+02:00

Classical music lovers in the Germany can now receive the TV music channel CLASSICA through Unitymedia, the country’s second-largest cable platform. The channel, which offers a rich selection of recent, outstanding operas and concert productions as well as legendary interpretations of great musical works, can be seen as of Tuesday 5 October on Unitymedia DigitalTV HIGHLIGHTS und DigitalTV

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-19425690125338972772010-10-02T21:05:00.001+02:002010-10-02T21:11:38.213+02:00

Stefan Herheim at the Norwegian National Opera. Photo: Per-Erik Skramstad / Wagneropera.net The Norwegian director Stefan Herheim has been honoured by the magazine Opernwelt as "Director of the Year" for his production of Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier at the Stuttgart Opera House. Among the five performances selected by Opernwelt to be the most important of the last season, Staatsoper

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-44065537962349589232010-09-19T07:58:00.001+02:002010-09-19T07:59:26.165+02:00

James Levine and director Robert Lepage join forces to create what The Metropolitan Opera describes as a "groundbreaking new Ring". Das Rheingold will premiere on Monday 27 September. Robert Lepage brings cutting-edge technology to the new Ring, using spectacular optical effects. Time will show if the effects enhance the experience or lives its own life and distracts the public, like the

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-10385578183557482262010-09-09T23:20:00.000+02:002010-09-09T23:20:09.245+02:00

I stumbled upon a picture I took in 2008, and thought I'd share it.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-48691230769664534932010-09-08T12:27:00.004+02:002010-09-08T12:32:00.296+02:00

Klaus Florian Vogt (Walther) and Michaela Kaune(Eva). Photo Enrico Nawrath/Bayreuther Festspiele My reactions after seeing Katharina Wagner's Meistersinger production for the second time are totally schizophrenic. I have immense respect for her completely new interpretation and the way she carries it out - even though this is far from what Richard Wagner intended. Making Beckmesser develop

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-65718948455761183572010-09-08T12:19:00.000+02:002010-09-08T12:19:11.126+02:00

Totally nonsense, and made from unused footage. No Oscar is expected.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-8787507669642104172010-09-04T10:06:00.003+02:002010-09-04T12:27:19.391+02:00

Semyon Bychkov. Photo: Sheila Rock Tannhäuser, "Wagner's great battle of the sensual and the spiritual" returns to The Royal Opera in London just before Christmas. A new production by Tim Albery puts Tannhäuser back in the repertory after an absence of more than twenty years. Semyon Bychkov, who may be one of the finest Wagner conductors today, will return after stunning performances of

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-85947418770966356622010-08-27T11:24:00.004+02:002010-08-27T18:45:55.557+02:00

Tankred Dorst's production of Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Bayreuth Festival is now history. The last Götterdämmerung was performed on 25 August 2010 with a marvellous Lance Ryan as Siegfried and a Festival orchestra I have never heard better. From day 1 this has been Christian Thielemann's Ring, and the orchestra has responded with better playing for each year. The quality of the singer-actors

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-14876483554065845662010-08-23T12:53:00.001+02:002010-08-23T12:55:51.629+02:00

Fanfare before Lohengrin Act 3 at the Bayreuth Festival 2010. Klaus Florian Vogt replaced Jonas Kaufmann in the Neuenfels "rat production" of Lohengrin on 22 August and set new applause record for 2010 with 35 minutes. It's old news now, but Kaufmann will not return to the Green Hill next year. Klaus Florian Vogt will replace him and sing both Walther von Stolzing and Lohengrin.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-17100107154138443962010-08-22T12:37:00.000+02:002010-08-22T12:37:14.488+02:00

Crazy days here in Bayreuth. After five performances on five days, I will now "rest" for one day before Siegfried. The stay so far has been wonderful: Fantastic Lohengrin and Parsifal, Meistersinger gets interesting from "Wach auf!", Rheingold was very good (not the production, though), Act 1 of Walküre was marvellous with Johan Botha, Edith Haller and Kwangchul Youn, who all got thunderous

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-30067110375431891792010-08-17T17:46:00.001+02:002010-08-17T17:46:00.416+02:00

Lord Harewood, Dame Janet Baker, Dame Anne Evans and Rodney Milnes pay tribute to Sir Charles Mackerras in the new issue of Opera.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-18523752981783531772010-08-14T12:53:00.000+02:002010-08-14T12:53:36.951+02:00

This is very off topic again, and I apologize sincerely for that, but I have to show you this American propaganda film from 1965 called "Perversion for Profit". It it a warning to us all, and leaves no doubt that watching nude people will corrupt you and make you vulnerable for the communist masters of deceit. It is in the good Wagnerian tradition showing that the World is going under. Enjoy.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-54902292183081706242010-08-14T12:30:00.000+02:002010-08-14T12:30:43.301+02:00

Some of you guys may need to relax from Wagner from time to time. Maybe disco dancing is the right thing for you. Here's an instructional video, made by a man from Finland.You gotta appreciate this.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-78944377253590317062010-07-31T23:52:00.000+02:002010-08-14T12:25:50.261+02:00

Here you can connect to the web in Bayreuth at no cost: Café Schnittchen, Bahnhofstrasse McDonald's Maximilian Straße  McDonald's am Bahnhof (Railway Station) List will be updated with your information. Please leave info in comment.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-51340121111083953012010-07-31T08:35:00.000+02:002010-08-09T20:05:22.241+02:00

Penelope Turing, Bayreuth Festival expert, traveller, author, critic and lecturer died this morning in London, 85 years old. Opera, especially Richard Wagner, has been a major influence in her life. Turing is the author of New Bayreuth", first published in 1969. This book is an important source to the post war productions at the Bayreuth Festival. Her biography on Hans Hotter was first

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-54173975065933184732010-07-30T12:00:00.000+02:002010-08-09T20:05:49.582+02:00

In June and July of 2011, San Francisco Opera will present three complete cycles of Wagner's "The Ring of the Nibelung" ("Das Rheingold," "Die Walküre," "Siegfried," "Götterdämmerung"). While the cycles are only available by subscription as a four-opera series, single tickets are available for the production-premiere performances of "Siegfried" (Sunday, May 29, 1pm) and "Götterdämmerung" (Sunday,

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-17849424162087156282010-07-27T12:33:00.000+02:002010-07-27T12:33:17.708+02:00

Nobody denies that Wagner was an anti-semite. But was his anti-semitism expressed in the works themselves? The issue has been much debated over the past two decades, but has resurfaced once again recently, not least with the new production by Richard Jones of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg for Welsh National Opera, performed also at the BBC Proms. The Wagner Journal asked Barry Emslie, author

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-86263280327078162052010-07-26T10:40:00.012+02:002010-08-06T09:09:16.651+02:00

The 99th Bayreuth Festival was opened on Sunday 25 July with the usual unwagnerische procession of so-called prominent people. A completely disgusting circus. The Festival opened with a new production of Lohengrin by German music theatre's enfant terrible, Hans Neuenfels. Judging from the radio broadcast, there were two names that deserve a special  mentioning: Jonas Kaufmann as the near perfect

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-29640665523875798102010-07-23T19:36:00.002+02:002010-07-23T19:38:33.273+02:00

Berlin music label C Major Entertainment`s DVD and Blu-ray production Das Rheingold from The Ring Cycle has been awarded with the Echo Klassik prize for best DVD production of the year. Performed by the Catalonian theatre group La Fura dels Baus under the direction of Carlus Padissa from the Palau de les Arts "Reina Sofia" in Valencia, the spectacular stage production of the Orquestra de la

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-57485262298934359592010-07-19T08:34:00.002+02:002010-07-19T12:09:53.024+02:00

Here are the dates for the Bayreuth Festival 2010 broadcasts from Bayerischer Rundfunk: 25 July 15.57: Lohengrin (live) 27 July 17.57: Das Rheingold (live) 03 Aug 18.05: Die Walküre (recorded 28 July) 07 Aug 18.05: Parsifal (recorded 29 July) 10 Aug 18.05: Siegfried (recorded 30 July) 14 Aug 18.05: Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (recorded 2 Aug) 17 Aug 18.05: Götterdämmerung (recorded 1

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-1419295388528472192010-07-18T17:17:00.002+02:002010-07-18T17:22:15.224+02:00

Cornered by Kirsten Flagstad at the Kirsten Flagstad Museum in Hamar (approx. 100 km from Oslo). The Museum is located in Hamar's oldest house, in which Kirsten flagstad was born 12 July 1895. The museum opened for the public in 1985, when the official opening ceremony was carried out by the Minister of Culture on the 90th anniversary of her birthday. Kirsten Flagstad’s family, her many close

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-61158838428474166532010-06-30T15:46:00.000+02:002010-06-30T15:46:21.247+02:00

The Wagner Journal Volume 4 Number 2 is on its way out to desperately waiting subscribers. The issue features: Tannhäuser: The Rhetoric of Opposition in Wagner’s Romantic Operas (Arnold Whittall) Liszt on Lohengrin (or: Wagner in absentia): Part 2 (translation from The Monthly Musical Record edited by david trippett) Designs on the Ring - Patrick Carnegy unravels the mystery surrounding Josef

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-49701328750066669952010-06-11T22:11:00.001+02:002010-06-20T20:10:34.572+02:00

John Treleaven (Siegfried) and Linda Watson (Brünnhilde) have criticized director Achim Freyer's production of Der Ring des Nibelungen in Los Angeles as artistically flawed and physically dangerous, Los Angeles Times reports. They also have spoken up about their backstage skirmishes with the idiosyncratic auteur. John Treleaven has been hurt twice during stand-alone productions of "Siegfried"

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-35189220762617970202010-05-28T22:27:00.003+02:002010-05-29T16:52:06.822+02:00

Lyric Opera of Los Angeles (LOLA), a non-profit performing arts organization, will present the rare and first-completed opera by Wagner entitled “Die Feen” (The Fairies) during five performances starting on June 11, 2010. The performances will take place at the Pasadena Playhouse as part of the Ring Festival LA’s scheduled events. The Ring Festival features the participation of more than 50 arts

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-66371224898544901612010-05-28T08:02:00.000+02:002010-05-28T08:02:00.818+02:00

Tomorrow Los Angeles Opera sets off with its three complete Ring cycles of Achim Freyer's production.RING CYCLE 1DAS RHEINGOLD Saturday 5/29/10 7:30 PMDIE WALKÜRE Sunday 5/30/10 6:00 PMSIEGFRIED Thursday 6/3/10 6:00 PMGÖTTERDÄMMERUNG Sunday 6/6/10 5:00 PMRING CYCLE 2DAS RHEINGOLD Tuesday 6/8/10 7:30 PMDIE WALKÜRE Thursday 6/10/10 6:00 PMSIEGFRIED Sunday 6/13/10 12:00 PMGÖTTERDÄMMERUNG Wednesday 6

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-89855428351121529732010-05-28T07:31:00.003+02:002010-08-03T11:28:13.590+02:00

Stephen Fry goes to Bayreuth for BBC to dive into the mixed emotiones he has for Richard Wagner and his music. He discusses how political history has unavoidably stained the reputation of Wagner, a hero to the Nazi regime whose music nonetheless remains a towering achievement. On his journey, Fry also goes to Villa Wahnfried, Villa Wesendonck in Zurich and meets Anita Lasker-Wallfisch, a cellist

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-51687683868736209112010-04-24T22:12:00.001+02:002010-04-24T22:14:13.301+02:00

The #operaplot contest on Twitter starts on Monday: summarize the plot of an opera in 140 characters - the Twitter maximum - or less. How it works    - Anyone can enter. Contestants must have a Twitter account.    - The idea is to summarize the plot of an opera in 140 characters- the    Twitter maximum - or less.    - Each tweet must carry the #operaplot tag, so everyone can follow along.    -

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-65359649400260318442010-04-12T16:35:00.001+02:002010-04-12T16:37:34.755+02:00

Yesterday, there was an event held at the Bayreuth Festival Theatre commemorating the life and works of Wolfgang Wagner.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-54316194121131296062010-03-27T13:22:00.012+01:002010-03-30T12:50:57.508+02:00

Tomorrow Calixto Bieito's production of Parsifal premieres at Stuttgart Opera House. According to the Stuttgart Opera's Homepage, Bieito is inspired by Cormac McCarthy's novel "The Road". Bieito confronts his Parsifal "with the ruins of our civilization". The novel's protagonists, a father and son, wander through a post-apocalyptic America, that after a catastrophe is deserted and desolate.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-40206821845967137472010-03-25T18:34:00.000+01:002010-03-25T18:34:28.938+01:00

Richard Wagner: Götterdämmerung (Twilight of the Gods) / Ben Heppner (Siegfried) · Katarina Dalayman (Brünnhilde) · Simon Halsey, chorus master · Rundfunkchor Berlin · Sir Simon Rattle, conductor · Berliner Philharmoniker / Recorded at the Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, July 2009

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-48860040976949696562010-03-22T07:43:00.004+01:002010-03-22T13:48:57.196+01:00

Wolfgang Wagner died Sunday. Wolfgang Wagner (30 August 1919 - 21 March 2010) devoted his whole life to the Bayreuth Festival and the works of his grandfather Richard Wagner. He was the son of Siegfried Wagner, and was best known as the leader the Bayreuth Festival, first together with his brother Wieland Wagner from 1951 to 1966  and then alone until he retired in 2008 and his daughter

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-81949684855708461272010-03-09T10:38:00.013+01:002010-05-01T15:55:52.134+02:00

Stefan Herheim seduces the Norwegian audiences to applaud their own escapism in a spectacular new production of Tannhäuser at The Norwegian National Opera in Oslo. Tannhäuser is split between the comforting world of one-dimensional escapist opera productions (Venusberg) and the narrow-minded religious world of those who have seen the Light, here: The Salvation Army.   The production quotes

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-44429019307192308522010-03-09T10:00:00.000+01:002010-03-09T10:00:17.238+01:00

The Wagner Journal is out with a new issue. Nicholas Vazsonyi writes about Wagner and the making of a brand: Wagner® Christopher Wintle ponders the achievements and intentions of Christof Loy in his new Tristan production at Covent Garden Mark Berry goes to Leipzig to rediscover Peter Konwitschny’s schoolroom Lohengrin David Breckbill hails the Thielemann cycle as one of the finest ever

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-67738503068061309382010-03-06T09:36:00.001+01:002010-03-06T09:36:53.633+01:00

Today is the premiere of Stefan Herheim's production of Tannhäuser at the Norwegian National Opera in Oslo. Judging from the press photos, it will not be boring. And, as one can see, the Salvation Army plays an important role. Music critics from all over Europe will attend.

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-71867867115141926682010-03-01T17:35:00.001+01:002010-03-01T17:35:00.600+01:00

During the period between March 29 and April 8, approximately twenty high school students from Santa Monica will learn about Richard Wagner's seminal work, Der Ring des Nibelungen. Park Studio will explore the symbolism of the ring in the opera - power, greed, desire - and extend parallels in today's culture. Students will participate in Ring cycle discussions with SMMoA's educators,

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-13151709247312895982010-02-23T12:47:00.000+01:002010-02-23T12:47:26.613+01:00

The Bayreuth Festival 2010 cast has been announced on the Bayreuther Festspiele Homepage. The unpleasant Sachs role in Katharina Wagner's Meistersinger sees a replacement once again. Now James Rutherford is replacing Alan Titus (who last year replaced Franz Hawlata). Missed will the wonderful Sieglinde by Eva-Maria Westbroek be, although Edith Haller should be a good replacement. Johan

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-67253035621916261292010-02-23T08:01:00.000+01:002010-02-23T08:01:36.281+01:00

Deutsche Oper Berlin has just finished the Wagner Weeks – with a sold out performance of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg under the musical direction of general music director Donald Runnicles. Deutsche Oper Berlin had 30.377 visitors for six Wagner productions and a total of 18 Wagner performances starting 22 November, 2009. That means 91% of all seats were sold, the new production of Rienzi even

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-71382957174809700492010-02-18T13:02:00.002+01:002010-02-18T15:57:37.682+01:00

Lance Ryan will sing Siegfried in the Tancred Dorst production of Der Ring des Nibelungen at Bayreuth this summer. Lance Ryan will also sing the role in Cologne in June, in Shanghai (expo 2010) in September, in Strasbourg in Feb 2011, in Frankfurt 2011/12, in München 2012, in Berlin 2012, at La Scala 2012, in Florence 2013. This has been confirmed by Lance Ryan's agent. Lance Ryan also sings

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-83416942552323162512010-02-12T09:55:00.002+01:002010-02-12T09:55:00.249+01:00

James King was asked to learn Siegfried Act 3 by Leonard Bernstein on short notice before the Wagner concert Bernstein held in Vienna in 1985.The programme of the concert consisted of Die Walküre (ending) and Act 3 of Siegfried.The clip above is from the scene when Siegfried discovers Brünnhilde (and that she is not a man).

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-7598443674236344102010-02-05T23:25:00.000+01:002010-02-05T23:25:00.468+01:00

In April, the County of Los Angeles Public Library presents German Opera Tales in partnership with LA Opera. This fun, high energy show tours to various libraries for free family performances. The "opera pals," four professional opera singers, perform musical moments from such German opera stories as Wagner's Das Rheingold, Humperdinck's Hansel und Gretel, and Mozart's The Abduction from the

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-72547410307856134472010-02-05T16:28:00.000+01:002010-02-05T16:28:00.561+01:00

Dramatic soprano Ute Vinzig as Brünnhilde in the Wagner concert Leonard Bernstein did with the Vienna Philharmonic in Vienna, 1985.Finding reliable info about Vinzig has proved to be difficult. Do you know anything about her?

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-32018244441348744132010-02-05T13:40:00.000+01:002010-02-05T18:47:37.084+01:00

Katharina Wagner says that Tom Tykwer definitely will not direct the 2013 Ring at Bayreuth. According to her, the name is not ready for publication yet. Tom Tykwer did not want to comment on the rumours when they were first posted on the Wagner blog. Interview with Katharina Wagner here

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-49496751026093193512010-02-03T09:12:00.000+01:002010-02-03T09:12:52.889+01:00

Adrienne Dugger and Bayreuth has finally reached an agreement about payment after the singer was sent home from the 2008 Festival, according to DPA (via Festspiele.de). A few weeks before the 2008 Festival started, the Festival stated that Dugger had withdrawn of "personal reasons", which is the Bayreuth Festival's way of saying that they (Christian Thielemann) did not want her to sing Brünnhilde

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-37956398126127062812010-01-31T10:12:00.001+01:002010-02-01T09:34:45.612+01:00

In this first of a series of interviews with Norwegian director Stefan Herheim, Herheim tells about his collaboration with Daniele Gatti, Gatti's choices of tempo and phrasing, fast vs. slow Parsifals and staging Preludes. Herheim sees Preludes as the opening of the door to the world of the opera performed that evening. It was not easy to convince the conductor (neither Gatti in Bayreuth nor

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1099862498823540947.post-71271192722386016082010-01-30T17:57:00.001+01:002010-05-28T14:27:46.475+02:00

Updated: Stephen Fry in Bayreuth According to BBC, Stephen Fry explores his passion for Richard Wagner in a documentary coming soon on BBC4. The documentary was filmed behind the scenes during the Bayreuth Festival last year. According to the brief notice from BBC, Stephen Fry "attempts to disentangle the music he loves from its indelible associations with the Nazis".

Per-Erik Skramstadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10573740979505279503noreply@blogger.com0