So..about to settle down for Bavarian State opera Trovatore - Harteros and Kaufman and a pleasingly-bizarre-looking production!
Here's the trailer:
Act 1:
SO good. Fabulous singing with Harteros stunning. Cardiff Singer of the World winner (aren't the best ones all?!!)
Act 2:
Oh, this is SO good. Fabulous singing from all and I'm realising that Azucena is one of the most interesting characters - and the singer here is excellent.
Love Olivier Py's steampunk (sort of) production with the massive multi-level structure on the revolve and all the constanrtly moving wheels - redolent of the inevitability of fate in which all the characters are caught? Love to hear comments from anyone who seen this (live or online...)
Voices all quite big and powerful yet produced with ease. Kaufman has the power and still a hint of Italianate sweetness which makes him ideal for this.
Act 3:
!!!!
Superb. And LOVED the staging (and everything else) for Di Quella Pira at end of act.
*Good looking tenor in black trenchcoat.
*Glorious voice that met all demands of it and came across as drama
*Staging - a massive flaming cross in the background.
THAT'S how you do this scene, guys...
Act 4:
And done. Wonderful. Came to a wholly convincing climax (unusually given its ripely operatic plot nature) with evey singer at their best. The constant monochrome darkness really helped to make the drama of the piece come across convincingly and I loved the horribly cramped cell for Manrico and Azucena (and the spirit of her mother - a grimly sinister naked skeletal figure who was a rcurring presence in the drama reminding us of the start of trigger for the events that we see unfolded).
Super in every way.
Cast below to give them credit...
Conte di Luna: Alexei Markov
Leonora: Anja Harteros
Azucena: Elena Manistina
Manrico: Jonas Kaufmann
Conductor: Paolo Carisnani (?)