top photo: The cast and chorus of the Staatsoper Berlin's production of Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress. Photo: Leonard Turnevicius
bottom photo: The cast of Cesar Cui's Puss 'n Boots takes a bow in the Schiller Theater Studio. Photo: Leonard Turnevicius
(Berlin, Germany) It was a night of EuroTrash at the Schiller Theater thanks to Krzysztof Warlikowski's production of Stravinsky's The Rake's Progress for the Staatsoper Berlin.
Warlikowski's point of departure for this morality opera was Andy Warhol's The Factory. So, you had Nick Shadow a la Warhol (complete with wig) surrounded by his decadent coterie of garish Factory people costumed by Malgorzata Szczesniak. (Sorry, no Lou Reed & band mates in this show.) On stage, a videographer caught any action you may have missed--like Anna servicing a client. (Nothing lewd that would summon Berlin's finest mind you, but all highly suggestive leaving little to the imagination.) The live footage was shown on three screens, one huge screen above stage centre, and then one fixed on each proscenium wall.
The cast wasn't top drawer, although special mention must be made of Anna Prohaska's Anna (her singing that is, not her stripping down to her black panties and bra for an onstage costume change), and Gidon Saks's Shadow, and James Homann's Auctioneer. At least they didn't sing the English text with a German accent which is what you heard all night long from Florian Hoffmann's Tom Rakewell, and Andreas Bauer's Trulove. Baba the Turk, a dress role, was unsuitably taken by countertenor Nicolas Zielinski in drag.
The second half was set in a cinema theatre, the Staatsoper Chorus placed in the balcony. By opera's end, some in the chorus were (purposely) throwing paper airplanes to display their boredom. And that's exactly what this production was: B.O.R.I.N.G.
And that's a shame, because Stravinsky's neo-classical score contains some really wonderful moments, most of which were brought out by Ingo Metzmacher in the pit, who by the way, also plinked a few chords on the harpsichord during recitatives.
Warliowski and Szczesniak were poles apart when it came to Stravinsky on this production. Like they say, good boys go to heaven, but bad boys? Well, judging by tonight, it seems they go to Berlin.
The afternoon saw a matinee performance of Cesar Cui's Puss 'n Boots (Der gestiefelte Kater), sung in German in the Studio of the Schiller Theater.
The performance was geared to kids aged 6 to 12. The studio which seats about 100 or so was filled.
Most of the vocalists came from the Staatsoper Berlin's opera studio. So, some fine young voices were heard, including members of the Staatsoper's children's chorus. The music was accompanied by a five piece ensemble under the direction of Boris Anifantakis.
The production is triple cast, and this afternoon's singers weren't specified in the program booklet. However, the Puss 'n Boots needed to command more of the audience's attention in the beginning. Yes, this was EuroTrash in training: Puss 'n Boots giving orders to helpers to move boxes and what not. Stuff that didn't make any sense, given that the plot of this one hour opera is thin and flimsy to begin with. Mozart where are you when we need you?
If good cats were go to heaven, where would bad cats go? Say it with me: B.E.R.L.I.N.
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