2014 Salzburg Festival Plans

Alexander Perriera has previewed the 2014 Salzburg Festival and promises a lot of surprises. The director said that he is planning a new production of Il Trovatore with Anna Netrebko, Placido Domingo and Francesco Meli. He is also planning a new production of Der Rosenkavalier with Zubin Mehta conducting. There will also be a Don Giovanni production and Scubert's Fierrabras. On the concert schedule there will be a full cycle of Bruckner sypmphonies, conducted by the likes of Daniel Barenboim, Riccardo Muti, Daniele Gatti, Riccardo Chailly, Philippe Jordan, Bernard Haitink and Christoph Eschenbach. No details have been revealed yet but more will come in November. 

Erwin Schrott and Luca Pisaroni Confirm Don Giovanni DVD

On their facebook pages the two stars of the Baden Baden Don Giovanni have confirmed that the May 23rd performance was recorded for DVD. Pisaroni posted a picture in which he states "Today's performance of Don Giovanni was filmed for DVD. I was one of the camera men." Similarly Schrott posted a picture with a camera man and stated "Here's the answer: Erwin with Jérémie Cuvillier. Which means the Don Giovanni DVD is happening!"

The Baden Baden performances also star Anna Netrebko, Malena Ernman, and Charles Castronuovo. If this is true perhaps, this may be the reason why Teatro Alla Scala and the Met's recent broadcast never appeared on DVD. The next question is will the production be released on Deutsche Grammophon and when it will be released?

Don Giovanni Opens Tomorrow

Ildar  Abdrazakov and Erwin Schrott lead a new cast in Michael Grandage's dull production of Don Giovanni. Edward Gardner leads the Metropolitan Orchestra. 

For information on Don Giovanni read our preview linked here.

For more information on Ildar Abdrazkov in Mozart read our Le Nozze di Figaro review.

For more on Don Giovanni production read our review to last year's run.

Don Giovanni to be released

Today news comes that Don Giovanni starring Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, Luca Pisaroni, Diana Damrau, Joyce Didonato, Rolando Villazon, and Mojca Erdmann will be released. The recording, done last year at Baden Baden, is slated to be released on September 7, 2012. Stay tuned.

Don Giovanni Preview 2012-2013

Michael Grandage's dull production of Don Giovanni returns to the Met after a sold out run with Ildar Abdrazakov, Erwin Schrott and a cast of up and coming singers.

The Production

Last year Michael Grandage made his awaited Met debut with this Don Giovanni production. Grandage promised an innovative and theatrical experience that would bring new insight to the work. However the result was the complete opposite. The production is made up of a unit set of  towers with balconies that close to form claustrophobic alleys and swing open for the ballroom and banquet scenes. Critics complained about the unfocused nature and its dullness. The problem is that the opera becomes rather bland and predictable. There is no play on any of the characters' ambiguities. Critics also stated that "There is a certain restraint in the violence, sex, and intrigue. This is a Don Giovanni that we have seen again and again. This lack of insight or depth makes me wonder where Grandage's attention was when directing this production, especially when one looks at the production's main attraction and greatest gimmick: the high walls filled with rows and rows of doors that open and close without any really method or direction." Last year the cast brought life to the production and in order for the production to succeed this year the cast must be spectacular as well. With young singers it will be interesting to see how they enliven this static production.