Anna Netrebko: Don Giovanni, Opernhaus Zürich, Zürich 6. Nov 2011

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Don Giovanni, Opernhaus Zürich, Zürich 6. Nov 2011

Following her epic run of performances singing the title role in Donizetti's masterpiece Anna Boelna at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, the Diva Assoluta del Mondo, Anna Netrebko, is back to Europe to sing another of her iconic roles, Donna Anna in Mozart's Don Giovanni, first at the Opernhaus Zürich in Zürich, and then at the Teatro alla Scala in Milano, where she will open the Scala's 2011-2012 season in a new production directed by Robert Carsen.

At the Opernhaus Zürich, Netrebko sings the role of Donna Anna on 6., 9. and 11. Nov 2011. Opposite Netrebko is Carlos Álvarez in the title role. The conductor is Peter Schneider and the production is directed by Sven-Eric Bechtolf.

PROGRAM

Opernhaus Zürich, Zürich, Sunday 6. Nov 2011

DON GIOVANNI
Music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Libretto by Lorenzo da Ponte

In Italian with German and English surtitles
Mit Unterstützung von Chopard

Conductor: Peter Schneider
Producer/Production: Sven-Eric Bechtolf
Set design: Rolf Glittenberg
Costumes: Marianne Glittenberg
Choreography: Stefano Giannetti
Lighting: Jürgen Hoffmann
Choir rehearsal: Ernst Raffelsberger
Orchestra: Zurich Opera House Orchestra
Choir: Zurich Opera House Choir
Ballet: extra Ballett

CAST
Donna Anna: Anna Netrebko
Donna Elvira: Malin Hartelius
Zerlina: Martina Janková
Don Giovanni: Carlos Alvarez
Don Ottavio: Bernard Richter
Komtur: Andreas Hörl
Leporello: Ruben Drole
Masetto: Reinhard Mayr

REPORTS
Herbert attended the performance and he kindly wrote the following report for the Bog:

Tonight I have attended Anna Netrebko’s first Donna Anna after some years, and the first in a series, followed by Milan in December 2011 and Berlin in 2012.

The production at the Opernhaus Zürich is from 2006. The ticket prices are breathtaking, but everything in Zürich is VERY expensive with the Swiss Franc being a hard currency in these days…

In my opinion it is not a very spectacular production. What happens on stage is sometimes quite irrelevant, but all the more one can concentrate on the singers. There are only two big names in the cast: Carlos Alvarez in the title role and, of course, Anna Netrebko. Vocally and by her personality she was THE star on stage, although she behaved as she always does when she is part of an “ensemble”: She didn’t play the super star, but was modest and reserved; not fishing for extra applause at curtain calls etc. Still, the two big arias of Donna Anna were the highlights of the evening with a number of fair singers of the Opernhaus Zürich around her.

For Anna Netrebko, her three performances in Zürich will be some excellent practice to get into the role of Donna Anna again, before the big challenge of the opening night at Milan’s Scala on December 7.

After the show she was the first to come out at the stage door. The Swiss are very polite people, so only five to ten fans were waiting for her, and they all got their autographs and photos, before Anna said good-bye shortly before midnight.

Only a few photos have turned out to be good. At curtain calls after the first act Anna still wore sun glasses (one of the quite meaningless ideas of the director...)

PHOTOS