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Donizetti's Anna BolenaVienna Staatsoper, April 2 - April 17, 2011.Photographs copyright Wiener Staatsoper/Michael Poehn , courtesy of Wiener Staatsoper
Photographs from the 2011 Vienna Staatsoper production of Donizetti's Anna Bolena. Apparently, this was the first time that it had been staged there and they certainly marked the occasion with a stellar cast. Anna was Anna Netrebko's first performance in the role and achieved great success with an ovation lasting nearly 20 minutes , "Bel écrin pour la nouvelle reine des reines" (Maximilien Hondermarck, Forum Opera), "Man ist Zeuge, wie hier Notenmaterial Sängerinnenkörper wird, wie sich Töne in Psychologie verwandeln, eine Sopranistin zur Primadonna mutiert" (Manuel Brug, Die Welt). Iey Apthorp in the Finiancial Times was a little more sceptical: "neither a born coloratura soprano nor a burningly charismatic performer in this role". Evelino Pidò and the orchestra and chorus as well as her fellow soloists were also widely praised: "Garanča's extensive Mozartean background prepared her for a dazzling display of bel canto", "Francesco Meli was a delightful discovery in the punishing, high-flying role of Percy, and Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, an unusually sexy Enrico, used his suave, ebony bass to excellent effect, lacking only in flexibility. Elisabeth Kulman's coltish Smeton was sung so luxuriously she threatened to steal attention from the divas" (Larry Lash, Opera News). However, the production was roundly condemned (apparently booed on the opening night), although, unusually, for being too staid and unimaginative.
The Team
Anna Bolena - Anna Netrebko Seymour - Elina Garanča Percy - Francesco Meli Enrico VIII - Ildebrando D`Arcangelo Smeton - Elisabeth Kulman Sir Hervey - Peter Jelosits Lord Rochefort - Dan Paul Dumitrescu
Conductor - Evelino Pidò Director - Eric Génovèse Design - Jacques Gabel, Claire Sternberg, Costumes - Luisa Spinatelli Lighting Designer - Bertrand Couderc
Wiener Staatsoper Orchestra and Chorus
Anna Bolena © Wiener Staatsoper/Michael Poehn 2011
Enrico © Wiener Staatsoper/Michael Poehn 2011
Anna Bolena © Wiener Staatsoper/Michael Poehn 2011
Jane Seymour © Wiener Staatsoper/Michael Poehn 2011
Percy, Rochefort, Anna Bolena, Smeton © Wiener Staatsoper/Michael Poehn 2011
Anna Bolena © Wiener Staatsoper/Michael Poehn 2011
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