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Opera news, November 2004 |
LUTHER WADE |
von Weber: Der Freischütz, Edinburgh, 17 August 2004
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EDINBURGH — Edinburgh International Festival Review, 8/15 — 9/5
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Usher Hall |
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Opera was not neglected, with four staged and four
concert performances. The concert performances included a presentation of
Richard Strauss’s Capriccio, played by the Royal Scottish National
Orchestra conducted by Leopold Hager and featuring a fine cast led by
Siegfried Vogel as La Roche, Jonas Kaufmann and Christopher Maltman as
Flamand and Olivier, and Stephen Loges and Anne Sofie von Otter as the
Count and Clairon. Soile Isokoski was a rather lightweight Countess but
still brought a measure of sensitivity to the role.
The featured concert performances were the three major works of Carl Maria
von Weber, presented on successive evenings with different orchestras,
conductors and singers. Most successful overall was Euryanthe, with a
strong performance from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Edinburgh
Festival Chorus under David Robinson, and effective portrayals of the
major roles by Anne Schwanewilms (Euryanthe), Christine Brewer (Eglantine)
and Stewart Shelton (Lysiart); but Der Freischütz, featuring the Scottish
Chamber Orchestra and Philharmonia Chorus led by Charles Mackerras with
his usual aplomb, was scarcely less effective. It featured a touching
Agathe in Hillevi Martinpelto, a buoyant Ännchen in Ailish Tynan and
strong portrayals of Max and Kaspar, by Jonas Kaufmann and John Relyea,
respectively. The Oberon was the least successful Weber opera concert on
offer, principally because of the shortcomings of the work itself. The
performance, by the Scottish Opera forces, hardly lacked merit though it
was not quite up to the standards set by the other two offerings. Even so,
Elizabeth Whitehouse and Jane Irwin sang well as Reiza and Fatima and
Peter Bronder was a heroic Huon. The Scottish Opera Orchestra and rather
smallish chorus was effectively led by Richard Armstrong.
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