26. April 2016 · London, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, 18:00 Uhr
Richard Wagner: Tannhäuser
Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Tannhäuser: Peter Seiffert; Elisabeth: Emma Bell; Venus: Sophie Koch; Wolfram von Eschenbach: Christian Gerhaher; Herrmann: Stephen Milling; Biterolf: Michael Kraus; Walther von der Vogelweide: Ed Lyon; Heinrich der Schreiber: Samuel Sakker; Reinmar von Zweter: Jeremy White
Pressestimmen
Nesta produção da Royal Opera House de Londres, que já tinha visto há alguns anos,
a excelente direcção musical foi do maestro Hartmut Haenchen. ... A Orquestra da Royal Opera foi excelente, merecendo especial destaque os metais, nas cordas os violoncelos e, sobretudo, as harpas, que têm um papel fulcral na obra e foram tocadas de forma imaculada.
In this production of the Royal Opera House in London that I had seen a few years ago,
the excellent musical direction was by the conductor Hartmut Haenchen. ... The Orchestra of the Royal Opera was excellent, deserving highlight the metals, the cellos and, above all, the harps, which have a key role in the work and played immaculately.
Fanatico_UM
Ganze Rezensionhttp://fanaticosdaopera.blogspot.nl · 21. Mai 2016
Where this production succeeds, and
it really does succeed, is in musical terms. Tannhäuser isn’t necessarily Wagner’s most compelling opera dramatically but it’s one of the best paced, something which is
definitely aided by Hartmut Haenchen’s conducting, who maintains it without feeling rushed at any point. There’s some fine singing here too but it’s definitely an overall team effort, and what an effort it is.
The Royal Opera orchestra are on fine form and the chorus also deserve a special mention. I doubt by the end of the opera there’s a single atom of air left in the building that hasn’t passed through the lungs of at least one chorus member. The air they shift is incredible – I can’t imagine you’ll hear better choral singing in an opera this year, or next, or…ever.
Glorious stuff.
Matt Hutchinson
Ganze RezensionThe Arbuturian · 11. Mai 2016
... The chorus was
brilliant and the evening generally
well-conducted and paced by Hartmut Haenchen.
David Pope
Ganze Rezensionhttp://whatshotlondon.co.uk · 07. Mai 2016
But the conductor’s light, fleet way with the music at least allowed this element to proceed in an attractive way
... It was instantly clear that Hartmut Haenchen, the conductor of this first revival, was going to be lighter and fleeter than Semyon Bychkov had been first time round. Mainly,
Haenchen’s way is preferable. With Bychkov there were puzzling pauses, dragging orchestral bridge passages, general stasis. Haenchen knocked a quarter of an hour off Bychkov’s timing,
with enlivening effect. ...
... On the other hand, the scandalous Paris Venusberg music
was thrilling and shocking... and allow the opera to proceed on
its attractive musical way.
Michael Tanner
Ganze Rezension The Spectator · 05. Mai 2016
...Le chef d’orchestre, Hartmut Haenchen, a opté pour une approche mesurée de la partition qui permet de mettre en valeur les différentes lignes et textures. Il livre
une performance puissante. ...
Sam Smith
Ganze Rezensionwww.opera-online.com · 04. Mai 2016
... Conductor Hartmut Haenchen and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House do a great job. The Orchestra produces a
wonderfully full sound. Warm sounding horns open the operaand are followed by soft sounding strings and warm cello sounds. We quickly realize that Haenchen is a master of the German style. Numerous performances of Wagner (Milan, Madrid and Copenhagen) make him
a true connoisseur. The excellent orchestra performance is appreciated by the audience with
thunderous applause. ...
Fabio Andrea Rickenmann
Ganze Rezensionhttp://playstosee.com · 03. Mai 2016
... the
lively tempo set by the conductor, Hartmut Haenchen. ... The Royal Opera Orchestra settled into the score with notably
glowing contributions from lower strings and from the entire horn section including those off stage. ... The chorus was
magnificent. Their account of the Pilgrim’s Chorus, on their return from Rome, was a high point.
Fiona Maddocks
Ganze RezensionThe Observer · 01. Mai 2016
... Best to concentrate on Wagner’s music instead. Here,
the Royal Opera orchestra under Wagner specialist Hartmut Haenchen gives a fluent reading of the score, from the orgiastic excitement of Venusberg to the final redemptive pilgrims’ chorus.
Clare Colvin
Ganze RezensionSunday Express · 01. Mai 2016
In the pit, Hartmut Haenchen brings a measured approach to the score that enables the various lines and textures to come to the fore.
It is a strong performance... the choral singing is excellent throughout. ...
it is very good indeed.
Sam Smith
Ganze Rezensionwww.opera-online.com · 30. April 2016
... Sul podio per la ripresa 2016 dello spettacolo, il buon Kapellmeister sàssone Hartmut Haenchen non ha mai spinto l’Orchestra of The Royal Opera House, adeguatamente corretta, agli eccessi di suono e di retorica musicale che talvolta affliggono le esecuzioni di quest’opera. Nella sua direzione tutto è educato, lirico, trasparente, lo stacco dei tempi è sempre “naturale” e il terz’atto, perla dell’opera in cui predomina lo scavo psicologico,
convince a fondo. Alla fine il pubblico londinese lo premia festosamente. ...
Vittorio Maschera
Ganze Rezensionwww.operaclick.com · 30. April 2016
... The orchestra itself was on fine form, both in the Overture (
superbly balanced horns and bassoon in the opening) and during the ballet. It was also clear that his was to be no langorous Wagner evening: and, indeed, the night concluded a good twenty minutes before the estimated finish time in the programme. The result was not rushed ...
... Yet it is difficult to ignore the fact that the imperfect masterpiece that is Tannhäuser still makes its blazing mark. If Haenchen’s tempi alternated
between injecting intensity and just staying the right side of feeling rushed, he remained within boundaries...
Colin Clark
Ganze Rezensionhttp://seenandheard-international.com · 29. April 2016
...There were... many passages when he drew a spiritual, Parsifalian glow from the orchestra... he accompanied the singers with
utmost subtlety, especially in the slow, quiet music;
he miraculously made sense of the rather distended Act Two conclusion; and his finely paced unfolding of Act Three was
spellbinding. For all its obliqueness, this production of Wagner’s ‘problem’ opera has a
dreamlike power, intensified by magnificent singing and playing.
Peter Reed
Ganze Rezension.
www.classicalsource.com · 29. April 2016
'Exquisitely-fashioned beauty'
...But the chorus is wonderful, the playing under Hartmut Haenchen’s direction
has luminous purity...
Michael Church
Ganze Rezension The Independent · 28. April 2016
... Hartmut Haenchen’s
wonderful conducting gave ample space to the unfolding drama ... and even the
excellent orchestra remained behind for the extensive curtain calls!
Mark Ronan
Ganze Rezensionwww.markronan.com · 27. April 2016
... Tannhäuser is an intensely passionate performance that showcases a variety of musically and dramatically talented performers, who embody through music and movement the whole spectrum of human emotion.... however it is also a purely spectacular auditory experience, conducted and presided over by Hartmut Haenchen, who leads the prestigious Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
with powerful dynamism.
Emily May
Ganze Rezensionwww.ayoungertheatre.com · 27. April 2016
Hartmut Haenchen ... rises to much greater heights in the final act; the accompaniment to Gerhaher’s ‘O du, mein holder Abendstern’ is
wonderfully sensitive and moving, and leads into a resounding and memorable finale. The Royal Opera Chorus is on fine form all evening. ... this is a revival that uplifts and
thrills in the way that only Wagner can.
Simon Thomas
Ganze Rezensionwww.musicomh.com · 27. April 2016
... In the pit Hartmut Haenchen does a lot to atone,
allowing the score to blossom gradually but fully, while chorus director Renato Balsadonna gets robust results from the Royal Opera Chorus. ...
Hannah Nepal
Ganze RezensionFinancial Times · 27. April 2016
musically strong
...Hartmut Haenchen conducts the Vienna version of the score with lithe, swift tempi, though
his pacing is wonderful and nothing feels rushed.
Tim Ashley
Ganze Rezension The Guardian · 27. April 2016
...Hartmut Haenchen conducted. ...
he avoided the temptation to solemn pomposity and opted instead for lightweight clarity, reminding us that this is music written by a young man, the heir to Weber and the contemporary of Nicolai and Marschner.
The orchestra played with bright vivacity and precision, and the singers were never drowned out. The sum of it was a most attractive interpretation.
Rupert Christiansen
Ganze RezensionThe Telegraph · 27. April 2016
...There is a majestically burnished overture from
the admirable conductor Hartmut Haenchen and the fired-up orchestra...
Richard Morrison
Ganze RezensionThe Times · 27. April 2016
Outstanding
... Hartmut Haenchen conducts an interpretation notable for its fluidity, and which sees both orchestra and chorus on top form. Whatever the meaning of the staging,
this is an evening of great Wagnerian music-making.
Georg Hall
Ganze Rezension The Stage · 27. April 2016
... Tannhäuser is perhaps the most melodic of all Wagner's operas, and in Hartmut Haenchen it has
the ideal conductor. Ever attentive to ebb and flow, he conducts the music's textures as surely as its colours. There's nothing stark about his cohesive reading: the ROH Orchestra glows with chiaroscuro moodiness, while his support of Christian Gerhaher's poetically beautiful timbre in act three is likely to be my
moment of the year.
Mark Valencia
Ganze Rezensionwww.whatsonstage.com · 27. April 2016
Hartmut Haenchen’s conducting is
lithe and fluent. ... much else is
perfectly judged.
Barry Millington
Ganze RezensionEvening Standard · 27. April 2016
... Haenchen’s approach is slicker, less opulent but
more dynamic. Tempos are generally fast ... and
phrasing is clipped and precise. ...
Gavin Dixon
Ganze Rezensionhttp://www.theartsdesk.com/ · 27. April 2016
...
I enjoyed the conducting greatly. Hartmut Haenchen favoured flowing tempi, a fleet-footed Tannhäuser winging his way to Rome, drawing committed playing from the orchestra. The introduction to Act II bubbled with excitement and Merlot-soft clarinets and bassoons soothed tenderly in Elisabeth's prayer. The ROH Chorus hymned gloriously. If you can forgive the bland production, there is still plenty to enjoy in this revival.
Mark Pullinger
Ganze Rezensionhttps://bachtrack.com · 27. April 2016