John van Kesteren

Vienne, XVIIIème siècle. Alors que la Maréchale s'éveille après une nuit de passion auprès de son jeune amant Octavian, son cousin, le Baron Ochs von Lerchenau, pénètre dans la chambre pour annoncer son mariage avec la belle Sophie. Comme le veut la tradition, il doit charger un chevalier de présenter une rose d'argent à sa bien-aimée et confie cette tâche à Octavian. Mais, alors que le gentilhomme accomplie son devoir, il tombe sous le charme de la promise du baron. Il met alors en place un stratagème pour piéger son rival.

A very visual and profound dramatization of the various sections of Carmina Burana, a symphonic piece composed by Carl Orff about medieval poetry by an anonymous author.

Mozart's Marriage of Figaro is a comedy whose dark undertones explore the blurred boundaries between dying feudalism and emerging Enlightenment. Herman Prey's Figaro is admirably sung in a firm baritone and aptly characterized. So too, is his antagonist, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau as the Count perpetually frustrated by the scheming wiles of Figaro and Susanna, here the perky Mirella Freni, who sings and acts like a dream. The Countess is creamy-voiced Kiri Te Kanawa, and the Cherubino, Maria Ewing, looks just like the horny, teenaged page she's supposed to be. The all-star leads are complemented by worthy supporting singers, the Vienna Philharmonic at the top of its form, and the experienced Mozartian, Karl Böhm conducting a stylishly fleet performance.

Opera by Strauss