DIE FEUERSNOT Nicola Beller Carbone Dietrich Henschel Rubén Amoretti Christine Knorren
Orchestra del Teatro Massimo Gabriele Ferro Conducted by Emma Dante Staged by Teatro Massimo Palermo Die Feuersnot is Richard Strauss’s second opera and made up for the failure of his first when its 1902 Dresden premiere was a resounding success. It is a lively one-act drama about the ancient Bavarian tradition of celebrating midsummer night with bonfires, songs and dances at the summer solstice – a work full of allusions, whether to the person and the music of Richard Wagner or to Strauss’s own life and times. RICHARD STRAUSS The rather strange magician Kunrad falls in love with the well- brought-up burgomaster’s daughter Diemut and kisses her in front of all the passers-by. In revenge, she invites him to travel DIE FEUERSNOT to her room in a big basket that she will pull up to her window. He is left half way, hanging in the air, to the amusement of all. Now (The Fire-Famine) Kunrad takes his own revenge, thanks to the magical tricks he has learned from his Master Reichart, and all the bonfires go out …
Conductor Gabriele Ferro The score has quotations from Wagner and echoes of Orchestra Orchestra del Teatro Massimo contemporary composers such as Mahler and Bruckner. Chorus Coro del Teatro Massimo Nonetheless, it is genuine Strauss – from racy waltzes to Chorus Master Piero Monti enchanting love duets. The male lead, young magician Kunrad, Stage Director Emma Dante is a coded reference to Strauss himself, while Kunrad’s mentor Meister Reichart represents Wagner, venerated by Strauss and, like sorcerer Reichart, once expelled through intrigue from the Ortolf Sentlinger Rubén Amoretti city of Munich. Diemut Nicola Beller Carbone Elsbeth Christine Knorren The Teatro Massimo, one of Italy’s finest and most respected Wigelis Chiara Fracasso opera houses and with its 3200 seats the country’s biggest, is Margret Maria Sarra opening this Strauss anniversary year with the revival of his early Kunrad Dietrich Henschel opera. In Italy, it was last staged in 1938 in Genoa with Strauss Jörg Pöschel Michail Ryssov himself in the pit. Conductor Gabriele Ferro acquits himself Hämmerlein Nicolò Ceriani well in handling the complex score and keeping the balance Kofel Paolo Battaglia between the pit and the crowded stage – “the orchestra sounds Kunz Gilgenstock Paolo Orecchia marvellous” (Forum Opéra), “the choruses are splendid” (Milano Ortlieb Tulbeck Cristiano Olivieri Finanza). “Nicola Beller Carbone triumphs magnificently in Ursula Irina Pererva the role of Diemut” (Forum Opéra) and “tackles the difficult Ruger Asbeck Francesco Parrino passages with aplomb” (Operaclick). Walpurg Valentina Vitti Dietrich Henschel, in the role of her Ein großes Mädchen Francesca Martorana suitor Kunrad, sings a “full-voiced baritone” (Tagesspiegel), “a baritone of refined voice” Corriere( della sera). Produced by Metisfilm Classica Video Director Tiziano Mancini
Length: approx. 105' Shot in HDTV 1080/50i Cat. no. A00050016
A production of UNITEL CLASSICA in co-production with Fondazione Teatro Massimo
World Sales: All rights reserved · credits not contractual · Different territories · Photos: © Studio Camera · Flyer: luebbeke.com Flyer: · Camera contractual Studio Different Photos: © territories · credits not rights · All reserved ·
Tel. +49.30.30306464 [email protected]
Unitel GmbH & Co. KG, Germany · Tel. +49.89.673469-630 · [email protected] www.unitelclassica.com