A Wagner ‘Ring’ that’s sustainably powered Munich, Germany — Wagner’s “The Ring of Nibelung” is no picnic. The epic four-evening mythic drama is the macho challenge with which operas prove themselves. It practically did in Los Angeles Opera when the company finally got around to mounting this monumental if confrontational pillar of Western civilization in
O Ouro Do Reno (Das Rheingold), Bayerische Staatsoper, Munique, Janeiro de 2013 / Munich, January 2013 Das Rheingold é a primeira ópera do ciclo do Anel do Nibelundo de Richard Wagner. A encenação foi de Andreas Kriegenburg. Quando entramos na sala o palco tem numerosos homens e mulheres vestidos informalmente de branco. Conversam em grupos
Frauenliebe? Nein um Gottes Willen! Wenn Elisabeth Kulman einen Liederabend gibt, bleiben keine Fragen offen. Die per Selbstdefinition «moderne Powerfrau» interpretiert an Eduard Kutrowatz’ Seite Robert Schumanns antiquierte «Frauenliebe und –leben» am 13. Dezember 2012 im Mozart-Saal als wäre es anno 1840. Und kann sich doch ihrer modernen Linie treu bleiben. Auch eine Uraufführung wurde
Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, Wiener Staatsoper (at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan), 27.10.2012 The third and last installment of the Vienna State Opera’s Japanese tour is Donizetti’s Anna Bolena, as seen on video with Anna Netrebko and Elina Garanca. Eric Génovèse’s is the most recent and most complex production from Vienna in the series brought to the
Diversity is the theme of this recording of songs by Franz Liszt – a composer who wrote songs in six languages. The songs are admirably presented by the acclaimed mezzo-soprano Elisabeth Kulman and her collaborator, pianist Eduard Kutrowatz.Kulman is a highly expressive singer with gleaming top notes and rich chocolate low tones. With her supple
CD: Hans Sommer Sapphos Gesänge The protagonists of this recording – Elisabeth Kulman, Bo Skovhus and Sebastian Weigle – have brilliantly rescued from oblivion a composer whose works have retained their capacity to move us. Hans Sommer’s compositions speak a vivid and personal language which, while close to Wagner and Richard Strauss, already points to
Sommer could not have hoped for more eloquent advocacy than the marvellously refined mezzo of Elisabeth Kulman, her verbal clarity and sense of line in both “Sapphos Gesänge” and the Goethe settings a joy to hear in nicely balanced recordings. Arnold Whittall – GRAMOPHONE – August 2012
CD: Hans Sommer Sapphos Gesänge Wonderful music from a composer that has, as far as I am aware, previously been unknown to the catalogue. Born in 1837, originally Hans Sommer trained as a mathematician and became a professor before giving it all up to pursue his childhood love of music (which he was evidently very
Elisabeth Kulman singt Mahler Die Mezzosopranistin und das Ensemble Amarcord spüren dem romantischen Komponisten nach Trossingen – Die Doppeljubiläumsjahre 2010/11 für Gustav Mahler boten der Mezzosopranistin Elisabeth Kulman und dem Ensemble Amarcord Wien in Trossingen die Gelegenheit, dem Komponisten und den Freunden seiner Musik ein besonderes Geschenk zu machen: In wunderbar feinfühligen Arrangements spüren sie
Unforgettable Mahler evening One could predict this early in the Manoel’s season that mezzo-soprano Elisabeth Kulman’s recent recital of Mahler lieder accompanied by German pianist Hansjörg Albrecht will be among its top highlights. What a pity that the audience was not as numerous as the event merited; yet it was a most appreciative and discerning