In January, there was at the German Opera a couple of performances of “the tales of Hoffmann”. The question of the day-to-day mirror, whether 2019 other Offenbach productions are planned, must be answered in the negative, the press office of the German Opera, but with Regret. The Research at the state Opera, the Komische Oper and Neuköllner Oper is calculated: 200. Birthday of the composer has planned for the music city of Berlin. Here, Jacques Offenbach, life in 61 years, the proud number of 150 stage works.
If not a main urban Off-theater troupe from the cover dares all, the question whether the Offenbach operettas today work at all, only the way out to Dodge. To Cologne for example, where the son of the book binder and synagogue Cantor Isaac Judah boar in 1819, was born. There will be seen in June and July, “The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein”. Already in may, the Hamburg state Opera, Renaud Doucets staging of “La belle Hélène”, which is really funny because of the French, presented to the ancient of parody as a feather-light Divertissement. You can visit the “chief evening wind” in Stralsund, “king carrot” in Hannover or Hildesheim to. There, Max Hopp and Adam Benzwi have unearthed just “The Princess of Trebizond”.
In the core it is about the longing for love
Yes, exactly, Max Hopp, is part of Barrie Kosky’s favorite protagonists of the Comic Opera and in productions such as “Fiddler on the roof” or “A woman who knows what she wants” excelled, has dared at the “theatre for lower Saxony” to his first directorial work. And Adam Benzwi, is not only a Musical Professor at the Berlin University of the arts, but also at the Komische Oper in so many entertaining Kosky-night as a conductor to success helped him to the side.
A wing is found in the small Hildesheimer orchestra pit, although it was not intended by Offenbach. But Adam Benzwi has edited the score, absolutely respectful, has scans the is always something to compact, from chronic lack of time rather schematic Instrumentation of the composers gentle, spirit sound effects of percussion and brass instruments is rich in derived from the action on the stage – and for some intimate moments, to accompany them on the piano.
The excavation of 1869 for a guest performance of the “Bouffes-Parisiens” in Baden-Baden, the resulting “Princess of Trebizond” is, therefore, a significant contribution to the Offenbach-year, because it helps to beat the mental bridge from the bright-witty social satires of the composers from the Empire of Napoleon III. to his unfinished survivors ‘ stories masterpiece “Hoffmann”. As well as “Fantasio” shows also “The Princess of Trebizond”, the romantic-melancholy side of the composer broke already by the end of the 1860s. The plot is created as a Grotesque – a showmen family to the castle by lottery owners, gets bored quickly in the noble ambience. But in the core it is the desire of the protagonists to love.
Three pairs will have in the end found
a Fairy tale, especially Prince Raphael, a swarm of young man who falls in love with a wax figure, the eponymous Princess, which is, however, shown just at the time of his visit to the rarity Cabinet of a real woman. Because the showmen-daughter has her knocked off previously to Clean up accidentally in the nose. Three couples will have at the end found, and also all Affection belongs to Offenbach: your longing-sentimental musical numbers are by far the most inspired of this Opéra-bouffe.
Max Hopp and Adam Benzwi had to set the objective, with your um, re-interviewing of the piece, both the spirit of the emergence of time as the Story also to give a contemporary twist. This is you in the most marvelous way. A new character emcee, the streamlined always there for the action where it threatens to be wordy, reminds us with his grumbling for thirty years-radio speaker tone in the Musical “Cabaret”. Pleasantly old-fashioned, the German rhymes sound, however, Vogue words are only sparingly scattered.
Acting intensity how to open Bach’s times
expressed As the Adam Benzwi in the run-up to the request, the soloists like please come prepared to the first rehearsal, met with the first surprise. But his tactics, to develop the singing only gradually from dealing with the Text, allows a theatrical intensity that is likely to come very close to what the viewers have seen Offenbach’s times. Because at the time actors were mostly on the stage who could sing.
At the Hildesheimer soloists, the musical numbers chanson and ballad of imprisonment, declamation and singing go together seamlessly. Real people theater, because Max Hopp seeks, in its guidance on naturalness, on a charming mixture of naivety and caricature-like Exaggeration of the figures. Since even the craziest turns of the plot appear almost logical.
not to worry Because Hopp as a Director is not in the foreground, plays and over a long distance it is focused, for the right Comedy tempo, makes the Happy ending then right effect, if the couples in their love, happiness collectively by Herbert Fritsch-style over-the-top. This sounds – of course! – a Can-Can.
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anniversaries of Offenbach, and Beethoven Liberté, Egalité, marketing idea
Frederik Hanssen
Next performances on December 31. In March and in may. Info: www.tfn-online.de
