Offenbach is in the spotlight again in Zurich! At the helm to direct the orchestra of this superb Italian-style theater is French conductor Jérémie Rhorer. On the program, Barkouf, a rare work which, at its creation, was a resounding failure. It was 1860 and the work was only performed seven times. This very lively, sometimes daring version is so surprising that it enchants the Zurich public, although it is very bourgeois and often very conventional. If he is often borderline, if he overdoes it in demonstration and originality, fortunately, director Max Hopp does not cross the line into the unacceptable. The orchestra is perfect, its conductor makes it embrace all the finesse of this music, closer to classical opera than opera buffa. And this, with such judicious ups and downs that we find more nuances in the pit than on the stage – no offense to the director. One (big) downside, however, is that the text performed by singers, none of whom is French-speaking, is incomprehensible. And yet, all are vocally excellent, especially the Bulgarian mezzo Svetlina Stoyanova and the American soprano Brenda Rae. To make the play more attractive, the director added a narrator who reveals the mechanics of this crazy story, and he is perfect: from his appearance, dressed all in green, Daniel Hajdu creates a wonderful bond with the audience. In two words and three gestures, he puts the room in his pocket. The costumes are very relevant and the dancing very engaging. As for the choreography, it succeeded in giving the musical tracks a real modernity served by excellent dancers. In short, an extraordinary and yet very wise evening.
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