United Kingdom Musikfest Bremen 2024 [2] – Johann Strauss II, Die Fledermaus: Soloists, Musikfest Bremen Chorus, Les Musiciens du Louvre / Marc Minkowski (conductor). Die Glocke, Bremen, 6.9.2024. (DMD)
Production:
Director – Romain Gilbert
Chorus director – Detlef Bratschke
Cast:
Gabriel von Eisenstein – Christoph Filler
Rosalinde – Rachel Willis-Sørensen
Frank – Michael Kraus
Prinz Orlofsky – Annelie Sophie Müller
Alfred – Magnus Dietrich
Dr Falke – Dominic Sedgwick
Dr Blind – Kresimir Spicer
Adele – Alina Wunderlin
Ida – Sandrine Buendia
Frosch – Manfred Schwaiger
This concert performance of Die Fledermaus marked a further highlight of the Musikfest Bremen 2024 (see my review of the Puccini celebration with Jonathan Tetelman here). It served as a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the year in which the operetta was first presented, in Vienna, and it marked to the day the foundation of the orchestra, Les Musiciens du Louvre, in 1982 by their conductor, Marc Minkowski.
The performance was semi-staged: the singers entered and exited, often running at high speed in line with the intensity of the music, from the left and right of the stage and predominantly used a narrow space between orchestra and ramp. The singers’ costumes were chosen to indicate, rather than represent, the characters in their specific situations.
Minkowski knew what he could demand of his musicians and went for power, energy, exuberance, brilliance, wit and volume. Gentler subtlety was neither expected nor provided, and the evening did not suffer as a result. Both Minkowski with his orchestra and the singers excelled in representing the festive atmosphere of the operetta and creating that atmosphere for the audience. The comedy of plot and score were fully explored and creatively exploited, with some topical additions. For example, given the proximity of ‘stage’ and orchestra and conductor, Annelie Sophie Müller as Prince Orlofsky at one point pushed Minkowski (in the role of the conductor of the orchestra hired by Orlofsky to perform at his ‘party’) off the podium, grabbed his baton and took his position to conduct a piece of Russian music. The singers delivered the spoken dialogue with excellent diction, especially commendable for those for whom German is not their native language.
Christoph Filler used his light baritone to great effect as the suave and later increasingly put-upon Gabriel von Eisenstein. Rachel Willis-Sørensen was an excellent Rosalinde, with a rich, even voice and particularly ringing top notes. Michael Kraus used his sonorous bass to great effect as Frank, the prison governor. Annelie Sophie Müller stood in at short notice for an indisposed Marina Viotti as Orlofsky. She has sung the role before to considerable acclaim in different productions. Magnus Dietrich gave the role of the tenor Alfred particular profile: his vocal calibre was the perfect basis for the ridicule this operetta visits on tenors. Funny exaggerations and apparent vocal weaknesses were thus established unambiguously as Alfred’s characteristics, as part of the comedy, and could not be misinterpreted as shortcomings on the singer’s part. Dominic Sedgwick gave Dr Falke appropriate vigour as the avenger, combining playfulness with believably serious hurt. His darker baritone contrasted well with Filler’s lighter voice. Alina Wunderlin’s Adele displayed the singer’s sparkling coloratura. Sandrine Buendia as Ida and Kresimir Spicer as Dr Blind added colours of character and voice. Manfred Schwaiger fulfilled all the comedic expectations for the speaking part of Frosch. The chorus assembled for Musikfest Bremen was well-rehearsed by Detlef Bratschke and both contributed to and joined in the air of celebration.
Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe