Germany Prokofiev, The Love for the Three Oranges: Soloists, Children’s Chorus and Chorus and Extra Chorus of Stadttheater Bremerhaven, Bremerhaven Philharmonic Orchestra / Marc Niemann (conductor). Stadttheater Bremerhaven, 4.10.2025. (DM-D)
All the world’s a stage – inspired by Shakespeare’s famous words, Julius Theodor Semmelmann set his production of Prokofiev’s opera The Love for the Three Oranges in a space that looked like an integral part of Stadttheater Bremerhaven to begin with, perhaps a version of the upper foyer, perhaps one of the stage, smaller in size, arranged for orchestral concerts with wooden wall panels. According to the programme notes, the characters exist in an imaginative space between ‘stage and illusion, reality and caricature, plan and chaos, inside and outside, the worlds of the reality of the court and the world of magic’. At whirlwind speeds, the stage showed an apparently arbitrary, but in fact well thought-through shift of those worlds: they appeared, disappeared, in sharp-edged shapes or blurred, and in different, often unexpected, combinations, juxtapositions – some serious, some very funny indeed. Devin McDonough’s fairy-tale costumes contributed well to this impression. In all its wildness, cogent planning and execution of chaos was always in evidence. Combined with Prokofiev’s visceral music, played both forcefully and with much feeling under the baton of Marc Niemann, the overall impression was always engaging, as it should be, and never actually chaotic.
The ensemble cast of soloist singers and chorus was unified in their acting and singing. Guest soloists merged well with the members of the resident company. Three new members of the resident company attracted the most attention: The Prince was sung by Weilian Wang, who supported his secure and ringing top notes well with a strong middle register. Audiences will look forward to his further roles this season, to include Alfredo in La traviata. Meredith Hoffmann-Thomson sang Fata Morgana. Her soprano was very expressive, launching into the music with gusto. She exerted deft vocal control across the range of piano to fortissimo outbreaks. The new bass-baritone of the company, Timothy Edlin, sang both the King and the Cook. His voice was both elegantly ardent and powerfully robust as needed. Continuing company members were as convincing as ever: Victoria Kunze delightfully funny and engaging, with sparkling coloratura; Boshana Milkov with her particularly warm and rich lower mezzo-soprano register. Marcin Hutek demonstrated his versatility with three well-differentiated characters, and Andre Irwin provided a suitably developed contrast with his buffo tenor to Wang’s lyrical voice. Kai Preussker and Frederic Mörth were strong visiting cast members, doing full justice to their respective roles. Katharina Diegritz and Minji Kim successfully joined the cast from the resident opera chorus.
Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe
Featured Image: Stadttheater Bremerhaven’s The Love for Three Oranges © Heiko Sandelmann
Production:
Director and Set design – Julius Theodor Semmelmann
Costumes – Devin McDonough
Lighting – Katharina Konopka
Dramaturgy – Markus Tatzig
Chorus director – Edward Mauritius Münch
Cast:
Prince – Weilian Wang
Princess Ninetta – Victoria Kunze
Fata Morgana – Meredith Hoffmann-Thomson
Truffaldino – Andrew Irwin
King / Cook – Timothy Edlin
Leander – Kai Preussker
Magician Tschelio – Frederic Mörth
Princess Clarice / Princess Linetta – Boshana Milkov
Smeraldina – Katharina Diegritz
Farfarello / Pantalone / Herald – Marcin Hutek
Princess Nicoletta – Minji Kim
Master of Ceremonies – Anton Kononchenko