Germany Verdi, Requiem: Signe Heiberg (soprano), Dorothea Spilger (mezzo-soprano), Weilian Wang (tenor), Volodymyr Morozov (bass), Bremerhaven Protestant Municipal Church Choir and Bach Choir, Bremer Rathschor, Bremerhaven Municipal Theatre Extra Chorus, Bremerhaven Philharmonic Orchestra / Marc Niemann (conductor). Bremerhaven Municipal Theatre, 17.6.2026. (DM-D)
This performance of Verdi’s Requiem marked the official farewell of conductor Marc Niemann after twelve years as General Music Director at Bremerhaven Municipal Theatre. During his tenure, the theatre was led jointly by the artistic director, the director of administration and himself. The performance was thus followed by an hour of speeches by Bremerhaven’s city councillor for schools and culture, Prof. Dr. Hauke Hilz, the federal state of Bremen’s state councillor for culture, Carmen Emigholz, double bass player Michael Pfannschmidt as spokesperson for the orchestra committee, and a response and farewell speech from Niemann. All speakers emphasised the excellent personal working relationship between orchestra and conductor, and the frank, open, fair and thus productive communication between the orchestra as represented by Niemann and the representatives of federal state and municipal administration and politics. All speakers emphasised the non-negotiable importance of culture for life in general and the city of Bremerhaven in particular, at a time when many communities in Germany are faced with calls for budget cuts.
Niemann’s approach to the Requiem was in line with his performances of operas and concerts of the last seven years: his music combined a high level of clarity with unambiguous decisiveness for tempi and volume, supported by a very astute sense of acoustics and space, whether from the orchestra pit, or, as on this occasion, from the stage. He was thus able to differentiate very cogently between the gentle, hushed sounds of the Requiem and its wild storms.
For the fortissimo passages, he did not have to hold back for the soloists he had selected for this performance. Signe Heiberg, a member of the Bremerhaven opera company from 2021 to 2024 before joining Heidelberg Theater’s opera ensemble, soared easily above the orchestra and was equally impressive in the more tranquil moments. Dorothea Spilger, a member Karlsruhe opera, combined lyrical and more dramatic vocal material to great effect. Weilian Wang of Bremerhaven opera rose brilliantly to the challenges of the Requiem’s tenor part. Volodymyr Morozov is a member of Deutsche Oper Berlin; his sonorous, rich and dark voice made the most of his part. The chorus, consisting of the members of four independent regional choirs, responded well to Niemann’s signals and sung precisely.
Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe