Germany Mascagni, Cavalleria rusticana – Leoncavallo, Pagliacci: Soloists, Children’s Chorus and Chorus of Theater Hagen, Philharmonic Orchestra Hagen / Sebastian Lang-Lessing (conductor). Theater Hagen, 18.10.2026. (DM-D)
Pamela Recinella’s production for Theater Hagen focused on intensive and detailed Personenregie, allowing the audience to partake in the lives of the characters as much as possible. The simple but imaginative set by Julia Katharina Berndt supported this emphasis on storytelling. The stage allowed space for a large rectangular building with a large set of double doors at one end, which opened to reveal the inside, a church. To enhance the church context, a large Christ on the cross and an arched ceiling were lowered from the fly tower for some scenes of Cavalleria rusticana, as well as a trapeze for Pagliacci. On the revolving stage, further perspectives on that church were opened up, with an interior including pews and beautiful stained-glass windows. The walls shifted to widen or narrow the angle, thus creating further spaces as needed for the operas’ plots. For the performance within the performance in Pagliacci, a stage emerged on two levels: at the top, the characters of the opera, Canio, Nedda etc., were the puppeteers who manipulated the puppets of the play, Colombina, Taddeo, Arlecchino and Pagliaccio, who in turn were played by trained circus artists. Thanks to the set and the doubling of characters in Pagliacci, the production created an almost calm atmosphere, implying ‘this is life, take a good look, and learn from it if you can’.
This is of course also central to the musical style of these two signature operas of verismo. The General Music Director of Theater Hagen, Sebastian Lang-Lessing, clearly relished the depth of the emotions expressed by the score; just as the clear lines of the set created a certain distance for the observer, Lang-Lessing emphasised such clarity of structure in the music, creating nuanced differentiation of the interplay of instrument groups in the orchestra rather than relying on any kind of monumental but more undifferentiated and thus more superficial soundscapes. Serenad Uyar sang both Santuzza and Nedda and excelled in both. Her voice had the rich lower register required for Santuzza, the strength for her voice to rise well, and with ease, above the chorus and the orchestra in the Easter Hymn, as well as the agility and secure high notes for Nedda. Daniel Schliewa sang Turiddu with much passion; many of the sounds he produced were well supported, agile, Italianate and elegant; in between, some notes sounded forced, however – perhaps something that another look at technique or the further development of the voice over time will help to overcome. Insu Hwang, who sang both Alfio and Tonio, was very convincing with his finely chiselled, adaptable and sonorous baritone. Hyejun Melania Kwon contributed a lively, secure Lola, and Gundula Hinz exuded vocal authority as Lucia.
Aldo di Toro (Canio) has been successful singing the heavier Puccini and Verdi roles across small to medium sized opera companies throughout Germany for quite a while, as a guest artist for companies more likely to have a resident lyrical tenor potentially growing into heavier roles (such as Daniel Schliewa in Hagen). His voice was clear, open, burnished and very expressive, with a solid foundation and clarion top notes. Manos Kia was passionately forthright and moving as Silvio, with melodious, warm vocal timbre, and Anton Kuzenok provided high-quality support as Peppe. Julian Wolf directed the chorus and extra chorus to sing at a high level of precision and unison and Caroline Piffka ensured the children’s chorus was enchanting.
Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe
Featured Image: Theater Hagen’s Cavalleria rusticana © Sinah Osner
Production:
Director – Pamela Recinella
Stage and Costume design – Julia Katharina Berndt
Lighting design – Martin Gehrke
Choreography – Joszef Casba Hajzer
Children’s chorus director – Caroline Piffka
Chorus director – Julian Wolf
Dramaturgy – Thomas Rufin
Casts:
Cavalleria rusticana
Santuzza –Serenad Uyar
Turiddu – Daniel Schliewa
Alfio – Insu Hwang
Mamma Lucia – Gundula Hintz
Lola – Hyejun Melania Kwon
Pagliacci
Canio – Aldo di Toro
Nedda – Serenad Uyar
Tonio – Insu Hwang
Peppe – Anton Kuzenok
Silvio – Manos Kia
Circus artists:
Colombina – Johanna von Dobbeler
Taddeo – Jonas Roth
Arlecchino – Mikkel Stamp
Pagliaccio – Seven Stutzenberger