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Rimsky-Korsakov - The Tale of Czar Saltan, of his Son the Renowned and Mighty Bogatyr Prince Gvidon Saltanovich, and of the Beautiful Princess-Swan
La Monnaie, Brussels, Sunday December 17 2023 Conductor: Timur Zangiev. Production & Sets: Dmitri Tcherniakov. Costumes: Elena Zaytseva. Video Art Direction & Lighting: Gleb Filshtinsky. Czar Saltan: Ante Jerkunica. Czaritza Militrisa: Svetlana Aksenova. Tkachikha: Stine Marie Fischer. Povarikha: Bernarda Bobro. Babarikha: Carole Wilson. Czarevitch Gvidon: Bogdan Volkov. Czarevna Swan-Bird/Lyebyd: Olga Kulchynska. Skomorokh/Shipman: Alexander Vassiliev. Messenger/Shipman: Nicky Spence. Old man/Shipman: Alexander Kravets. La Monnaie Orchestra, Chorus and Children's Choir. Photos: Forster/La Monnaie This run of Czar Saltan is a reprise of Dmitri Tcherniakov's 2019 production in the same house. It was actually included that year in my old-fogey-special Sunday matinee subscription, but I missed it because I was away for work. So I'd only seen it on video so far, and was very glad to have a chance to see it live, both because I think Rimsky is scandalously underperf
Opéra Magazine's 'Pick of the Month' for December 2023
The French Opéra Magazine ’s favourite new recording (‘ coup de coeur ’) in the November issue, with a 'Diamond' award, is Christian Immler's CD, with Andreas Frese at the piano, combining Schumann songs with Jörg Widmann's Das heisse Herz , a series of eight Lieder . On Alpha Classics. 'Prodigious!' exclaims the reviewer. 'Though rarely appearing on disc, German bass-baritone Christian Immler is nonetheless one of the most fascinating Lied singers of our time. His new album is a gem whose beauty will literally take your breath away.'