Kulturkompasset | critics of culture events

Success for Birgitte Christensen as Alceste in Innsbruck


Success for Birgitte Christensen

as Alceste in Innsbruck

Applaus after Alceste by Gluck, In the center René Jacobs, and left Birgitte Christensen, who sung the demanding titerole,  Thoas walker, who was extraordinary as Admeto, the wife of Alceste. at Alte Music Festival in Innsbruck, 23. August 2016. Foto Henning Høholt

Applaus after Alceste by Gluck, In the center René Jacobs, and left Birgitte Christensen, who sung the demanding titerole, Thoas walker, who was extraordinary as Admeto, the wife of Alceste. at Alte Music Festival in Innsbruck, 23. August 2016. Foto Henning Høholt

Review by Henning Høholt

INNSBRUCK/AUSTRIA: Birgitte Christensen did one of her best roles as the demanding Alceste by Christoph Willibald Gluck (1714-1787), conducted by René Jacobs, 23. August during the Alte Music Festival in Innsbruck, in a Star cast together with the wonderful tenor Thomas Walker extraordinary well as Admeto, Kristina Hammarstrøm, beautiful as Ismene. Georg Nigl was outstanding and expressive in the four important roles, that he sung and performed. This ensemble together made that this Concert version of Alceste became a success.

The young tenor Anicio Zorzi Gustiniani did a great job as Evandro with a beautiful voice. Alicia Amo was Aspasia, the daughter of Alceste, and the young boy soprano Joshua Kranefeld did it very well as Eumelo, the son of Alceste

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. While Viktor Shapovalov, from the choir, well formed the sound of the Orakel (behind stage).
Together with an extraordinary good choire Musicaeterna Perm, led by Vitaly Polonsky. That even worked well split up in two choices.  And the large, and very good B’ Rock orchestra, concertmaster Rodolfo Richter, and with further excellent soloplayers in the very good acustic in the Congres hall. This Christoph Willibald Gluck concert version of his opera Alceste, became a highlight in the festival, who this year celebrates 40 years jubilee. In fact with a concert 24.th august, that Kulturkompasset too shall review from. And in this is an interesting link. –

René Jacobs, the outstanding conductor of this Alceste, was the countertenor, who sung Händel and Caldera arias at the opening concert in August 1976. The arias which at this 40 years Jubilee concert was sung brilliantly by countertenor Lawrence Zazzo. See the review, one of the following days.

Libretto to Alceste is by Ranieri De´Calzari (1714-1795). Alceste was first performed 26.12.1767 in Vienna.

Birgitte Christensen and René Jacobs at Alceste. Between them concertmaster Rodolfo Richter. Foto Henning Høholt

Birgitte Christensen and René Jacobs at Alceste. Between them concertmaster Rodolfo Richter. Foto Henning Høholt

BIRGITTE CHRISTENSEN

Actually made her debut 1999 at Tyroler Landes Teater, where she sung until 2003, and as we all can hear the atmosphaere, fresh air in the Alps, together with her build in, outstanding talent, did it all, so that she, today, is one of the leading sopranos in the world.
Her Alceste was extraordinary
. She has the beauty, the power, the expressionisme needed, brilliance, and, interesting, not only in the high beautiful and powerful or pianissimo tunes.

She has too build up the lower register to be outstanding, something that i noted immediately by her opening words, which are in the lower register, what an extraordinary capacity. That can give her the possibility, later in her carriers, if she get tired of the high tunes, to switch over to roles like Eboli in Don Carlos and other of the demanding mezzo roles.

The role of Alceste is extremely long, with so many solo and duet recitatives,  and wonderful arias, that i had the feeling, that this is worst than a long Wagner opera. Furthermore I did´t notice any suffli at all.

However, together with her outstanding colleagues and René Jacobs inspiring conducting, the whole ensemble managed to make this version concertante interesting and alive all the time. The audience were enthusiastic. It is a concertant  production from the Ruhr Triennale.

René Jacobs

René Jacobs did a great job. he knows what he is doing, he knows how to sing and how to play, he has the extraordinary musicality, that is needed at such a high niveau, this gives him the power of permitting the singers to get enough time to do a good job, to get their sound out floating, and I am happy to say, the acoustic of the Congress Hall is good.

Audience and stage for Alceste at Congress Hall, Innsbruck. Foto Henning Høholt

Audience and stage for Alceste at Congress Hall, Innsbruck. Foto Henning Høholt


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