January 16, 2016: Don Carlo in Frankfurt

2016-01-16 Don Carlo (Giuseppe Verdi), Oper Frankfurt

Don Carlo = Sergio Escobar 

Elisabeth von Valois = Tamara Wilson 

Philipp II. = Andreas Bauer 

Prinzessin Eboli = Tanja Ariane Baumgartner 

Rodrigo, Marquis von Posa = Daniel Schmutzhard 

Graf von Lerma, Herold = Simon Bode

Tebaldo = Julia Dawson

Der Großinquisitor = Magnús Baldvinsson 

Ein Mönch = Vuyani Mlinde 

Stimme von oben = Danae Kontora

Renato Balsadonna, conductor

Chor und Extrachor der Oper Frankfurt 

Frankfurter Opern- und Museumsorchester 

Director - David McVicar 

Revival rehearsed by Caterina Panti Liberovici 

Stage Designer - Robert Jones 

Costume Designer - Brigitte Reiffenstuel 

Choreography - Andrew George 

Lighting Designer - Joachim Klein 

Chorus Master (Chorus and Male Extra Chorus) - 

Tilman Michael 

Dramaturge -Malte Krasting 

Sergio Escobar and Tamara Wilson, two amazing artists with great voice and acting skills. BRAVI, Sergio & Tamara!!

In fact everybody was amazing, the singing and acting likewise. Only the Grande Inquisitore sounded old and tired but that fitted the role. 

Tamara Wilson was divine. Her acting was totally believable. She sang Elisabeth de Valois in a way that I realized that  never before had it been sung to such perfection with all the passion we would wish for. She reminded me of Montserrat Caballe except that Caballe is often Caballe onstage too where Tamara Wilson was always Elisabeth de Valois. The booklet showed a paiting of the thin, almost too skinny, Elisabeth de Valois. It is not possible for a soprano in the age group of Elisabeth de Valois to sing this hefty Verdi role. Tamara Wilson had everything except the look of Elisabeth de Valois. But this is opera so we are invited to see love not in the Hollywood perfect size way but the every-kind-of-body-size that opera singers have. Should we not postpone old ideas of how love looks and accept what the stage gives us. 

Both our Elisabeth and our Carlos had a different body that what we saw in the booklet (programme). But who cares about that when the singing and acting is absolute perfection. This perfection was not cold it was passionate as Verdi should be. Sergio Escobar was wonderful. And the singing and acting made you forget all sizeist bias and you are thanking Oper Frankfurt that they decided to allow us opera-goers to experience such bliss.

I loved it all so much. I wish I had it on DVD. Thank you, director and production theme!

I enjoyed the Eboli of Tanja Ariane Baumgartner so much. Her voice, everything!

Tamara Wilson, my new Soprano Diva!! Brava, Tamara Wilson! and the best for your career!!!