overwhelmed: which opera to see in Vienna?
Jan 19th, 2012, 11:01 AM
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overwhelmed: which opera to see in Vienna?
Hi all -
We are sooo excited about our trip to Austria in late May! Thanks so much for all your help on this board; I've got pages and pages of your posts printed and well-highlighted
I'm already looking at the classical performance schedule, since I'd really like to experience the "scene" at least once (though it will be a drag for DH - perhaps the "standing-room" option at the staatsoper will be a good compromise). We will most likely try to see the Vienna Boys' Choir mass and more Mozart in Salzburg, as well.
Anyway, I'm overwhelmed by all the options (nice position to be in, though!). Does anyone have any opinions about these venues/shows? I think I'd enjoy all of them, but DH can probably only endure one
Staatsoper:
- The Flying Dutchman, Wagner
- Roberto Devereux, Donizetti
- La Clemenza di Tito, Mozart
- Don Quixote, Bolshoi-choreographed ballet
Volksoper:
- Il Seraglio, Mozart
- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Sondheim (no idea if it's in German or English)
- The Sound of Music (will that be extremely cheesy?)
Theater an der Wien (part of the Wiener Festwochen):
- La Traviata, Verdi; soloist Deborah Warner
Any and all comments appreciated. Thanks again for all your help already!
- m
We are sooo excited about our trip to Austria in late May! Thanks so much for all your help on this board; I've got pages and pages of your posts printed and well-highlighted
I'm already looking at the classical performance schedule, since I'd really like to experience the "scene" at least once (though it will be a drag for DH - perhaps the "standing-room" option at the staatsoper will be a good compromise). We will most likely try to see the Vienna Boys' Choir mass and more Mozart in Salzburg, as well.
Anyway, I'm overwhelmed by all the options (nice position to be in, though!). Does anyone have any opinions about these venues/shows? I think I'd enjoy all of them, but DH can probably only endure one
Staatsoper:
- The Flying Dutchman, Wagner
- Roberto Devereux, Donizetti
- La Clemenza di Tito, Mozart
- Don Quixote, Bolshoi-choreographed ballet
Volksoper:
- Il Seraglio, Mozart
- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Sondheim (no idea if it's in German or English)
- The Sound of Music (will that be extremely cheesy?)
Theater an der Wien (part of the Wiener Festwochen):
- La Traviata, Verdi; soloist Deborah Warner
Any and all comments appreciated. Thanks again for all your help already!
- m
Jan 19th, 2012, 11:58 AM
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If you're not opera buffs, you might check into what kind of production you'll be seeing.
My sister, who is not an opera buff, was looking forward to seeing magnificent costumes and sets when we went to see Il Seraglio. It turned out to be in modern dress, so she was very disappointed. I do not recall what the venue was, but it wasn't at that gorgeous opera house.
At one point, the soprano took a swing at a man with her gold lame handbag.
My sister, who is not an opera buff, was looking forward to seeing magnificent costumes and sets when we went to see Il Seraglio. It turned out to be in modern dress, so she was very disappointed. I do not recall what the venue was, but it wasn't at that gorgeous opera house.
At one point, the soprano took a swing at a man with her gold lame handbag.
Jan 19th, 2012, 12:27 PM
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La Clemenza de Tito. If you are going to one - go to the Staatsopera. The Dutchman is too long to stand through and the Donizetti isn't that interesting. I would rather be trepanned with a ballpean hammer than watch a ballet.
Jan 19th, 2012, 12:33 PM
#4
of that lot, I'd go for "a funny thing happened on the way...."
i think that it's unlikely that they'd try to sing it in German!
if you decide on an opera, I'd try to get DH [and yourself if you don't know it] to listen a few times before you go, and to study the plot. I've found that it really helps.
La Traviata would be my choice of the operas on offer, but it's not at the Staatsoper of course, and everyone should go there at least once. Just gorgeous - we loved it.
have a great time!
i think that it's unlikely that they'd try to sing it in German!
if you decide on an opera, I'd try to get DH [and yourself if you don't know it] to listen a few times before you go, and to study the plot. I've found that it really helps.
La Traviata would be my choice of the operas on offer, but it's not at the Staatsoper of course, and everyone should go there at least once. Just gorgeous - we loved it.
have a great time!
Jan 19th, 2012, 01:55 PM
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Wow! I'm envious!
Let's see, such hard choices:
STAATSOPER
The Flying Dutchman - the heroine, Senta, will be sung by Jennifer Wilson. She has a powerful voice, which is a must for Wagnerian operas, and she's in her early 40s, therefore in her prime. The opera itself is one of the early Wagner operas with his signature Leit Motifs, a "tune" associated with one character or one topic. Wagner is more about orchestrian music and you will find long, "boring" passages (for your husband) of singing. As for the Flying Dutchman himself, Albert Dohmen, personally, I don't quite like his voice. Both singers are very heavy built so don't expect much action.
Roberto Devereux is really about Queen Elizabeth I, who will be sung by the ageless wonder, Edita Gruberova, now in her 60s. She's much beloved, especially in Germany. Beautiful voice and the last time I heard her, her coloratura (rapid passages of many notes) was wonderful but her high notes just weren't there any more. This opera is the known as one of the "Three Queens" operas of Donizetti's - Anna Bolena (Ann Boleyn) Maria Stuarda (Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots), and Roberto Devereux (QEII). It is beautiful bel canto music, which is more about the singing voice and not about orchestrial music as much.
La Clemenza di Tito - a favorite Mozart opera. Mozart's operas are "early" opera, before bel canto and before Wagner. I wouldn't recommend this particular Mozart opera for a non-opera buff, would rather recommend "the Magic Flute" (which isn't playing when you're in Vienna!)
Of the three operas at the Staatsoper, considering music and singers, I'd go with Roberto Devereux, The Flying Dutchman, and La Clemenza di Tito in that order. I think you'll enjoy Roberto Devereux the most, as will your husband.
The Staatsoper has subtitles in individual visual screens in English, German, and I believe French. If you're seated in a box, except for the first row of seats, the screens will be mounted to one side on a wall.
VOLKSOPER - forget about the singing, it's "light" opera, so the singing is not bad, but the visuals and the elan are what's engaging. Over the stage, there are English surtitles that are a synopsis and not a verbatim translation.
Enjoy! whichever one you choose! Hope this helped a bit.
At the Volksoper, I haven't seen any of the three that you have listed, but did see the more famous ones like "The Merry Widow" and they are absolute riots. So much fun! So, if I were you, I'd choose the one that would strike you as being the most fun.
THEATER AN DER WIEN
I didn't see La Traviata listed for May or June, so this could be just a recital, with singers dressed in modern evening wear standing still and singing in front of a bunch of microphones (which will probably drive your husband nuts!).
Let's see, such hard choices:
STAATSOPER
The Flying Dutchman - the heroine, Senta, will be sung by Jennifer Wilson. She has a powerful voice, which is a must for Wagnerian operas, and she's in her early 40s, therefore in her prime. The opera itself is one of the early Wagner operas with his signature Leit Motifs, a "tune" associated with one character or one topic. Wagner is more about orchestrian music and you will find long, "boring" passages (for your husband) of singing. As for the Flying Dutchman himself, Albert Dohmen, personally, I don't quite like his voice. Both singers are very heavy built so don't expect much action.
Roberto Devereux is really about Queen Elizabeth I, who will be sung by the ageless wonder, Edita Gruberova, now in her 60s. She's much beloved, especially in Germany. Beautiful voice and the last time I heard her, her coloratura (rapid passages of many notes) was wonderful but her high notes just weren't there any more. This opera is the known as one of the "Three Queens" operas of Donizetti's - Anna Bolena (Ann Boleyn) Maria Stuarda (Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots), and Roberto Devereux (QEII). It is beautiful bel canto music, which is more about the singing voice and not about orchestrial music as much.
La Clemenza di Tito - a favorite Mozart opera. Mozart's operas are "early" opera, before bel canto and before Wagner. I wouldn't recommend this particular Mozart opera for a non-opera buff, would rather recommend "the Magic Flute" (which isn't playing when you're in Vienna!)
Of the three operas at the Staatsoper, considering music and singers, I'd go with Roberto Devereux, The Flying Dutchman, and La Clemenza di Tito in that order. I think you'll enjoy Roberto Devereux the most, as will your husband.
The Staatsoper has subtitles in individual visual screens in English, German, and I believe French. If you're seated in a box, except for the first row of seats, the screens will be mounted to one side on a wall.
VOLKSOPER - forget about the singing, it's "light" opera, so the singing is not bad, but the visuals and the elan are what's engaging. Over the stage, there are English surtitles that are a synopsis and not a verbatim translation.
Enjoy! whichever one you choose! Hope this helped a bit.
At the Volksoper, I haven't seen any of the three that you have listed, but did see the more famous ones like "The Merry Widow" and they are absolute riots. So much fun! So, if I were you, I'd choose the one that would strike you as being the most fun.
THEATER AN DER WIEN
I didn't see La Traviata listed for May or June, so this could be just a recital, with singers dressed in modern evening wear standing still and singing in front of a bunch of microphones (which will probably drive your husband nuts!).
Jan 19th, 2012, 02:29 PM
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Here's the La Traviata performance:
http://www.festwochen.at/index.php?i...L=1&detail=748
It sounds like it's got full orchestra and choir, but I guess that theatre's not as interesting as the opera house. I was wrong to list Deborah Warner as the soprano; she's the director. Irina Lungu is playing Violetta Valéry.
http://www.festwochen.at/index.php?i...L=1&detail=748
It sounds like it's got full orchestra and choir, but I guess that theatre's not as interesting as the opera house. I was wrong to list Deborah Warner as the soprano; she's the director. Irina Lungu is playing Violetta Valéry.
Jan 19th, 2012, 03:49 PM
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meriberi: Thanks for giving me an amusing 1/2 hour! 
I don't believe I've ever seen the soprano, Irina Lungu, but on checking her out on Youtube, she seems to have her good days and her bad days. There's one piece where she's singing so low, she's like a mezzo-soprano. Then there's another clip of her in a very brief scene in La Traviata and seems to be quite good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKLB-...eature=related
On the director, Deborah Warner, the wikipedia article doesn't really tell us very much, but I found this interesting interview:
http://tinyurl.com/86qkpfg
It appears that Deborah Warner is one who likes to experiment and do things "differently". This kind of avant garde directing is sometimes characterized in the US as "Eurotrash".
What this seems to mean is that the opera audience has to guess at the emotional state of the director and what the director is trying to convey, frequently having nothing to do with the opera. It's a separation of the music and the staging.
To give you some idea, there is frequent nudity (although Vienna is a bit more conservative). In one opera that I saw (not in Vienna), the women all seem to have elongated breasts and the men had elongated weenies. Then they were all told to run in place, so that there were a lot of flapping breasts (which your husband might like) and bouncing dongles (which you might like). All these naked bodies flapping and bouncing had nothing to do with the opera, which had a super religious theme.
Or I once saw Romeo and Juliet set in an abandoned railroad stockyard. What does this setting have to do with R&J? Your guess is as good as mine.
In other words, the staging doesn't support the music. You might like this kind of staging, or you might not. Just thought I'd let you know.
I don't believe I've ever seen the soprano, Irina Lungu, but on checking her out on Youtube, she seems to have her good days and her bad days. There's one piece where she's singing so low, she's like a mezzo-soprano. Then there's another clip of her in a very brief scene in La Traviata and seems to be quite good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKLB-...eature=related
On the director, Deborah Warner, the wikipedia article doesn't really tell us very much, but I found this interesting interview:
http://tinyurl.com/86qkpfg
It appears that Deborah Warner is one who likes to experiment and do things "differently". This kind of avant garde directing is sometimes characterized in the US as "Eurotrash".
What this seems to mean is that the opera audience has to guess at the emotional state of the director and what the director is trying to convey, frequently having nothing to do with the opera. It's a separation of the music and the staging.
To give you some idea, there is frequent nudity (although Vienna is a bit more conservative). In one opera that I saw (not in Vienna), the women all seem to have elongated breasts and the men had elongated weenies. Then they were all told to run in place, so that there were a lot of flapping breasts (which your husband might like) and bouncing dongles (which you might like). All these naked bodies flapping and bouncing had nothing to do with the opera, which had a super religious theme.
Or I once saw Romeo and Juliet set in an abandoned railroad stockyard. What does this setting have to do with R&J? Your guess is as good as mine.
In other words, the staging doesn't support the music. You might like this kind of staging, or you might not. Just thought I'd let you know.
Jan 20th, 2012, 06:58 AM
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Sound of Music cheesy? It's become so enshrined as to rise above cheese. But consider the possible ironies of seeing it in a centre of Naziism. Well, former centre.
Funny Thing/Forum has aged badly. Its opening theme song endures as a showbiz anthem but the goofball humour quickly wears thin today if the production isn't acutely disciplined.
For opera beginners, La Traviata is a great place to start. Aside from a great drinking song and prolonged weepy death scene -- both opera staples -- its story is compact and easy to understand, certainly not guaranteed qualities in many other shows.
I can't comment on the opera houses but I always enjoy walking tours of the facilities where available.
easytraveler's post above made many interesting points, especially about hall where the subtitles are available in a choice of languages. This is another step forward for this now-essential opera aid. I once sat through a Wagner marathon with nothing but Hungarian subtitles, which certainly did not help pass the time.
Funny Thing/Forum has aged badly. Its opening theme song endures as a showbiz anthem but the goofball humour quickly wears thin today if the production isn't acutely disciplined.
For opera beginners, La Traviata is a great place to start. Aside from a great drinking song and prolonged weepy death scene -- both opera staples -- its story is compact and easy to understand, certainly not guaranteed qualities in many other shows.
I can't comment on the opera houses but I always enjoy walking tours of the facilities where available.
easytraveler's post above made many interesting points, especially about hall where the subtitles are available in a choice of languages. This is another step forward for this now-essential opera aid. I once sat through a Wagner marathon with nothing but Hungarian subtitles, which certainly did not help pass the time.
Jan 20th, 2012, 07:02 AM
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wow, so much great info, easytraveler! thanks!
Thanks for all y'all's suggestions - I think I'll read up on and listen to a bit of the Mozart and the Donizetti and see what I think we might enjoy most. I'll also see if I can figure out what kind of staging they do; I appreciate artistic license, but in this case I'd like to see some cool costumes and sets!
I'm sure we'll be happy with whatever we choose, especially with the great standing-room tickets. I've got all the fodorite notes about getting there 90min early, marking our spot with a scarf, etc. This forum is such a great resource!
Thanks for all y'all's suggestions - I think I'll read up on and listen to a bit of the Mozart and the Donizetti and see what I think we might enjoy most. I'll also see if I can figure out what kind of staging they do; I appreciate artistic license, but in this case I'd like to see some cool costumes and sets!
I'm sure we'll be happy with whatever we choose, especially with the great standing-room tickets. I've got all the fodorite notes about getting there 90min early, marking our spot with a scarf, etc. This forum is such a great resource!
Jan 20th, 2012, 07:28 AM
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meriberi: Be forewarned that for the Staatsoper there are strict rules about the standing room tickets.
One person in line gets to buy one ticket, two persons in line get to buy two tickets. In other words, one person CANNOT stand in line and get multiple tickets. Absolutely NOT ALLOWED. The regulars can get really rude about this. This means that if your husband wants to see the opera with you, he'll have to get in line also. However, once in line, he can claim his spot with a hat, a book, or any article and then he can leave. You, however, have to stay.
For the Donizetti, because it's Edita Gruberova, plan to stand outside in the wait line <i>at least</i> two hours before the ticket sales begin. So, you have to calculate total standing for about 6 or 7 hours. That's why many of the wise ones bring camp stools, cushions - if it's raining, ah well, you can only hope that you'll be under the arcade.
Bring two scarves. You CANNOT claim two places with one scarf.
Once the ticket sales begins, the line moves very quickly. Have your money ready. The best standing room is in the Galerie section. Parterre is flat, so you have to be pretty tall to see above the heads of the persons in front of you.
Tickets for seats go on sale two months beforehand. If you try to get tickets the moment the ticket office opens (Vienna time), you can get some good seats online. If you go this route, try and familiarize yourself with the seating chart - "buhne" is the stage. (I once bought tickets for Budapest online and ended up in the first row instead of the last row )
It's easier to get tickets for the Volksoper. You can usually just show up a bit before the performance begins and get a standing room ticket.
Inside the Volksoper the standing room is way in the back, however, the moment the doors start to close, the regulars all make a rush for the empty seats. So, pay attention and be ready to start your dash down to the seats. Someone who has purchased a ticket for your seat may show up during intermission; in this case, just move to another seat.
Me, too, I've got to dash - busy day ahead. Hope this helps a bit. If you need more info, don't hesitate to ask. There are a number of opera lovers here on Fodors who can give you more information. Have a good day!
One person in line gets to buy one ticket, two persons in line get to buy two tickets. In other words, one person CANNOT stand in line and get multiple tickets. Absolutely NOT ALLOWED. The regulars can get really rude about this. This means that if your husband wants to see the opera with you, he'll have to get in line also. However, once in line, he can claim his spot with a hat, a book, or any article and then he can leave. You, however, have to stay.
For the Donizetti, because it's Edita Gruberova, plan to stand outside in the wait line <i>at least</i> two hours before the ticket sales begin. So, you have to calculate total standing for about 6 or 7 hours. That's why many of the wise ones bring camp stools, cushions - if it's raining, ah well, you can only hope that you'll be under the arcade.
Bring two scarves. You CANNOT claim two places with one scarf.
Once the ticket sales begins, the line moves very quickly. Have your money ready. The best standing room is in the Galerie section. Parterre is flat, so you have to be pretty tall to see above the heads of the persons in front of you.
Tickets for seats go on sale two months beforehand. If you try to get tickets the moment the ticket office opens (Vienna time), you can get some good seats online. If you go this route, try and familiarize yourself with the seating chart - "buhne" is the stage. (I once bought tickets for Budapest online and ended up in the first row instead of the last row
) It's easier to get tickets for the Volksoper. You can usually just show up a bit before the performance begins and get a standing room ticket.
Inside the Volksoper the standing room is way in the back, however, the moment the doors start to close, the regulars all make a rush for the empty seats. So, pay attention and be ready to start your dash down to the seats. Someone who has purchased a ticket for your seat may show up during intermission; in this case, just move to another seat.
Me, too, I've got to dash - busy day ahead. Hope this helps a bit. If you need more info, don't hesitate to ask. There are a number of opera lovers here on Fodors who can give you more information. Have a good day!
Jan 26th, 2012, 09:13 PM
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Il Seraglio (Abduction from the Seraglio) by Mozart is not really an opera, but a "Singspiel"-singing and speaking. The music is engaging and the plot is amusing. We went to the Volksoper many years ago and enjoyed it. Tickets are much cheaper there (seated), not sure about standing.
Mar 28th, 2012, 07:08 AM
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Just as a follow-up for anyone else looking into Vienna opera tickets, the Volksoper season schedule lists what languages will be used for each performance, and they are indeed doing "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" in German. The Sound of Music and My Fair Lady are also being performed in German. Candide is performed partly in English, and Fledermaus, Wiener Blut, and Land of Smiles have English surtitles.
http://www.volksoper.at/Content.Node...on20112012.pdf
http://www.volksoper.at/Content.Node...on20112012.pdf
