Weber: Der Freischütz ***
Staatsoper Berlin, 6th October 2015
The Wolf’s Glen scene in Weber’s Der Freischütz is terrifically difficult to stage – a supernatural centrepiece to a folkloric opera. Director Michael Thalheimer circumvents this in his Staatsoper Berlin production by staging the entire opera in the Wolf’s Glen itself, albeit relocated from a “fearsome forest gorge” to what looks like a badger’s sett. Steeply raked, with a tiny entrance at its tip and entirely backlit, I suspect we were supposed to be looking down the barrel of a rifle. Either way, it made for a monotonous two-hour staging, played without interval.
Anna Prohaska (Ännchen)
© Katrin Ribbe
Read the full review on Bachtrack.