| Fierrabras of 1823
is the last of Franz Schuberts stage works. Rarely performed to this
day, this heroic-romantic opera has now been staged for the first time
ever at the Salzburg Festival by famous director Peter Stein. Based on
an old French 12th-century epic, the plot depicts the military conflict
between Christians and Moors at the time of Charlemagne as a backdrop
to stories of love and friendship that prove to be stronger than war
and hatred of otherness. The strong cast includes the marvellously
expressive miracle Dorothea Röschmann (Die Zeit) and Michael Schade,
who exudes his exceptional tenor in Fierrabrass heroic arias (Der neue
Merker). Under the energetic baton of lngo Metzmacher, the Vienna
Philharmonic unfold the melos, the poetry, the sweetness and the
dramatic force of Schuberts highly refined and atmospheric sound worlds
(Kleine Zeitung) in highly romantic fashion. |
