Beautiful music. Incredible dancing and singing. I need to discover more Kurt Weill

(English below) 7 TODSÜNDEN von Brecht/Weill auf der Flucht in Paris schnell geschrieben, ist wie der Entwurf eines Märchenstückes: Die Heldin zieht auf der Suche nach dem Glück - ein kleines Haus - durch die Welt bzw. die USA und die ist böse kapitalistisch. Die Weill-Erben bestehen auf dem Original, das aber sperrig bleibt - Vielleicht gibt es 2027 eine Lockerung, wenn das Autorenrecht nach Brechts 70. Todestag erlischt, auch wenn man sich natürlich kein übliches deutsches „Regietheater“ wünscht. Anna 1, für Weills Frau Lotte Lenya geschrieben, eine singende Schauspielerin, sollte stimmlich im Kontrast zum Opernsängerquartett als Familie stehen. A.S.v.Otter, großartige Opernsängerin, versucht vergeblich, „anders“ zu singen (Nebenbei: Opernstar Julia Migenes konnte das; auch auf youtube zu hören). Die Inszenierung - sicher eine der Besten dieses „Balletts mit Gesang“ - ironisiert zumindest im Tanz und in der Familie das moralisierende Märchen, aber die verschiedenen Genres und Stile kommen auch hier nur bedingt zusammen und oft lenkt Anna 1 vom Ballett ab, das quasi in allen Inszenierungen, die ich kenne, zum banalen Vorführer der Handlung degradiert wird; Tanz hat nur eine Funktion, wenn er in der Handlung vorkommt, z.B. im Cabaret. Durch den Originalsprachen-Fetischismus des Opernbetriebes hören die Pariser das Werk auf deutsch, aber das verstehen ja bekanntlich alle Franzosen perfekt. ENGLISH: 7 DEADLY SINS, quickly written by Brecht/Weill while fleeing in Paris, is like the outline of a fairy tale play: the heroine travels through the USA in search of happiness - a small house - and this USA is evil capitalist. The Weill heirs insist on the original, but it remains cumbersome - perhaps there will be a relaxation in 2027 when the author's rights expire on the 70th anniversary of Brecht's death, even if, of course, one does not want the usual "director's theater" (german "Regie-Theater"). Anna 1, written for Weill's wife Lotte Lenya, a singing actress, was intended to contrast vocally with the family opera quartet. A.S.v.Otter, great opera singer, tries in vain to sing "differently" (by the way: opera star Julia Migenes could do it; you can also hear it on youtube). The production - certainly one of the best of this "ballet with singing" - ironizes the moralizing fairy tale, at least in the dance and in the family, but the different genres and styles only come together to a limited extent here and Anna 1 often distracts from the ballet, which is practically in in all productions that I know, is degraded to the banal presenter of the plot; Dance only has a function when it is part of the action, e.g. in the scene in the cabaret. Due to the original language fetishism of the opera business, the Parisians hear the work in German, but as is well known, all French people understand that perfectly.

Bravo Alexander 👏🎶🎼! Tutto il resto,... coreografie, scene e idea generale sono così orrendamente beffarde e grottesche che risultano essere piacevoli e cariche di estetica.

Como eu amo <3

brilliant ending to a fantastic production

Não canso de ouvir...foi um dos maiores presentes da vida conhecer essa obra e nessa versão ❤⚘

Interesting production. Has a lightness of touch that is necessary for this ironic musical but the message of "The Seven Deadly Sins" seems to have been lost in translation. That I could understand but the singing was so out of tune in some parts that the beautiful music was unrecognisable. How on earth could this happen at the Paris Opera? I know it is the fashion to rewrite operas on occasions but as one other commentator has pointed out, this production bears no relation to the script. Obviously Weill did not write enough music either for one pas de deux is added in silence. Why? There are no empty bars in the score so why add them? It ruins the flow. Can you imagine adding a silent pas de deux in "Swan Lake"? So what is The Seven Deadly Sins about? Here is the plot in words of one syllable. Anna1 & Anna 2 are possibly the same person, both go on the journey which takes 7 years, each year in a different USA City. The family stays at home. (The production got this bit right!) Anna 1 is a typical ambitious all American girl on the make. Anna 1 is out to make money and is prepared to do anything to make it. She sees to it her sister toes the line every step of the way. Anna 2 is a romantic and believes in freedom to do what she wants and commits Seven Deadly Sins that really are not Deadly at all. The socially acceptable alternative is much more Deadly. Anna 2 is lazy, she does not want to sell herself to make money. Anna 2 is proud and likes to give her audience classical ballet even if her audience prefer Kitsch! Anna 2 hates injustice. She physically horse whips an abusive film director who is ill treating a circus pony. Anna 2 loves to eat. She cannot see why dancers have to be thin. Anna 2 is monogamous. She is not a whore. She loves one man. Anna 2 is greedy. She loves fame and fortune. Humility is not in her vocabulary. She is made to stop as it "Looks bad PR!" Anna 2 is envious of those who are free to indulge their passions. Her family representing middle-class capitalism walks all over her and her Seven Enchanting Little Sins and she is left with a little house in Louisiana! The point being that The Sins are less Deadly than her greedy all American Family. It is not that difficult to understand is it! I don't think this production got one of these Seven Deadly Sins right.

Que obra fantástica!

i enjoyed this production, although i felt a big misstep during the Wrath and Lust segments. In Wrath, Brecht wrote a scene that is about wrath kindled by injustice. While there is injustice here as well (The pop star sexually harasses one of her dancers), Anna II responds not by reprimanding the pop star, but by getting upset with her fellow dancer for being harassed?? like what type of wrath is Anna I stopping her sister from enacting here? The point of Lust is that Anna II wants to enjoy a love without the pressure of being persuaded by money which she has in Fernando, and the director Pelly et al. misunderstand it by turning it into "Anna is a huge slut and cuckolds her man, Edward." The choreography turns the idea of Anna II's love into one of a transactional nature, which is what she already has with Edward.

this is absolutely amazing, thank you

I really liked the choreography but the piece doesn't work with an operatic voice.

obrigado. muito obrigado.

O TELÃO ONDE APARECE O MAESTRO É TOTALMENTE SEM PROPOSITO .

What would be the 8th deadly sin? Giving a thumbs-down to this wonderful sung ballet production.

EXCELLENT PRODUCTION. Captures many of the tiny nuances implicit in the text, and creates a few (worthy) new ones. Wonderful depiction of the struggle we all face, which of our two sides do we feed? Which of the two wolves will we let become the strongest?

Amazing!

Anna I: Anne Sofie von Otter Anna II: Elisabeth Maurin and Caroline Bance The Family: Ian Caley, Stefan Margita, Nigel Smith, and Nicholas Cavallier Director: Laurent Pelly

🤩

is it the original choreography by Balanchine?

This is fantastic! A conductor who fully understands the score, an orchestra that can play it, singers who can sing it, dancers who can dance, the set design (if that's what you call it), everything! Bravo!