ARIADNE AUF NAXOS Strauss - Garsington Opera

An opera of two halves? A comedy of two halves? Ariadne auf Naxos is both at once and centres around the proposal of ‘the richest man in Vienna’ to commission two entertainments, one from a serious opera composer and one from a troupe of comedians. When he discovers that sitting through both separately would delay the firework display he has planned, he gives orders for the two shows to be performed simultaneously on the same stage. The earnest young Composer is horrified while the pragmatic Zerbinetta is happy to give it a go. As a result, the story of Ariadne, abandoned by Theseus on the island of Naxos and despairing of her lost love, is interrupted repeatedly by the comedians, keen to help and to advise her that the best way to cure a broken heart is to find another lover.
Ariadne auf Naxos is the fruit of the successful creative partnership between Richard Strauss and librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal who came up with this eccentric idea after quite a few rewrites. Part of the unique flavour of this, the second version, derives from Strauss's brilliant juxtaposition of low comedy and high tragedy. In the prologue, he is at home depicting the quarrels and chaos of backstage theatrical life. In the opera, he slips easily from the heroic style in which Ariadne's part is composed to the buffooning of the commedia dell'arte characters. The combination strikes at the heart of what music and drama mean with a lightness of touch and sumptuous music. The creative team of director Bruno Ravella and conductor Mark Wigglesworth lead an excellent cast in the 2023 Garsington Opera production, which was acclaimed by audiences and critics alike.
Full performance streamed on OperaVision from 26 April 2024 at 19:00 CET to 26 October 2024 at 12:00 CET: operavision.eu/performance/ar...
CAST
Prima Donna / Ariadne
Natalya Romaniw
The Tenor / Bacchus
Young Woo Kim
Zerbinetta
Jennifer France
The Composer
Polly Leech
Music Master
William Dazeley
Dancing Master
John Graham-Hall
Harlequin
Marcus Farnsworth
Brighella
Innocent Masuku
Truffaldino
Ossian Huskinson
Scaramuccio
Richard Pinkstone
Naiad
Claire Lees
Dryad
Siân Griffiths
Echo
Harriet Eyley
Major-Domo
Walter van Dyk
A lackey
Daniel Vening
Officer
Zahid Siddiqui
A wigmaker
Jonathan Eyers
Orchestra
Philharmonia Orchestra
Music
Richard Strauss
Text
Hugo von Hofmannsthal
Conductor
Mark Wigglesworth
Director
Bruno Ravella
Set designer
Giles Cadle
Lighting
Malcolm Rippeth
Choreographer
Carmine De Amicis
OperaVision is a freeview opera streaming platform, supported by the European Union's Creative Europe programme. Watch live streams as the performances themselves unfold in the opera house. Enjoy a variety of shows - including opera, operetta, musical theatre, dance, ballet and concerts. Opera connaisseur or curious newcomer, there is something for everyone on OperaVision.
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[@markbeck8384]

I think this is my favorite Strauss Opera. Loved this staging, and the voices were just terrific. Wonderful!

[@OsvaCola]

What a huge surprise. Sensational. First-rate orchestra, excellent musical direction, skillful intelligent staging. The ending with the stars shining was the highlight. And what wonderful soloists. Polly Leech as the Composer really looks like a young teenager, and what a blessed voice. Natalia Romaniw excellent Ariadne and Jenifer France an excellent Zerbinetta. But the best was for last: Korean tenor Young Woo Kim sang one of the best Bacco I've ever heard, even on recordings. Thank you very much Opera Vision for sharing such a wonder. You are really excellent

[@evelanpatton]

THANK YOU FOR THE INCREDIBLE GIFT OF OPERA❣️ For one who loves opera but hasn’t the ways, means, or companionship to attend the opera in person here in the USA, I am EVER SO VERY GRATEFUL to ALL who help fund these beautiful & abundant productions❣️To ALL those funding OPERAVISION, my body, mind & spirit THANK YOU❣️💝💛💚💙💜☸️

[@anthonyjones4117]

Lovely comment by one who gets the point of how fortunate we are that Operavision enables us to see productions that we otherwise never could.

[@barbaranorthwood]

Garsington Opera never disappoints. Thank you very much for this.

[@karlkrischanitz3746]

Diesen wunderbare Stimmen herzlichen Dank! ❤❤❤

[@jeffsmith1798]

Thank you for posting this. I love OperaVision!

[@user-fi8em3zt7e]

Garsington is always great. Thanks for sharing from South Korea !!!

[@MJae-123]

Eine sehr schöne und stimmige Inszenierung. Die Sängerinnen und Sänger waren topp! Opera Vision ist eine wunderbare Möglichkeit auch mal andere Inszenierungen wahrzunehmen.

[@leucadorina9890]

Multumesc pentru această oportunitate! Minunat! Superb!

[@clementewerner]

Himmlische stimmen mit superb Orchesterspiel. Bravo!

[@HelenJoannides]

Hugo von Hoffmanstahl is a genius, not less than Shakespeare, Sofocles, Metastasio... Simply great libretto!

[@mickbachner]

Many thanks to OperaVision, Garsington Opera (I'll be seeing you in person later in the year for Platee), and the European Unions Creative Europe programme for bringing us the wonderful gift of opera.

[@alanmorrice7305]

Perfection! Utter Perfection! Incredible singing!

[@MrMountainJohn]

Kim is sensational ! Haven't heard better singing of this role in ages. Bravo!!!!

[@zoransakotic756]

Thank you! I love OperaVision ❤

[@sixeses]

Wonderful. Thank you.

[@keithmcdonnell1336]

Gloriously sung, conducted and staged. Hard to imagine this wonderful opera performed better.

[@michelscheir6556]

Bravi Strauss e Hofmannsthal!!!! Bravi Tutti!!!

[@grgr3074]

Every body has his famous opera, Ariadne is MY famous......

[@eraclyon]

Young Woo is impressive!

[@jobatridente2638]

..., que obra MAGNÍFICA! ..., o princípio é meio assim-assim, barulhento! ..., mas conforme vai ganhando ritmo, UAU! QUE ESPETÁCULO!!! ..., a melodia é linda e os intérpretes mostram que são excelentes tanto no canto quanto no teatro (coisa rara na ópera!). ..., Young Woo Kim é impressionante na voz e na expressão. ..., produção agradável, dinâmica. ..., AMEI!!! ..., GRATÍSSIMO OPERAVISION!!!

[@Stevech1]

Greetings from New Mexico!!! Magnificent. Thank you OperaVision!

[@ciorandemars]

Mille mercis de Marseille pour le génial partage ❤

[@Kundry1983]

Herrlich, ein Genuß

[@ZiSlepovitch]

Great staging and performance. Thank you for sharing!

[@idolivercampos]

Muito obrigado 😊

[@ohmy5650]

Mostly only heard because doing other stuff. Zerbinetta's aria near the end though made me want to watch to have an idea what was going on scenically. Stunning voice & singing but what a thoughtful singer-musician she seems to be. Loved this one Bacchus. Superb All Singers. May want to really *watch* all, saw the applause part with customs that triggered my curiosity. Thanks so much really.

[@johnrupert5606]

Thank you ❤

[@sonialovett]

Such glorious singing

[@JinheeReads]

👏👏👏

[@violinhunter2]

There are many musical jokes spread around in the score - some which are easy to hear but probably many which only Strauss knew about and kept to himself.

[@peterkirktenor]

Young Woo Kim 🔥🔥🔥

[@teresamogollon9242]

Con ese vestido se queda ahogada para cantar.Ohhh directores de hoy!!!

[@user-iy1gr1tx2s]

YOU ARE REAL FUNNY ... MY BIRTHDAY IS LIKE RICHARD WAGNER ... MY AUNT (A MUSIC CRITIC) USED TO SAY ... WITHOUT WAGNER NO STRAUSS ... WITH 17 I HEARD AND SAW THE FIRST TIME ... THE GREAT LISA DELLA CASA IN ... ARIADNE AUF NAXOS ... AND ... AND ... NOW I AM REAL OLD ... BUT ... MY LIFE WAS MORE THAN HAPPY ... IT INCLUDED PAVAROTTI IN LA SCALA WITH 19, RENATA TEBALDI AT MY 17TH BIRTHDAY IN A CONCERT IN BERNE, MARIA CALLAS, RENATA SCOTTO, IN 1975 A VERY SPECIAL DAY IN NYC AT THE MET ... IN THE AFTERNOON ... WALKÜRE WITH NILSSON AND ... IN THE EVENING THE GALA PERFORMANCE ... WITH LUCIANO PAVAROTTI ... FAZIT: OPERA IS A LIFE EXPERIENCE AND NEVER ENDS ... SORRY FOR MISTAKES ...

[@heinrichkruger551meistermaier]

Ich bin dabei

[@batardnoir]

1:00:25

[@FCOLAXCDG]

❤️🇱🇨!!!

[@KBGWorld29]

1:22:03 OUCH!

[@onkelgreifenklau]

excellent - one objection: Zerbinatta’s big aria as a sort of mad scene is not at all in accordance with the music and the libretto

[@keithmcdonnell1336]

Pity the applause is out of sync with the curtain calls.

[@OsvaCola]

What nonsense in the face of such a good show!!!

[@ctafrance]

Sorry to see that OperaVision seems to have given up on livestreaming performances, and instead is putting up "premieres" which are just more recordings. Don't you realize that one of the main things that make the performing arts compelling, and different from other entertainment, is the thrill of witnessing the creation, along with others in the audience, AS IT HAPPENS. That's what sends people to opera houses, concert halls, dance halls...to experience it LIVE. Burying a few shards of live among mountains of recordings is antithetical to what makes the performing arts great.

[@Bumblebeebeebee]

Mimimimimi

[@xultrac]

🥱

[@MixerTWS]

Well, make sure you're here on May 18 when OperaVision will live-stream a Madrid Meistersinger. You'll be able to enjoy a LONG opera made even longer by two full intermissions. Personally I prefer it when the intervals have been cut BEFORE the operas are streamed.

[@gslazar]

I understanding your point of view but if it's a choice between "live" or not at all, I am happy to have it via a recording which can eliminate the sometimes LONG intermissions.

[@evelanpatton]

I prefer premieres or live streamed with pre-created video about the opera production during the intermissions. However, I imagine for many reasons this is not always possible due to funding, so I am grateful for what there is. As an older adult who loves opera but has neither the available funds nor the companion who would enjoy the spectacular productions, I am pleased to have the INCREDIBLE ACCESS OPERA VISION brings to the World Wide Web! In the USA there is no inexpensive option for tickets, let alone the extras like gas, parking, & food (given it’s a 2 hour + drive to any opera house for me), so these uploads- live or otherwise, are INCREDIBLY VALUABLE to me! I am a grateful fan 🎶🎵🎶🎟️🎪🪄🪅🎼🎭! 🪭 of this 🎁❣️

[@user-qy5vx7mb7x]

Ариадну какой-то содомит играет - как всегда в Европе.

[@clefnoteproductions6695]

Why would you say such a thing? What business is it of yours? What makes you think she's a sodomite? Do you even know what a true sodomite is? Jesus told us what the sin of Sodom was. Guess what? Homosexuality wasn't mentioned as the sin. So, who's right, Evangelical Christians or the Lord Jesus Christ?

[@evelanpatton]

Beautiful duet by the young ladies in the comedies del arts troupe, as they look on the lead opera singer. 🪭🪄🌬️🎵🎶🎵