Wagner Der Fliegende Holländer opera to a libretto by the composer (original 1841 version). Directed 2015 by Olivier Py at the Theater an der Wien. Stars Samuel Youn (Der Holländer), Ingela Brimberg (Senta), Lars Woldt (Donald), Bernard Richter (Georg), Manuel Günther (Der Steuermann), Ann-Beth Solvang (Mary), and Pavel Strasil (Satan). Marc Minkowski conducts Les Musiciens du Louvre and the Arnold Schoenberg Chor (Chorus Masters Erwin Ortner, Ottokar Prochazka, and Jordi Casals). Set design by Pierre-André Weitz; lighting design by Bertrand Killy. Directed for TV by François Roussillon. Sung in German. Released 2019, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
Mike Ashman says in the January 2020 Gramophone (page 91) that the cast is good but the orchestra weak. Ashman also criticizes François Roussillon for not having a “handle on the production’s lighting—which may be very subtle but [which makes it] hard to see much detail, especially (and importantly )[in] the principals’ faces.” I think this is the only comment I’ve seen in print panning the Roussillon video team.
Here’s a trailer from Naxos that shows examples of the shadows on faces that bothered Ashman. Are these shadows errors or appropriate film noir statements?
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