Alceste

"Performances of Gluck's operas are rare considering their musical qualities, so I am inclined to celebrate almost any company which has the courage to put one on ... Alceste does pose some problems. The story ... is rather thin - there is more variety in Euripides - and consistently melancholy ... However, the individual numbers are nearly all short, and each of them is very good, so it is worth putting up with the monotony ... The cast is excellent. Dorothea Röschman in the title role has a beautiful creamy voice and no lack of power ... As Admète, Charles Castronovo is thoroughly convincing ... The chorus is excellent and Manacorda conducts with verve".

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"Hier wird viel getrauert. Und viel getanzt ... Die Neuproduktion der Bayerischen Staatsoper vermag durchaus musikalisch Mitzureissen. Antonello Manacorda steht mit genau ausgezirkelter Gestik am Pult, Tanzmeister und Dirigent, bei ihm laufen alle Fäden zusammen ... Getanzt wird vom ersten Ouvertürentakt an ... Dorothea Röschmanns Alceste hat Alte-Musik-Erfahrung, inzwischen ist sie eine reife Sopranistin mit ... fülligen, selten gespreizten Tönen. Auch Charles Castronovo ist hier Ersatz für einen französischen Haute-Contre; was er mit metallischeren ... aber schön timbrierten Tönen wettmacht".

"Of the operas by Gluck that one is likely to encounter in the theatre, Alceste is surely almost the greatest, second only to 'Iphigénie en Tauride' ... The set design by Henrik Ahr is simplicity itself: grey and white panels at the back ... costumes are mainly white and subfusc, against which Alceste's yellow dress provides a welcome splash of colour ... Dorothea Röschmann presents a comfortable figure, both dignified and impassioned. She moves well and sing with an intensity that holds the attention ... The other parts are well taken, including Michael Nagy as the blustering Hercules ... The chorus and orchestra under Antonello Manacorda are fine, as is Tiziano Mancini's video direction ... This new version is ... very welcome".

"Musically very fine ... The chief thing that makes the production bearable, and not only bearable but almost mandatory, is the stunning performance of Alceste by Catherine Naglestad ... The conductor Constantine Carydis keeps the music on the move without harrying it, so that the smallish orchestra, playing largely without vibrato, is able to make the most of Gluck's incredibly bold and original scoring".

"Musical riches are here but you must suffer a ghastly concept to hear them ... My reaction to this stark, modern-dress Konzept, set in what appears to be s school hall with an attached TV control room, veered between boredom an d irritation".