The mighty Hungarian State Opera Orchestra, under the leadership of Péter Halász, sounded terrific. The French horns were brilliant in their accompanying Leonore’s “Abscheulicher” aria wherein she exclaims her horror at Pizarro’s evil plot, and her desperate hopes that hang on “the last star.” Other high-emotion moments include the hauntingly beautiful song sung by the prisoners that were temporarily freed from their jail cells to step out into the sunlight, and the second-act reunion of Leonore and Florestan’s love duet: “O unnamed joy!”
From the pit, conductor Péter Halász reinforced his reputation as a true ‘opera’ conductor. I say this in light of the way he can light a fire under an excellent orchestra so that their contribution is intrinsic to the delivery of a complete musico/dramatic experience.
Conductor Péter Halász led the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra with precision and sensitivity, navigating Wagner's complex score with a deft hand. The orchestra's performance was marked by a rich tonal palette and dynamic range, capturing the opera's shifting moods from the solemnity of the Grail scenes to the sensual allure of Klingsor's realm.
A fatal love triangle accompanied by exhilarating music of the highest quality from the Düsseldorfer Symphoniker conducted by Péter Halász.
On the podium for both performances, and leading the orchestra with extraordinary precision, was Péter Halász, first guest conductor of the Hungarian State Opera and conductor of the Deutsche Oper am Rhein. With smooth transitions between the slower tempos that bordered on the voluptuous and – especially in the large ensemble passages – the faster parts, Halász’s interpretation of the score allowed the pentatonic melody, which weaves through Turandot like an invisible thread, to shine throughout.