Having recently been appointed music director of the Hungarian State Opera until mid-2018, conductor Péter Halász had the chance to stamp his mark with the Hungarian premiere of Die Frau ohne Schatten. Under Halász’s direction, the orchestra plays superbly; the sound is dynamic and richly nuanced, and now the wind section also performs at the height of its powers.
Read moreI must begin my appreciation with the achievements of the conductor and – heed this! – the orchestra, for the standard of work in the pit pleasingly exceeded not only the level of ordinary repertoire performances, but even the benchmarks set by festive premieres...
Read moreThe musical direction was in the hands of Péter Halász, the current music director of the Budapest Opera House, and he was a revelation on the podium. It was the first time that I heard him conducting, and the result was truly impressive.
Read moreThe audience of Die Frau ohne Schatten might well gasp in wonder: ‘Wow! This is world class!’ It is a massive undertaking with a massive result...
Read moreGreat was the exultation in the Aachen Theatre. Jarg Pataki’s direction of Alcina shook virtually every member of the audience out of their seats. The baroque musical splendour overcame the mundanity and mediocrity of the daily grind. This is a feast for connoisseurs.
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