To celebrate the opening of Barrie Kosky's third and final production in Mozart's Da Ponte Trilogy, we take a look back at his critically acclaimed productions of Don Giovanni (2021) and Le Nozze di Figaro (2023). Così Fan Tutte opens this Sunday 16th June, conducted by Philipe Jordan and showcasing an all-star cast.
Reviews for Don Giovanni:
After the real social debates about sexuality and social morality have reached heated climaxes, Kosky's production withdraws from them, so to speak, and shows the opera as what it is at its core and perhaps should simply remain: a social parable in which the generally human becomes concretely inhuman, in which the handling of sexuality is symptomatic of the general way we treat each other, of rigid morality and the inability to communicate […] Kosky concentrates on what he is a master at: a detailed, sophisticated direction of the characters. Every appearance is prepared and followed up, you can still hear the people who have disappeared calling from the wings, no one stumbles across the stage, no acting movement serves itself.
Helmut Mauro, Suddeutsche Zeitung
Where he precisely choreographs the scenes and interweaves the characters, a subtle chamber play becomes evident, which tells the story - without being silly - sometimes poetically, sometimes drastically as an emotional infight, but without slipping into the crude.
Ljubiša Tosic, Der Standard
Reviews for Le Nozze di Figaro:
This "Figaro" is the third in Kosky's biography. Despite all the playful spirit and a massive dark shadow like the one described at the beginning, this new version fits in surprisingly well with the older production history of the piece, which many consider to be the perfect opera buffa, a first-class comedy of humanity.
Walter Weidringer, BR Klassik
This new production does not resort to ignorant updating, but sprinkles da Ponte's libretto with a welcome modernity [...] Barrie Kosky creates a whirlwind production, offering a real “Crazy day”.
Julien Coquet, Toute la Culture
Further information and tickets: https://www.wiener-staatsoper....
Images © Wiener Staatsoper
