Mozart remains of central importance for us …
But Ivor Bolton also conducts Bellini at the Salzburg Festival 2004
Ivor Bolton, from autumn 2004 principal conductor of the Salzburg Mozarteum
Orchestra, proved already in previous summers that he has definite ideas
about working with “his” orchestra. The turmoil in summer 2003
surrounding Stefan Herheim’s staging of Die Entführung aus
dem Serail has not discouraged him from wishing to be involved in
further great projects for Salzburg and apparently his wishes will be
fulfilled. “We have excellent support from the Salzburg Festival”,
states Bolton enthusiastically, who for scheduling reasons is not available
to conduct the revival of Entführung in 2004. Nevertheless,
on 18 and 21 August he will conduct the Mozarteum Orchestra and eminent
singing stars in two concert performances of Vincenzo Bellini’s bel
canto jewel
I Capuleti e i Montecchi.
Ivor Bolton
“For Bellini you need very good singers because he builds on melody and cantilena but the orchestra also has a very characterful role to play,” says Bolton in a conversation that revealed some initial perspectives on this operatic treasure. And he is full of praise for soprano Anna Netrebko (she sings the role of Giulietta in this Romeo and Juliet opera), who took audiences by storm with her interpretation of Donna Anna in Don Giovanni in Salzburg two years ago: : “I’ve already worked with Anna Netrebko in San Francisco where she sang Susanna in Mozart’s Figaro and we’ve also done some concerts together. She is an extremely subtle singer.” The cast also includes other bel canto specialists of the young generation, Daniella Barcellona as Romeo and Joseph Calleja as Tebaldo.
“Early in my career I conducted a lot of bel canto opera, especially by Rossini and I find this style a good school for the Mozarteum Orchestra. Cantilena, the singing content, the careful modelling of the melodic line do not need a large symphonic orchestra but musicians who can perform delicately in order to touch the nerve of such a work.”
Referring to the role played by the Mozarteum Orchestra at the Salzburg Festival Bolton emphasises the variety of duties in concerts and opera. “Of course Mozart remains at the centre of our work but bel canto opera is another good school.” For the future he would like to perform early romantic works as well as continuing to explore works by Gluck, “who is so interesting because he demands the character of an ensemble and requires extremely intelligent singers who can also act well.” Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride in the courtyard of the Residenz marked the beginning of the successful partnership between Bolton and the Mozarteum Orchestra, a partnership that should still hold some surprises for the Salzburg Festival.
Karl Harb
Vincenzo Bellini
I CAPULETI E I MONTECCHI
Concert performance
Conductor Ivor Bolton
Chorus master Rupert Huber
Giulietta Anna Netrebko • Romeo Daniela Barcellona • Tebaldo Joseph Calleja • Capellio Dan Dumitrescu • Lorenzo Chester Patton
Concert Association of the Vienna State Opera Chorus
Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra
18 and 21 August, 8 p.m.
Grosses Festspielhaus
Telephone +43 (0) 662 8045-500
Telefax +43 (0) 662 8045-555
info@salzburgfestival.at
Titel and Salzburg-Impressions © Thomas Klinger, Munich