Sven-Eric Bechtolf

The lecherous Falstaff, with his infamous roving eye, finally meets his match when his underhand plans to solve money troubles have the three merry wives of Windsor conspiring to teach him a lesson. Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducts a fine ensemble cast directed by Sven-Eric Bechtolf. The result is a joyful production, with gorgeous costumes that seem to inspire those wearing them as much as they will delight OperaVision viewers.

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Wagner's Ring of the Nibelungen is regarded as one of the most important milestones in the history of music. In the first part, the Rheingold, it begins with the chain of fateful entanglements that ultimately attracts the downfall of the race of the gods.

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The Salzburg Festival presents one of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's masterpieces: the opera Le Nozze di Figaro, in a new production staged by Sven-Eric Bechtolf and conducted by Dan Ettinger. Set-List: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Le nozze di Figaro, K. 492.

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Director Sven-Eric Bechtolf pulls off a brilliant coup with the high aesthetics of his intrigue, a masterful parody of the "everything is possible" of our time - flanked by an ensemble of exquisite vocal talents.

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"This is Vienna State Opera live at home". December 2014.

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Live performance Zürich, May and July 2006. Modern dress performance which generated mixed reactions.

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Since its premiere on 2 June 1937 in Zurich, Alban Berg's second opera "Lulu" has the reputation of being surrounded by scandals. On the one hand, this is due to the dubious character of the subject, the man-eating femme fatale, which Berg had taken from Frank Wedekind's two Lulu tragedies – "The Earth Spirit" and "Pandora's Box" – and combined into one opera libretto. On the other hand, Berg's widow had (for personal reasons) repeatedly refused to have the opera completed, which was unfinished when Berg died. This video is of the unfinished two-act torso of "Lulu."

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A performance of Strauss' opera performed/streamed in Vienna on the 23rd October 2014

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In the turmoil of the Thirty-Years' War, a mysterious soldier appears in a secluded Protestant village claiming to be the heir. His quest for recognition and acceptance are complicated by his secret: under a false identity, false name, and pretense of a false gender, he has made his way to the village. But to achieve her goals, Rose, as the soldier is actually called, will stop at nothing.

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Almost half a century ago, a young woman dared to speak out publicly with pointed theses on gender roles or abortion laws. The reactions were violent.

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It's 1989 in East Berlin: Suzie is kicked out of school shortly before she graduates from high school and has to defend herself as a worker in the cable factory. However, a randomly taken photo leads her to the fashion world of the GDR. The editor-in-chief Elsa Wilbrodt put her on the cover of Sibylle, the fashion magazine of the GDR. In the Berlin underground scene she made the acquaintance of the gay fashion designer Rudi and the photographer Coyote. Suzie must decide if she's brave enough to leave the old strands behind forever.

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Who knows Berthold Beitz? Fewer and fewer people. He shaped the history of Germany like no other, be it as the leading industrial manager of Krupp or as the rescuer of numerous Jews during National Socialism.

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The Berlin State Opera is back at its place of origin: Unter den Linden! After extensive renovations, it was reopened with Schumann's scenes from Goethe's Faust under the direction of Daniel Barenboim. Staged by Jürgen Flimm and with the stage design by the renowned German artist Markus Lüpertz

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This is Schrott's second Figaro in a less than twelve month period, the earlier being the ROH production. The two productions have vast differences as well as similarities. The ROH production as been set in the equivalent of the Regency period--Spanish version. The Zurich is set in what appears to be the 1950's. For those who note such things, Schrott can appear sans shirt, but in an undershirt in the Zurich house. Vocally there is no difference between the two performances. The man has a glorious multi-hued voice over which he has complete command. Not only is he good looking he can act. He should have a great career. Indeed, the virile sound he produces would lead one to wonder if the great Verdi baritone roles are within his ability.

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