A premiere of "Rusalka" in Canadian Opera

01.02.2009

The premiere of “Rusalka” by A. Dvorak in Dmitry Bertman’s production in Canadian Opera

ALMOST ALL TICKETS TO RUSALKA IN DMITRY BERTMAN’S PRODUCTION SOLD OUT IN TORONTO

On the 31st of January "Rusalka" by A. Dvorak was premiered on stage of Canadian Opera, Toronto (http://www.coc.ca). The production was staged by The Artistic Director of "Helikon-Opera" Dmitry Bertman.

This performance is a transfer of Erfurt’s theatre production, which is fairly indicated on the website of Canadian opera company. Besides the director, this performance inherited Set Designer Hartmut Schörghofer. But, nevertheless, this is not a direct copy of German production. First of all, it was entirely unedited version, nothing was cut, including the 8th minute ballet scene, which wasn’t a sideshow, but organically entered the fabric of the performance. Secondly, the hall in which the performance is showed is one of the most contemporary in the world (architects of the building Diamond and Schmitt, those in favour of whom Valery Gergiev refused Domenique Perrault). It is a unique theatrical space, which gives the producers of the performance the fantastical technical opportunities. This is why the characters dive into water, fly in the sky and so on and so force according the classical fairy tale plot. A special thanks to Thomas Hase, lighting designer.

It is necessary to note that Dmitry Bertman gathered the phenomenal team. Conductor – John Keenan, Prince – Michael Schade, who for the first time left Mozart’s repertoire aside, Rusalka – an American star Julie Makerov, Jezibaba – Irina Mishura, who graduated from Kishinev conservatory and debuted on stage of Moldavian theatre of Opera and Ballet and in the beginning of 90ies left to the West and succeeded there. Water-Gnome – Richard Paul Fink, bass-baritone, a customary participant of all Wagner productions, which are performed on the best stages of Northern America: Seattle, San-Francisco, Chicago, in Metropolitan-Opera. There were only 6 tickets left in the box-office of Canadian opera before the beginning of the performance.

Scene from the performance	Rusalka - Julie Makerov, Prince - Michael Schade
The First Wood Nymph - Teiya Kasahara, The Water-Gnome - Richard Paul Fink, The Second Wood Nymph - Lisa DiMaria, The Third Wood Nymph - Erin Fischer	Rusalka - Julie Makerov, The Foreign Princess - Joni Henson, Prince - Michael Schade
Photo © 2009 Michael Cooper, http://www.coc.ca/performances/rusalkaPhotos.html
	Dmitry Bertman with Julie Makerov and Michael Schade (photo on the left) after the premiere
Dmitry Bertman and Teiya Kasahara	Dmitry Bertman and Joni Henson

Dmitry Bertman will return to Moscow in the beginning of February and almost immediately will leave to Italy, where in The Rome Opera he is going to stage “A Naked King” by Luca Lombardi after the Eugene Schwarz play, the premiere of which is scheduled for the end of March.