Color: Colour

Credits:

Anja Harteros, Valery Gergiev, Munchner Philharmoniker

Description:

Concerned that the new pagan teachings will spread among the people, King Rogier and his close associate, the sage Edrisi. The king decides to meet with an unidentified shepherd who is spreading the teachings. However, the king's wife, Roxana, is captivated by his beauty. When the shepherd comes to the palace again, Roxana and all the people in the palace lose control and eventually disappear in pursuit of him. King Roger, in search of his wife, is visited by Dionysus, the god of fertility and madness. Yes, the mysterious shepherd was Dionysus in disguise. In the end, King Roger overcame the temptation of the god. ...... This opera, modeled on the real King Ruggiero II of Sicily in the 12th century, depicts the "invasion of different cultures and paganism" and the people dancing to it. And the figure of the rebellious monarch. The original curtain ends with all the people disappearing, leaving only King Roger and his aide Edrisi, but Holten's production leaves only a little bit of redemption. The music by Szymanowski (1882-1937) is mysterious and beautiful, and the frenzy of the second act is frighteningly sensual. Pappano painstakingly reads the score and picks up this complex sound with great care. Kwieczen, who sings King Roger, is a natural for this role, and here too he sings with aplomb.This is Jarman's debut with the Royal Opera as Roxana. The costumes and set are simple, but the absence of superfluous elements makes the mysterious atmosphere of the performance stand out even more. Naxos Japan