"Arrived in Erl" – First Winter Season of Artistic Director Jonas Kaufmann Very Successful: Artistic Star Moments, 7,600 Visitors, 94 Percent Capacity Utilization
He has "Arrived in Erl," said Jonas Kaufmann, the new artistic director of the Tiroler Festspiele Erl, with great enthusiasm about his new place of work during his New Year's greeting on stage. The new chief conductor Asher Fisch has also "arrived," presenting himself with the musical direction of the opera production "La Bohème," two orchestra concerts and the family concert in Erl.
The first winter season of the Tiroler Festspiele Erl under the new artistic direction of Jonas Kaufmann ended today, January 6, 2025, with the final concert. A total of 7,600 visitors, 94 percent capacity utilization (record compared to previous winter festivals), most performances sold out – the economic balance is exceptionally good.
In addition to the economic success, a very great artistic success is particularly noteworthy. This is due on the one hand to the planned program and the engaged artists – including numerous young shooting stars. On the other hand, the festival was characterized by numerous illness-related cast changes, in which the festival succeeded in engaging first-class replacements for Erl, who in turn contributed significantly to the overall success. They not only saved the respective performances, but also caused real storms of jubilation with their top performances.
Tenor Long Long was able to join the rehearsal process for Puccini's "La Bohème" in time for the ill Raul Gutierrez, so that as Rodolfo he could integrate himself into the production not only brilliantly vocally but also scenically. His young voice colleague Levy Sekgapane took over the particularly demanding role of Arturo in both concert performances of Bellini's "I puritani," for which he was each time stormily celebrated together with his soprano partners. So to speak at the last minute, Jessica Pratt saved the first performance of the concert "I puritani" as Elvira and "conquered the Festspielhaus" (Tiroler Tageszeitung). The engagement of star soprano Lisette Oropesa for the second – sold-out –
"I puritani" performance as Elvira also happened at very short notice. She once again provided standing ovations in the Festspielhaus.
Concert opera has obviously established itself excellently in Erl. The anticipation for the summer festival with Verdi's "Trilogia popolare" ("Rigoletto," "Il trovatore" and "La traviata") is already correspondingly great.
"La Bohème" in the new production by Bárbara Lluch was sold out three times and was celebrated by audience and critics. "Thus Sara Cortolezzis enchants as Mimì especially in the quiet passages with a slender, soft soprano," raved Der Standard about the young interpreter of the main character.
A "Singer Festival of Bel Canto" (Kurier) was celebrated in both performances of "I puritani" under the musical direction of Lorenzo Passerini. In addition to the mentioned high-caliber replacements, "Mattia Olivieri (Sir Riccardo Forth), Giorgi Manoshvili (Sir Giorgio), Emilia Rukavina (Enrichetta di Francia), Pawel Horodyski (Lord Gualtiero Valton) and Peter Kirk (Sir Bruno Roberton) provided vocal star moments in the Festspielhaus" (Tiroler Tageszeitung).
The scenic family concert "Applause for the Strauss Brothers!" in the direction of Giulia Giammona
delighted all age groups and provided a surprise appearance by the artistic director: Jonas Kaufmann sang the "Lagunenwalzer".
The New Year's Eve concert under the direction of Michele Spotti became another bel canto festival with the soloists Marina Monzó and René Barbera, who conquered the audience with arias and enchanting duets by Rossini, Gounod, Donizetti and Verdi.
That Asher Fisch is also a first-class pianist, he proved in the New Year's concert. After the "Rosenkavalier" suite and Strauss waltzes, he took over the solo parts in "Adiós Nonino" by Astor Piazzolla and George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" and conducted the orchestra from the piano.
A touching puppet theater version of Franz Schubert's song cycle "Die schöne Müllerin" was offered by the renowned bass-baritone Florian Boesch – to be experienced in summer 2025 as the title hero in Bartók's "Duke Bluebeard's Castle" – and the Musicbanda Franui together with the puppeteer Nikolaus Habjan before a full house.
In the final concert, the sought-after pianist Jasminka Stančul returned to Erl and delighted under Asher Fisch's musical direction with Carl Maria von Weber's "Concert Piece".
As always, the orchestra and choir of the Tiroler Festspiele once again formed the sovereign sonic basis for all opera and concert productions (with the exception of "Die schöne Müllerin").
Next Season: Tiroler Festspiele Erl Spring: March 30 to April 20, 2025
