Un Ballo in Maschera
G. Verdi & A. Somma

Set design .........Rifail Ajdarpasic
Costume design........Hervé Poeydomenge
Light design........Christophe Pitoiset
Choreography...........Tom Baert
Conductor.........Paolo Olmi

première: 19 January 2008, Bordeaux
company: Opéra National de Bordeaux 

Reviews

Playing the card of transposition in space and time without compromise, the new production of "Un Ballo in Maschera" at the Opéra National de Bordeaux is the prototype of a show you either love or hate. Personally the work of Venezuelan director Carlos Wagner far from upsetting us, interested us very much. First of all because the libretto of Antonio Somma has no precise historical anchorage --- Furthermore because design, costumes, lighting and the direction of the performers all contribute to throw a relevant light on the principal characters. --- As in Calixto Bieito's famous production for the Liceu in 2001 one understands why Sam and Tom want to be rid of the one they consider to be a tyrant. A tyrant that is notwithstanding sympathetic, loves a laugh, schoolboy jokes and who is sincerely in love with Amelia. Carlos Wagner has the intelligence not to banish this trait from his character. He simply reminds us that Riccardo has several facets. --- So, evidently Carlos Wagner sometimes goes a bit too far at the risk of overstepping the boundaries of good taste. But we forgive him all the more happily because his approach keeps ones interest from beginning to end.  An achievement in an opera where most directors content themselves with offering a comfortable environment that is more or less pleasing to the eye. --- We repeat, one can hate this production, judge it trivial or too far removed from certain "romantic" visions of the work. But one cannot, on the other hand, deny its coherence and it's dramaturgical sharpness of vision.

Opéra Magazine

Greenhouse Effect
In Bordeaux Carlos Wagner transports the usually colder setting of Un Ballo in Maschera into the sun, to a South American banana republic. The vegetation becomes luxuriant. L'orrido campo: a jungle where the opposition to the regime is executed without trial with a bullet in the head.
Something that might pass as a simple director's trick or a question of wrapping, in truth does not modify the libretto - the story is respected to the letter - but the spirit of the piece.
Modify or betray? The response divides the audience on the first night with a confusion of boos and bravos for the curtain call. The point of view of Carlos Wagner does not content itself with crossing the equator. According to the law of climate he also takes on the humidity and exuberance to the point of making Un Ballo in Maschera into a "baroque" opera (outside of all musicological meaning, evidently) efflorescent, extravagant, even zany---
Baroque in the sense of surprising and unusual, baroque and successful because the opera of Verdi stays intact and the music, thus interpreted, remains brilliant regardless if the winds blow hot or cold.

Forumopera

A Ballo in Maschera in Bordeaux
A modern staging, but well adapted, and all in all very well achieved and very rich. Important and regrettable fact is, this production was not at all well received by part of the Bordeaux audience, who undoubtedly found the staging too modern, and booed at the opening night.

Classique Info