The Bartered Bride (CD + DVD)
„Raus aus dem vermeintlich Folkloristischen, der Gemütlichkeit des Humtata! Rein ins Reich gleichsam kammermusikalischer Durchsichtigkeit, die keine Scheu vor dynamischer Drastik bis hin zum elegant brutalen und deshalb bezwingenden Akzent kennt! Bravo!“
(DIE WELT, Ulrich Weinzierl)
„Allein für die ersten sechs Minuten hat sich die Fahrt nach Graz gelohnt.“
(Süddeutsche Zeitung, Egbert Tholl)
Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s sensational production of Smetana’s The Bartered Bride for styriarte 2011 is one of a kind, a true world premiere. For the first time ever, author Emanuel Züngel’s German translation of The Bartered Bride’s text, commissioned by Bedřich Smetana himself, is performed on stage. A comprehensive companion book offers insight into the complex reasons why this version was never before performed, and provides information about the distinctive character of Nikolaus Harnoncourt’s styriarte production.
The styriarte Festival Edition comprises the complete opera in three CDs, a video recording of the performance and a documentary of rehearsals on DVD (with English and German subtitles) and other bonus material as well as a 212-page, highly-informative illustrated companion book (in English and German).
The book
The book contains pictures from and texts about "The Bartered Bride" as well as the complete German, English and Czech libretto and can be downloaded here.
Press reviews
Reviews of the DVD-edition can be found here:
Kleine Zeitung, evolver.at, RONDO, Classical Music Sentinel, Opernglas, DRS aktuell, Fono Forum
Reviews of the DVD in different blogs: