Out West Arts: Performance at the end of the world

Wolfgang Rihm and Ingo Metzmacher
Photo: Wolfgang Lienbacher/Salzburg Festival 2010

It’s time for a new look, don’t you think. Certainly the close of the fourth year of Out West Arts calls for a makeover. I’d like to give a big shout out to Jeff who, in addition to doing some editing here and there, is the force behind keeping this blog from looking like a pre-fab template. It’s been a great year here, and I’ve connected with some great people. I’ve kept a lot of things the same, but have added some new links including one to Anne Midgette’s blog for the Washington Post which I have shamefully neglected before now. (Thanks for the shout out this week, Anne!)

Patricia Petibon and Michael Volle
Photo: Monika Rittershaus/Salzburg Festival 2010

And to celebrate August and the OWA anniversary, I’m going to Salzburg! Included in the trip are all six of the staged operas the Salzburg Festival is putting on this year including four new productions: the world premiere of Wolfgang Rihm’s Dionysus, Patricia Petibon starring in Berg’s Lulu, the Ricardo Muti-led Orfeo ed Euridice, and Strauss’ Elektra, featuring the powerhouse trio of Westbroek, Meler, and Theorin. There will also be two star-studded revivals: Claus Guth’s controversial vision of Mozart’s Don Giovanni with Christopher Maltman, Erwin Schrott, and Dorothea Röschmann among others and Bartlett Sher’s Roméo et Juliette with Anna Netrebko and Piotr Beczala. The young and very talented Yannick Nézet-Séguin will head both revivals. And if that isn’t enough for you right there, I’ll also catch a Lieder recital from Anja Harteros, and Bruckner and Rhim performances from the Vienna Philharmonic under Riccardo Chailly, and a chamber concert with András Schiff. Bookending the time in Salzburg are two layovers in London, which I’ll spend at the National Theater for performances of Rattigan’s After the Dance and the recently opened Michael Grandage-directed production of Büchner’s Danton’s Death.

René Pape as Orest in Strauss' Elektra
Photo: Hermann und Clärchen Baus/Salzburg Festival 2010

August will close out with a handful of late summer offerings when I return to L.A. including a Shostakovich program at the Hollywood Bowl featuring Sarah Chang under the direction of Leonard Slatkin on August 24. There are also appearances from the Chemical Brothers at the Bowl on the 29th and Rufus Wainwright will visit the Greek Theater on the 20th. And while I may try to squeeze in a few as yet to be determined theater events, I’ll definitely be seeing the world premiere of Moby Pomerance‘s The Good Book of Pedantry and Wonder at Boston Court in conjunction with Circle X Theater on the 22nd.

That’s my August and the start of the fifth year at OWA. I want to continue to thank everyone who has offered commentary and support to this space. I love to hear from people who’ve liked and disliked things I’ve had to say here so keep writing. I hope you continue to enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Labels: Anniversary, In the Wings