Mozart 22 Bastien und Bastienne/Der Schauspieldirektor (2006– ) watch online HD

I have always been a fan of Mozart's music, and while new to me and not one of my favourites Bastien Und Bastienne/Der Schauspieldirektor is interesting. As is the concept of this production from Salzburg. I do feel that Der Schauspieldirektor is the better of the two, the choreography is very witty, the comedy even with adapted dialogue is amusing and well-paced, the movements of the marionettes are extremely funny and the trio Ich Bin Die Erste Sängerin is the highlight of the entire production. Bastien Und Bastienne definitely has a calm beauty to it, but there are moments where the stage direction is not quite sure what to do with itself. I also didn't warm to the voice of Aleksandra Zamojska, you can tell by her rather forced tone that she is struggling with the part. The costumes and sets do look beautiful though, it is different but this is not an ugly-looking production by all means. The orchestral playing is efficient and lively if somewhat lightweight in sound in places, while the conducting has a lot of energy in Schauspieldirektor but lacks that extra bit of oomph in Bastien. Zamojska aside, the singing is great. Evmorfia Metaxaki sings absolutely beautifully, while Radu Cojocariu is a sonorous Buff, Bernhard Berchtold is fully engaged with the music and drama and Alfred Kleinheinz is an excellent actor with a gift for comic timing. All in all, neither among the gems or nadirs of the Mozart 22 series, more on the border of promise-more-than-deliver and very good. It is an interesting concept and very well sung on the whole, but the staging and execution has moments where it both works and doesn't quite. 7/10 Bethany Cox