Verdi: Simon Boccanegra

Christian Gerhaher (Simon Boccanegra), Jennifer Rowley (Amelia Boccanegra), Christof Fischesser (Jacopo Fiesco), Otar Jorjikia (Gabriele Adorno), Nicholas Brownlee (Paolo Albiani), Brent Michael Smith (Pietro)

Philharmonia Zurich, Chor der Oper Zürich, Fabio Luisi, Andreas Homoki

Though not on the face of it an obvious Verdian, Christian Gerhaher gives a winning performance as the eponymous Doge, bringing all the nuance to the text that we would expect from a master of... — BBC Music Magazine, October 2021, 4 out of 5 stars (Performance) / 5 out of 5 stars (Picture and Sound) More…

Release Date: 23rd Jul 2021
Catalogue No: ACC10510
Label: Accentus Music

Gramophone Magazine

October 2021

DVD/Blu-ray of the Month
International Classical Music Awards

2021

Nominated - Video Performance

Verdi: Simon Boccanegra

Christian Gerhaher (Simon Boccanegra), Jennifer Rowley (Amelia Boccanegra), Christof Fischesser (Jacopo Fiesco), Otar Jorjikia (Gabriele Adorno), Nicholas Brownlee (Paolo Albiani), Brent Michael Smith (Pietro), Chor der Oper Zürich
Philharmonia Zurich
Fabio Luisi

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Intrigue, family tragedies, power struggles - these words aptly describe Verdi's opera "Simon Boccanegra". The composer himself once said "The piece is dark because it has to be, but it is gripping." And the opera, in which it is primarily the men who guide the story and in which there is only one female role, has been experiencing a renaissance at the world's great opera houses in recent years. In December 2020, Andreas Homoki's new production premiered at the Opernhaus Zürich. Christian Gerhaher made his celebrated role debut as "Simon Boccanegra" - due to a pandemic, only in front of 50 people in the hall and with the orchestra placed in the rehearsal room at Kreuzplatz, 1km away. But the opera was also broadcast live on TV, directed by Michael Beyer. The critics raved: "One experiences facial expressions and gestures almost up close, realizing only in the close-up how involved the protagonists are in the action down to every blink of an eye." (FAZ)

Reviews

October 2021

Though not on the face of it an obvious Verdian, Christian Gerhaher gives a winning performance as the eponymous Doge, bringing all the nuance to the text that we would expect from a master of the Lieder genre. Jennifer Rowley (Amelia) boasts vocal sumptuousness and a certain mature poise...Overall, a class act.

October 2021

Practical restrictions are, in this production, movingly transmuted into psychological inability...this is a distinguished release. Highly recommended.

March 2022

The chorus supplies refined tone and the orchestra registers as top quality. As well as maintaining momentum, Luisi highlights the subtlest of colours in Verdi’s orchestration.

Verdi: Simon Boccanegra

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