Carlos Saura: “In Carmen at the Palau de les Arts, instead of shying away from the stereotypical Spanishness, we will confront it.”

21.09.2007

The Palau de les Arts production of Fidelio was a resounding success at its premiere yesterday, Saturday, at the iconic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, home of Los Angeles Opera. The audience rose to their feet and gave the artists a standing ovation of more than ten minutes at the end of the performance.
The production thrilled the more than three thousand people who packed the Californian auditorium for the season's opening opera. Applause and accolades from the audience followed one another during the various intermissions, culminating in a prolonged and resounding ovation during the final bow by the artists, led by musical director James Conlon and stage director Pier Luigi Pier'Alli.

The premiere, which was accredited to more than 100 media outlets, was attended by the Minister of Culture, Trinidad Miró, and the Mayor, Helga Schmidt, who were hosted by Plácido Domingo, General Director of Los Angeles Opera.

Pier Luigi Pier'Alli's original and creative staging, who was also responsible for the set design at the Valencia opera house, captivated the audience with its combination of visual effects and evocative sets that complemented Beethoven's masterpiece. This staging, along with the quality of the singers, led by Matti Salminen, brought the demanding Californian audience to their feet.

Export your own products

Miró declared herself “thrilled by the audience's applause for a Fidelio produced in Valencia.” The Minister of Culture expressed her delight that, “in such a short time, one of the Palau's most important productions has opened the Los Angeles Opera season.” “This is a line of work, that of exporting our own productions, which we will undoubtedly continue,” the Minister added.

The Minister said she was sure that, “there will be many other theaters in the world that will be interested in the quality of our productions.”

Future collaborations with Los Angeles Opera

For his part, Plácido Domingo also gave his opinion on the premiere of Fidelio in Los Angeles: “I was fortunate enough to be present at the inauguration of the Palau de les Arts and I was impressed by this Fidelio for its visual beauty and its drama, especially in the second act, a characteristic that suits Beethoven's music.”

Domingo also stated that he was “proud, as general manager, to have brought a production of this quality to Los Angeles Opera” and added: “This is the first collaboration between the two opera houses, but I’m sure there will be many more.”

Regarding the international reputation of the Palau de les Arts, with only a year of history, Domingo noted that, “it is a fully established opera house to which I have been fortunate enough to be connected since its inception.” The tenor added that, “the Valencian public was eager to have a great opera house.” In this respect, Domingo highlighted not only the artistic level of the music center but also referred to the entire City of Arts and Sciences complex as “a marvel by Santiago Calatrava.”

At the formal party following the premiere, Domingo thanked the Minister of Culture, Trinidad Miró, and the Mayor, Helga Schmidt, in front of more than 500 people, and praised their commitment to a new opera house.

For her part, Mayor Helga Schmidt declared, “I am very pleased with the recognition from the Los Angeles public, which confirms the line of artistic excellence that we demonstrated in our first season.”

The Mayor has stated that “the premiere of Fidelio in Los Angeles is just the first step in a plan to export and promote our productions in the world’s finest opera houses.” In this regard, the Mayor affirmed that “renting productions allows us not only to revitalize our image but also to reduce production costs and open new revenue streams.”

In this regard, Mayor Helga Schmidt has stated that "without a doubt, the great success we have achieved today in this important theater will boost our goals."

Fidelio will be performed at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in seven performances from September 8 to October 6. Los Angeles Opera has acquired the rights to stage it.

The premiere was attended by prominent figures from the Los Angeles cultural scene, as well as prestigious media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Musical America magazine. The performance was also broadcast live by the renowned Kusc radio station, one of the nation's leading classical music networks, with millions of listeners and over 60 years of history.

Los Angeles Opera's 2007-2008 season, in addition to Fidelio, features top-tier operatic productions such as Jenůfa, Don Giovanni, Tristan und Isolde, Otello, Tosca, La Bohème, and La Rondine. Its casts include such prestigious names as Karita Mattila, Ian Storey, and Erwin Schrott.

Fidelio, which opened the Palau de les Arts' first season on October 25, was a resounding success with both audiences and international critics under the musical direction of Zubin Mehta. The opera house will release this production on High Definition (HD) DVD in the coming months.