Watch Der Freischütz from Baden Baden live on Monday

Set your controls for arte.tv.

The French TV arts channel will be broadcasting Robert Wilson's new production of Der Freischütz live from Baden-Baden on Monday 1 June - with simultaneous online streaming. And it's free!

Streaming begins at 6.30pm local time (5.30pm UK time) with interviews and backstage stuff, and the performance itself starts at 7pm (or 6pm here).

The production's costumes by Viktor & Rolf are spectacular even by operatic standards, featuring men dressed as trees, women dressed as bouquets, and gazillions of Swarovski crystals. In a programme at 10.30pm tonight (but sadly not online), Arte discuss the project with the designers.

teh crystals!

 

Bob Wilson yet again fails to embrace pictorial realism:

Lots more info, photos - even a full libretto - on Arte's website. And here's a video of rehearsal clips the Festspielhaus have put together:

and here's one with Viktor and Rolf about the costumes:

Comments

[Hal]

I always knew the opera was about trees and flowers primarily and wonder why it took Germans so long to understand this. What a relief that they finally have discovered what the opera is all about and are presenting it as Weber doubtlessly although probably unconsciously intended.

[HairMan]

Thanks for the tip! I nearly forgot it was on - unfortunately I missed the documentary last night - hopefully they'll repeat it in a morning slot.

[HairMan]

By the way - for non French / German speakers here's a link to a 2007 Salzburg Festival pdf with an English / German libretto courtesy of the Canadian Broadcast Corporation:

http://www.cbc.ca/sato/includes/Freischutz_72dpi.pdf

[HairMan]

*ing...

[Henry Holland]

Characters in ridiculous costumes? Check
A "set" consisting of a screen that's one color? Check
Singers forced to roll around and strike dumb poses? Check
Looks like every other production he's ever done? Check

Why do people bother with "new" Wilson productions? They could literally take any of the previous ones and with a few tweaks have a "new" production without all the expense of a new production.