The two hats of Calixto Bieito

Calixto Bieito's Fidelio opens at ENO on 25 September - and his Die Soldaten just three days before that, on 22 September in Zurich. 

Fidelio has already been staged (and revived) in Munich. Die Soldaten is a brand new production of a long and complex work. So which production will get the lion's share of Bieito's personal attention?

Of course directors often delegate revivals and transfers to other people, and there's nothing wrong with that - unless the show is sold on the director's name, as all ENO productions are this season.

If ENO's strapline "Fidelio - Directed by Calixto Bieito" is currently missing a " 's assistant", now would be the time to add it.

Comments

[William Lau]

Or to use "Production by" instead of "Directed by". Slightly off-topic, the Zurich Die Soldaten is now on sale, except the "Volksvorstellung" discounted performance. It seems that the theatre is closing the first 3 rows to expand the pit. A good sign. I hope the expanded pit could take in all the percussion players, instead of the "loudspeaker" arrangement.

[Henry Holland]

"Die Soldaten" is only 100 minutes, it's about the length of "Elektra". /pedant alert

I saw a production of "Die Soldaten" at Lincoln Center years ago (first done at the Ruhr Triennale). The staging took place on a long stage about 100 feet long, the orchestra was off to the side. There were a LOT of musicians in the pit, but like the "Gurrelieder", there's long sections where it's chamber orchestra scoring.

Here's a good shot of the stage:

http://www.armoryonpark.org/images/event_images/DieSoldaten/ewing_DS-47.jpg

The great part where four scenes take place at once:

http://media-cache-ec3.pinimg.com/192x/7d/6b/b5/7d6bb5d559b2c529aaaf1e15784c5883.jpg

I hope they film the Bieito production for release.
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Intermezzo replies - Die Soldaten is a four-act, multi-scene opera. Elektra is one act, and can be (and often is) played as one scene. The directorial challenges are very different.