Intermezzo

What's got four legs and works with Pierre Boulez?

Next year's Mozart Week in Salzburg will open to the clatter of hooves and a faint whiff of poo.

The man who turned dressage into theatrical art, Bartabas, is bringing his equine troupe to the Felsenreitschule. With music directed by Marc Minkowski, the dancing horses will accompany the rarely performed Mozart cantata Davide Penitente.

It's not the first time Bartabas has saddled up with a classical partner. His current show uses the music of Tomás Luis de Victoria, and back in 2000, Pierre Boulez led the Orchestre de Paris in an equine spectacular based around Stravinsky's Rite of Spring.

Mozart to hit pop charts?

Mozart's House by Clean Bandit, released on Monday, and self-explanatory.

Ah, those 18th century beats.

 

Mozart - The Dirndl

Let it never be said that Salzburg overlooks its most profitable son. Hot on the heels of The Mozart Soap comes The Mozart Dirndl.

Debutantes at Salzburg's Festspielball on 1 September will sport specially-designed dirndls incorporating photos of this year's Zauberflöte stars on the apron. Look really, really closely at the photos and you may be able to identify Bernard Richter as Tamino and Markus Werba as Papageno between the voluminous folds.

Mozart - the real soap opera

An Austrian entrepreneur who makes pricey soaps inspired by classic literary works recently completed a special commission - a Magic Flute you can wash your hands with.

Soapmeister Wolfgang Lederhaas found inspiration for the soap's rose, cypress and laurel fragrance in the opera's libretto.

Before you stampede Superdrug be warned that Die Zauberseife is not available in the shops. So far just 120 pieces have been presented to Nikolaus Harnoncourt for giving away to singers, musicians and friends in commemoration of this year's Salzburg Festival production. Lederhaas does not rule out selling it commercially in future - but only after consultation with the Maestro.

Salzburg Festival mini-marathon

Hagen Quartett / Zürcher Ballett -  Felsenreitschule, 28 July 2012
Orchestra Mozart Bologna / Arnold Schoenberg Chor / Claudio Abbado - Haus für Mozart, 28 July 2012
Mozarteumorchester Salzburg / Ivor Bolton -Mozarteum, 29 July 2012

Dance is not a core element of the Salzburg Festival, but new Intendant Alexander Pereira's old buddy Heinz Spoerli stepped down as head of the Zurich Opera Ballet last month. And what better way to mark a retirement at the age of 72 than to spend weeks working like a dog producing three one act ballets that will only be seen twice?

Muti talks dirty

What makes Riccardo Muti a great Mozart conductor?

In an interview with French magazine L'Express (long, but well worth a read), he reveals his enormous asset:

"When I conduct Mozart with the Vienna Philharmonic, the orchestra naturally provides the Germanic side of the work. For my part, I bring the Italian influence. The combination of the two, especially for the operas, produces interesting results, with a lot of character.

My knowledge of the Italian of Da Ponte's text is important. His librettos often have a double meaning. The first layer is suitable for polite society. And then there's another one, untranslatable and often....very daring.  Mozart - who spoke excellent Italian - and his music often accompany the second meaning, not the first.

In Cosi fan tutte, when the two women recognise their lovers, they feel guilty. They say "Il mio fallo, tardi vedo." On the surface, this means "Too late I see my error". But the same phrase also means "I see the phallus" (of my lover)! In Italian, fallo has this dual meaning. It's not the same any more, is it?  This kind of double sense is found a lot, often concealing erotic words."