Rihm : Oedipus

   in Opera Now (Apr, 2013)
Credit to the Deutsche Oper Berlin for allowing this release, warts and all. On the one hand it’s an obvious choice – the1987 world premiere of a major new piece by Wolfgang Rihm; on the other hand, the curtain calls show the director (and then Intendant) Gotz Friedrich being vociferously booed. Whatever the reasons for Friedrich’s ordeal I can’t see that his production would particularly offend; the subject matter is hardly a walk in the park and his staging is concise and powerful, creating striking images and symbolism to match Rihm’s musical and philosophical vision. The music is arresting, the orchestra is generally confined to wind instruments, and there are some …