RUSALKA Dvořák – Opera Ballet Vlaanderen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjqawjufy_g
More than anything in the world, Rusalka, a mysterious and elusive water nymph, yearns to become human to win the heart of a young prince. But this metamorphosis comes at a price: she will lose her voice and be damned forever should their love story fail. Rusalka, a lyrical fairy tale inspired by The Little Mermaid and Undine, is Dvořák’s penultimate work and one of his greatest successes. In Opera Ballet Vlaanderen’s production, Norwegian director and choreographer Alan Lucien Øyen adds a new dimension to this masterpiece of the Czech repertoire by representing the main characters on stage twice: by a singer and a dancer. This doubling reinforces the opera’s deeply dreamlike nature. The impressive South African soprano Pumeza Matshikiza embodies the character of Rusalka, while the Lithuanian conductor Giedré Šlekytė leads the orchestra with brio and intensity.
CAST Rusalka: Pumeza Matshikiza Rusalka (dancer): Shelby Williams The Prince: Kyungho Kim The Prince (dancer): Morgan Lugo Vodník, the water goblin: Goderdzi Janelidze Vodník (dancer): Matt Foley Ježibaba, a witch: Maria Riccarda Wesseling The foreign princess: Karen Vermeiren Gamekeeper: Daniel Arnaldos Turnspit: Raphaële Green Hunter: Justin Hopkins First wood sprite: Annelies Van Gramberen Second wood sprite: Zofia Hanna Third wood sprite: Raphaële Green Wood sprites (dancers): Morgana Cappellari, Lara Fransen, Laurine Muccioli, Júlia Pagès Water nymphs (dancers): Joseph Kudra, Robbie Moore, Shane Urton, Lateef Williams Orchestra: Opera Ballet Vlaanderen Symphonic Orchestra Music: Antonín Dvořák Text: Jaroslav Kvapil Conductor: Giedrė Šlekytė Director: Alan Lucien Øyen Set Designer: Åsmund Færavaag Costume Designer: Stine Sjøgren Lighting Designer: Martin Flack Chorus Master: Jan Schweiger Dramaturg: Koen Bollen