L'invisible

Rachel Harnisch (Ursula/Marie/Ygraine), Annika Schlicht (Marthe/Bellangère), Ronnita Miller (Handmaiden), Stephen Bronk (Grandfather/An old man/Aglovale), Thomas Blondelle (Uncle/Stranger), Tim Severloh, Matthew Shaw, Martin Wölfel (Drei Dienerinnen) & Das Orchester der Deutschen Oper Berlin, Donald Runnicles

For L’Invisible, like his other two most recent operas Bernarda Alba’s House and Medea, Aribert Reimann has turned to a text of world literature, adapting it himself as his own librettist. With it, he returns to his “home” opera house the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Four of his stage works were commissioned by that opera house and the world premiere of his new, ninth opera was also given there. It was staged by Vasily Barkhatov, one of the most interesting Russian directors of his generation, who made his debut at the opera house on Bismarckstraße after having worked at the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre and the Mariinski Theater in St. Petersburg. The premiere was conducted by the Principal Conductor himself, Donald Runnicles.

Reimann, A:
 L'Invisible

"In the theatre, where these simple but potent stories would make a visual impact, the effect would surely be stronger than on a recording where the music alone creates atmosphere but is otherwise thin. But the performances under Donald Runnicles carries conviction, with several of the singers taking multiple roles and registering expressively."
BBC Music Magazine - October 2018 ****

"It would be unfair to say that our attention, even without visible drama, is not fully held…And, as before, Webern and Berg (and now, perhaps, Debussy in the third part here, ‘La mort de Tintagiles’) nourish Reimann’s melodies and harmonies. Especially noteworthy is his contrasting use of instrumental groupings…as in Lear, Reimann augments the drama by the pure sound and tessitura of his vocal writing, recalling his special gifts as a Lied accompanist."
Gramophone Magazine - Awards Issue 2018

"...de cast is meer dan uitstekend, met Rachel Harnisch voorop in haar veeleisende rollen van Ursula/Marie/Ygraine. Als Der Onkel/Der Fremde weet Thomas Blondelle mij aan mijn stoel te nagelen en Stephen  Bronk is een voortreffelijke Grossvater/Der Alte/Agloval. Donald Runnicles houdt de spanning goed vast. Een aanwinst."
LUISTER MAGAZINE 734 - LUISTER TIEN