Deutsche Oper Berlin in Japan 1963-98

 

1963

 

Beethoven: Fidelio

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Karl Böhm (conductor)

Gustav Rudolf Sellner (producer)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau / William Dooley (Don Fernando)

Walter Berry / Gustav Neidlinger (Don Pizarro)

James King (Florestan)

Christa Ludwig (Leonore)

Josef Greindl (Rocco)

Lisa Otto (Marzelline)

Donald Grobe (Jaquino)

Barry McDaniel (first prisoner)

Manfred Röhrl (second prisoner)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

20/24/29 Oct, 5 Nov 1963 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Karl Böhm (conductor)

Gustav Rudolf Sellner (producer)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Count)

Elisabeth Grümmer (Countess)

Erika Köth (Susanna)

Walter Berry (Figaro)

Edith Mathis (Cherubino)

Patricia Johnson (Marcellina)

Julius Katona (Basilio)

Martin Vantin (Don Curzio)

Peter Lagger (Bartolo)

Walter Dicks (Antonio)

Barbara Vogel (Barbarina)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

21/23/28 Oct, 2 Nov 1963 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

Berg: Wozzeck (Japanese premiere)

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Heinrich Hollreiser (conductor)

Wolf Volker (producer)

Walter Berry, William Dooley (Wozzeck)

Hans Beirer (Drum-Major)

Loren Driscoll (Andres)

Helmut Melchert (Captain)

Walter Dicks (Doctor)

Kerstin Meyer (Marie)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

25/30 Oct 3/6 Nov 1963 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde (Japanese premiere)

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Lorin Maazel (conductor)

Wieland Wagner (producer, designer)

Hans Beirer (Tristan)

Gladys Kuchta (Isolde)

Josef Greindl (King Marke)

Gustav Neidlinger (Kurwenal)

Barry McDaniel (Melot)

Kerstin Meyer (Brangäne)

Donald Grobe (young seaman)

Martin Vantin (shepherd)

Walter Dicks (steersman)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

27 Oct 1/4 Nov 1963 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

1966

 

Wagner: Der Fliegende Holländer (Japanese premiere)

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Lorin Maazel (conductor)

Gustav Rudolf Sellner (producer)

Josef Greindl / Gert Feldhoff (Dutchman)

Nadezda Kniplova (Senta)

Peter Lagger (Daland)

Hans Beirer (Erik)

Sieglinde Wagner / Ruth Hesse (Mary)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

16/22/25/28/30 Oct 1966 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

Mozart: Die Zauberflöte

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Eugen Jochum (conductor)

Gustav Rudolf Sellner (producer)

Martti Talvela / Josef Greindl (Sarastro)

Ernst Haefliger / Donald Grobe (Tamino)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau / Gert Feldhoff (Speaker)

Catherine Gayer / Bella Jasper (Queen of the Night)

Hilde Gueden / Pilar Lorengar / Erika Köth (Pamina)

Annabelle Bernerd (Ist lady)

Gitta Mikes / Kerstin Meyer (2nd lady)

Sieglinde Wagner / Ruth Hesse (3rd lady)

Barry McDaniel / Manfred Röhrl (Papageno)

Bella Jasper / Lisa Otto / Barbara Vogel (Papagena)

Karl Ernst Mercker / Martin Vantin (Monostatos)

Hans Beirer (1st man in armour)

Ernst Krukowski / Fritz Hoppe (2nd man in armour)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

16/22/25/28/30 Oct 1966 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

Verdi: La Traviata

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Lorin Maazel (conductor)

Gustav Rudolf Sellner (producer)

Pilar Lorengar / Hilde Gueden (Violetta)

Sieglinde Wagner / Helga Wisniewska (Flora)

Gitta Mikes (Annina)

Franco Tagliavini (Alfredo)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Germont)

Karl Ernst Mercker (Gastone)

Ernst Krukowski (Douphol)

Manfred Röhrl (d'Obigny)

Ivan Sardi (Dr Grenvil)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

18/21/23/26/29 Oct 1966 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

Mozart: Die Entführung aus dem Serail

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Eugen Jochum (conductor)

Gustav Rudolf Sellner (producer)

Hubert Hilten (Selim)

Erika Köth (Konstanze)

Lisa Otto / Bella Jasper (Blonde)

Donald Grobe (Belmonte)

Martin Vantin / Karl Ernst Mercker (Pedrillo)

Josef Greindl / Peter Lagger (Osmin)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

19/27 Oct 4 Nov 1966 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

Henze: Elegie fur junge Liebende (Japanese premiere)

Hans Werner Henze (conductor,producer)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Gregor Mittenhofer)

Walter Dicks (Wilhelm Reischmann)

Loren Driscoll (Toni Reischmann)

Lisa Otto (Elisabeth Zimmer)

Kerstin Meyer (Carolina)

Catherine Gayer (Hilda Mack)

Hubert Hilten (Josef Mauer)

Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

2/7/9 Nov 1966 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

1970

 

Wagner: Lohengrin

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Eugen Jochum (conductor)

Wieland Wagner (producer,designer)

Charles Craig / Guy Shauvet (Lohengrin)

Pilar Lorengar / Catarina Ligendza (Elsa)

Hans Günter Nöcker / William Dooley (Friedrich)

Ruth Hesse (Ortrud)

Peter Lagger (Heinrich der Vogler)

Jose Van Dam / Ingvar Wixell (Herald)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

16/19/22 Mar 1970 at Festival Hall, Osaka

25 Mar, 13/17/20/24 Apr 1970 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

Verdi: Falstaff

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Lorin Maazel (conductor)

Carl Ebert (director)

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Falstaff)

Ingvar Wixell (Ford)

Luigi Alva / Donald Grobe (Fenton)

Martin Vantin (Dr Caius)

Karl Ernst Mercker (Bardolfo)

Fritz Hoppe (Pistola)

Pilar Lorengar (Alice)

Edith Mathis / Erika Köth (Nannetta)

Vera Little (Mrs Quickly)

Patricia Johnson / Barbara Scherler (Meg)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

27/29 Mar 1/4/7/10 Apr 1970 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

Schoenberg: Moses und Aron (Japanese premiere)

[Arranged/revised by Hermann Scherchen]

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Bruno Maderna (conductor)

Gustav Rudolf Sellner (director)

Josef Greindl (Moses)

Helmut Melchert (Aron)

Annabelle Bernerd (Ein junges Mädchen)

Ruth Hesse (Eine Kranke)

Loren Driscoll (Ein junger Mann)

Karl Ernst Mercker (Der Nackte Jüngling)

Ernst Krukowski (Ein anderer Mann)

Tomislav Nerelic (Ephraimit)

Ivan Sardi (Ein Priester)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

18/20 Mar 1970 at Festival Hall, Osaka

28 Mar, 2 Apr 1970 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

Mozart: Cosi fan tutte

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Heinrich Hollreiser (conductor)

Carl Ebert (director)

Annabelle Bernerd / Pilar Lorengar (Fiodiligi)

Patricia Johnson / Barbara Scherler (Dorabella)

Luigi Alva / Donald Grobe / Loren Driscoll (Ferrando)

Barry McDaniel / Ingvar Wixell (Guglielmo)

Erika Köth / Lisa Otto (Despina)

Jose Van Dam / Josef Greindl (Alfonso)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

31 Mar, 3/14/19/23 Apr 1970 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

Weber: Der Freischütz

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Eugen Jochum (conductor)

Gustav Rudolf Sellner (director)

William Dooley / Barry McDaniel (Ottokar)

Manfred Röhrl (Kuno)

Catarina Ligendza (Agathe)

Lisa Otto / Edith Mathis (Annchen)

Gert Feldhoff / Peter Lagger (Kaspar)

Karl Josef Hering (Max)

Walter Dicks (Samiel)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

6/11/13/15/26/28 Apr 1970 at Nissei Theatre,Tokyo

 

Berg: Lulu (Japanese premiere)

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Heinrich Hollreiser (conductor)

Gustav Rudolf Sellner (director)

Catherine Gayer (Lulu)

Patricia Johnson (Gräfin Geschwitz)

Barbara Scherler (Ein Gymnasiast)

Sieglinde Wagner (Theatergarderobiere)

Walter Dicks (Der Medizinalrat)

Loren Driscoll (Der Maler)

Hans Günter Nöcker (Dr Schön)

Donald Grobe (Alwa Schön)

Gert Feldhoff (Ein Tierbändiger/Rodrigo)

Josef Greindl (Schigolch)

Walter Dicks (Jack the Ripper)

Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

12/18/21 Apr 1970 at Nissei Theatre, Tokyo

 

1987

 

Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen (Complete cycle Japanese premiere)

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Jesus Lopez Cobos (1.2), Heinrich Hollreiser (3) (conductor)

Götz Friedrich (director)

Peter Sykora (designer)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

Wagner: Das Rheingold

Robert Hale (1.2) / Donald McIntyre (3) (Wotan)

Gerd Feldhoff (Donner)

Toni Krämer (Froh)

George Shirley (Loge)

Gottfried Hornik (1.2) / Rolf Kühne (3) (Alberich)

John Dobson (1) / Horst Hiestermann (2.3) (Mime)

Matti Salminen (Fasolt)

Bengt Rundgren (Fafner)

Ute Walther (1.3) / Diane Curry (2) (Fricka)

Lucy Peacock (Freia)

Jadwiga Rappé (Erda)

Carol Malone (Woglinde)

Barbara Vogel (Wellgunde)

Anita Herrmann (Flosshilde)

Wagner: Die Walkure

Warren Ellsworth (1) / Siegfried Jerusalem (2.3) (Siegmund)

Matti Salminen (1.2) / John Tomlinson (3) (Hunding)

Robert Hale (1.2) / Donald McIntyre (3) (Wotan)

Julia Varady (Sieglinde)

Ute Walther (1.3) / Diane Curry (2) (Fricka)

Catarina Ligendza (1.2) / Ute Vinzing (3) (Brünnhilde)

Sharon Sweet (Helmwige)

Lucy Peacock (Gerhilde)

Barbara Vogel (Ortlinde)

Annabelle Bernerd (Waltraute)

Yoko Nomura (Siegrune)

Anita Herrmann (Rossweisse)

Barbara Scerler (Grimgerde)

Kaja Borris (Schwertleite)

Wagner: Siegfried

René Kollo (Siegfried)

John Dobson (1) / Horst Hiestermann (2.3) (Mime)

Robert Hale (1.2) / Donald McIntyre (3) (Wotan/Wanderer)

Gottfried Hornik (1.2) / Rolf Kühne (3) (Alberich)

Bengt Rundgren (Fafner)

Jadwiga Rappé (Erda)

Catarina Ligendza (1.2) / Ute Vinzing (3) (Brünnhilde)

Gabrielyn Watson (Waldvogel)

Wagner: Götterdämmerung (Japanese premiere)

René Kollo (Siegfried)

Lenus Carlson (Gunther)

Gottfried Hornik (1.2) / Rolf Kühne (3) (Alberich)

Matti Salminen (1.2) / John Tomlinson (3) (Hagen)

Catarina Ligendza (1.2) / Ute Vinzing (3) (Brünnhilde)

Karan Armstrong (Gutrune)

Ute Walther (Waltraute)

Kaja Borris (Erste Norn)

Annabelle Bernerd (Zweite Norn)

Sharon Sweet (Dritte Norn)

Carol Malone (Woglinde)

Barbara Vogel (Wellgunde)

Anita Herrmann (Flosshilde)

Numbers refer to the three cycles:

1st Cycle 17, 19, 22, 25 Oct 1987 at Kanagawa Kenmin Hall, Yokohama

2nd Cycle 30 Oct 1, 4, 7 Nov 1987 at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan

3rd Cycle 8, 10, 12, 15 Nov 1987 at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan

 

1993

 

Wagner: Die Meistersinger

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Rafael Frübeck de Burgos (conductor)

Götz Friedrich (producer)

Peter Sykora (designer)

Wolfgang Brendel / Victor Braun (Hans Sachs)

Paul Frey / Thomas Sunnegardh (Walter)

Uwe Peper / Clemens Bieber (David)

Eva Johansson / Hillevi Martinpelto (Eva)

Ute Walter (Magdalena)

Julien Robbins / Peter Edelmann (Nightwatchman)

Erich Knodt (Pogner)

Barry McDaniel (Nachtigall)

Eike Wilm Schulte (Beckmesser)

David Griffith (Vogelgesang)

Lenus Carlson (Kothner)

Warren Mok (Zorn)

Peter Maus (Eisslinger)

Otto Heuer (Moser)

Klaus Lang (Ortel)

Ivan Sardi (Schwarz)

Friedrich Molsberger (Foltz)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

September 11/15/18/22/25 1993 at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan

 

Wagner: Tristan und Isolde

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Jiri Kout (conductor)

Götz Friedrich (producer)

Günther Schneider-Siemssen (designer)

Reen Kollo (Tristan)

Gwyneth Jones / Janis Martin (Isolde)

Gerd Feldhoff (Kurwenal)

Peter Edelmann / Barry McDaniel (Melot)

Hanna Schwarz (Brangäne)

Clemens Bieber (young seaman)

Uwe Peper / Peter Maus (shepherd)

Ivan Sardi / Klaus Lang (steersman)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

September 24/29, October 3/6/9 1993 at NHK Hall, Tokyo

 

Wagner: Lohengrin

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Christian Thielemann (conductor)

Götz Friedrich (producer)

Peter Sykora (designer)

Manfred Schenk (Heinrich der Vogler)

Paul Frey / Thomas Sunnegardh (Lohengrin)

Karan Armstrong / Eva Johansson (Elsa)

Oskar Hillebrandt (Friedrich)

Janis Martin / Gwyneth Jones (Ortrud)

Wolfgang Brendel / Ralf Lukas (Herald)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin

September 30, October 2/4/7/11 1993 at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan

 

1998

 

Wagner: Der Fliegende Hollander

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Christian Thielemann (conductor)

Götz Friedrich (producer)

Deborah Voigt / Gabriela Benackova-Cap (Senta)

Matti Salminen (Daland)

Peter Seiffert / Wolfgang Neumann (Erik)

Bernd Weikl / Jukka Rasilainen (Dutchman)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin

Jan 28/29/31 Feb 2 1998 at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, Tokyo

 

Wagner: Tannhauser

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Christian Thielemann / Jiri Kout (conductor)

Götz Friedrich (producer)

Matti Salminen (Landgraf Hermann)

Rene Kollo (Tannhauser)

Bernd Weikl / Peter Edelmann (Wolfram)

Clemens Bieber (Walter)

Ralf Lucas (Biterolf)

David Griffith (Heinrich)

Friedrich Molsberger (Reinmar)

Eva Johansson / Gabriela Benackova-Cap (Elizabeth)

Karan Armstrong (Venus)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin

Feb 5/8/11/14 1998 at NHK Hall, Tokyo

 

R Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier

Deutsche Oper Berlin

Jiri Kout (conductor)

Götz Friedrich (producer)

Karan Armstrong (Marschallin)

Gunter von Kannen (Ochs)

Yvonne Weidstruck (Octavian)

Lenus Carlson (Faninal)

Fionnuala McCarthy (Sophie)

Lucy Peacock (Leitmetzerin)

Uwe Peper (Valzacchi)

Ulrike Helzel (Annina)

Boiko Zvetlanov (Singer)

Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper, Berlin

Feb 13/15 1998 at Kanagawa Kenmin Hall, Yokohama

 

Acknowledgements: Data for 1963-87 kindly supplied by Hikaru Suzuki <tenpika@rnac.ne.jp>

 

Opera japonica, 9 August 2001