In the past several years, the Deutsche
Oper Berlin and director Christof Loy have been mining the neglected margins of
the early-twentieth-century operatic repertoire … and more often than not
they’ve managed to strike gold. Their winning streak was recently extended with
Respighi’s La Fiamma, the first new production of the Deutsche Oper’s
2024/25 season; but if Mr Loy’s articulate staging gave the evening its sense
of occasion, the central attraction turned out to be the opera itself. Under
the guidance of conductor Carlo Rizzi, both orchestra and singers revealed a
work that in no way deserves the neglect it has suffered during the past
half-century.
Although Respighi’s principal claim to
immortality lies with his popular orchestral evocations of Rome, opera was a
consistent presence throughout his career; but of the eight operas he…
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