MONTEZUMA FALLENDER ADLER - an opera by Bernhard Lang - Nationaltheater Mannheim
In march 2010 - only a few weeks after the première of ‘The Intruder’ in Toneelhuis, the new opera ‘Montezuma’ by Bernhard Lang opened in Mannheim. Based on a libretto by the late Austrian poet Christian Loidl, it describes the fascinating collision between several personalities in the history of the Conquista: Cortez, Montezuma, the monk Damianus and the translator Malintzin. Walter Nußbaum conducted the orchestra of the Nationaltheater Mannheim. Peter Missotten directed this world creation and was responsible for stage, video, light and costume design.
'Montezuma' was back on the repertoire: presentations on january 12 and 20, 2012 at the Nationaltheater Mannheim! Premiere 26. März 2010 Libretto Christian Loidl / Peter Leisch
Conductor: Walter Nußbaum Direction, Set, Light, Video and Costumes: Peter Missotten Assisted by Joost Steltenpool
Dramaturgy: Regine Elzenheimer Choir: Tilman Michael Turntables: Wolfgang Fuchs
Montezuma: Daniel Gloger Damiano (Spanish Monk)/ Montezumas Shadow: Tim Severloh Cortéz: Ekkehard Abele Malintzin: Cornelia Ptassek Tlaloc (Palastdame)/ Malintzins Schadow: Katrin Wagner Pinotzin (aztekischer Gesandter) / Cortéz Shadow: Martin Busen
"The director Peter Missotten has resisted any temptation of a pseudo-actualization of the material. [...] Incidentally, Peter Missotten concentrates the stage events on the gestures of an almost artistic body control - the violent master mentality of Cortéz (Ekkehard Abele), for example, or the no less violent hubris of Montezuma, played and sung by Daniel Gloger in the most virtuoso manner, in his delusional delimitation of the ego. Also impressive was Cornelia Ptassek, who performed the intricate melismas of Malintzin with a naturalness as if she never sang anything else. On the podium, Walter Nußbaum held the complex musical events together unobtrusively but precisely. Great, undivided applause from the premiere audience for both piece and performance!" Stuttgarter Zeitung, 27. März 2010. - some more press reviews can be found here -
