Interview with Canadian soprano Adrianne Pieczonka -- Bayreuth’s sensational new Senta

LL: Marek Janowski is one maestro who cannot tolerate such “Eurotrash” direction. As a reaction to the rampant Regietheater in Germany, he insists on doing concert performances of Wagner’s operas with his Rundfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin. PentaTone Classics has been releasing the fruits of his labour one by one (on hybrid multichannel SA-CDs) over the years, to rave reviews. As a singer, do you think you can perform better in a concert performance, one that is totally devoid of willful directorial distractions?

AP: I can understand Janowski’s position and have sung Die Walküre Act 1 and 3 in various concerts which I found satisfying; however, this is no substitute for the staged version. Opera begs to be staged and the music can be much more meaningful and dramatic if it is staged wisely or tastefully as an opera versus in concert — both for the audience members and the singers them selves.

But if I had to choose between watching a “Eurotrash” Walküre or seeing it performed in concert, I’d opt for the concert!