The Canadian Opera Company this morning announced two big changes in its January production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde: Music director Johannes Debus is taking over from Jirí Belohlaávek as conductor and German tenor Michael Baba replaces Burkhard Fritz as Ben Heppner’s Tristan alternate.
Both artists had to withdraw for health reasons, leading a list of cast-change announcements today.
Debus was originally scheduled to conduct La clemenza di Tito, which runs in rep with Tristan in February. Instead, 28-year-old Israeli conductor Daniel Cohen will take over the Mozart opera.
“Tristan und Isolde is one of the most revolutionary and influential works in music history and it is the rare conductor who can command the piece with the necessary skill and musicianship. I look forward to watching Johannes lead his first Tristan on the COC’s opening night in January,” stated COC general director Alexander Neef of Debus’s Tristan conducting début in this production.
The company also announced that German mezzo Hanna Schwarz will replace Julia Juon as Salome’s mother Herodias in the Richard Strauss opera that opens on April 21.
Tristan und Isolde opens on Jan. 29 for a seven-performance run. The two incredibly demanding main roles in this 4-hour work have been double cast in this production, which is directed by the great Peter Sellars. (Details here.)
The Christopher Alden production of Clemenza di Tito opens on Feb. 3 for an eight-performance run. In addition, the COC Ensemble Studio will take over a ninth performance, on Feb. 6. (Details here.)
Given Ben Heppner’s singing history in Toronto over the past decade, there’s a good chance we’ll hear a lot of Michael Baba, who made his début in the role in Salzburg on Oct. 31.
Here is a little clip of Baba in Parsifal, followed by Daniel Cohen conducting the Overture to Rigoletto for Israeli Opera:
John Terauds