{"id":8380,"date":"2012-12-11T10:22:47","date_gmt":"2012-12-11T15:22:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=8380"},"modified":"2012-12-11T10:22:47","modified_gmt":"2012-12-11T15:22:47","slug":"cast-and-conductor-changes-for-canadian-opera-companys-winter-productions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2012\/12\/11\/cast-and-conductor-changes-for-canadian-opera-companys-winter-productions\/","title":{"rendered":"Cast and conductor changes for Canadian Opera Company’s winter productions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Michael Baba as Tristan in Salzburg earlier this fall (Tom Benz photo).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Canadian Opera Company this morning announced two big changes in its January production of Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde<\/em>: Music director Johannes Debus is taking over from Jir\u00ed Belohla\u00e1vek as conductor and German tenor Michael Baba replaces Burkhard Fritz as Ben Heppner’s Tristan alternate.<\/p>\n

Both artists had to withdraw for health reasons, leading a list of cast-change announcements today.<\/p>\n

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Daniel Cohen<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Debus was originally scheduled to conduct La clemenza di Tito<\/em>, which runs in rep with Tristan<\/em> in February. Instead, 28-year-old Israeli conductor Daniel Cohen will take over the Mozart opera.<\/p>\n

“Tristan und Isolde<\/em> 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<\/em> on the COC\u2019s opening night in January,” stated COC general director Alexander Neef of Debus’s Tristan<\/em> conducting d\u00e9but in this production.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Tristan und Isolde<\/em> 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<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

The Christopher Alden production of Clemenza di Tito<\/em> 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<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

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 d\u00e9but in the role in Salzburg on Oct. 31.<\/p>\n

Here is a little clip of Baba in Parsifal<\/em>, followed by Daniel Cohen conducting the Overture to Rigoletto<\/em> for Israeli Opera:<\/p>\n