Salzburg Festival: Smiles and Tears as Bartoli Stars in New Opera Production

The Salzburg Festival has unveiled its latest production of Rossini's opera 'Il viaggio a Reims,' a staging conceived by director Barrie Kosky and featuring star mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli. This marks a repeat collaboration, following last year's successful 'Hotel Metamorphosis,' which also premiered at the Pentecost Festival and was directed by Kosky for Bartoli.

This year's production adapts 'Il viaggio a Reims,' an opera that Bartoli helped popularize decades ago. Kosky's staging transforms one of the original protagonists, Corinna, into 'La Ceci,' a role tailored for Bartoli. The adaptation involves altering texts, incorporating music from diverse sources, including Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Rossini himself, and presenting a version designed for broad audience appeal.

The opera features a large ensemble cast, with ten principal roles. This year's performance boasts a roster of prominent singers, led by Bartoli. The festival itself is navigating a period of transition, with Karin Bergmann serving as interim artistic director while the search continues for a successor to Markus Hinterhäuser, who departed the role a few months prior.