The Miracle of Heliane - postproduction completed

OPERN WELT 2018 titled Erich Wolfgang Korngolds "The Miracle of Heliane" from the Deutsche Oper Berlin the "Rediscovery of the Year".

Erich Wolfgang Korngold spoke of this work as his “masterpiece”. The Miracle of Heliane bears all the hallmarks of Korngold’s musical theatre - and goes one step further in scale, with a huge score and orchestra, intoxicating pathos and exquisitely expressive harmonies that play with polytonality - resulting in a gripping and sensuous drama.

The world premiere in Hamburg in 1927 was a triumph, with more than a dozen houses booking the latest work by Korngold, at the time the second most performed composer of opera after Richard Strauss. With the Jewish Korngold prevented by the Nazis from presenting his works to the public, The Miracle of Heliane vanished from the repertoire, never to return.

This is a timeless fairy tale portraying a cold ruler incapable of loving anyone, his wife Heliane, devoted to a Dionysian stranger, and a people waiting for a redemptory miracle to occur.

An outstanding cast in all roles, staging of Christof Loy and the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper conducted by Mark Albrecht make waken Korngold’s grand and opulent music from decades of slumber and made this production a real triumph, acclaimed by the audience and international ciritcs.

As a title character in Erich Wolfgang Korngold's The Miracle of Heliane at the Deutsche Oper Berlin (the "Rediscover of the year") celebrated Sara Jakubiak her greatest success so far. What was due to the elaborate staging of Christof Loy, but more to her brilliant presentation.

English title The Miracle of Heliane
Genre Opera
Production year 2018
Recording location Deutsche Oper Berlin
Original title Das Wunder der Heliane
Duration 170 min.
Video format HD
Production Company Naxos
Director Götz Filenius
Composer Erich Wolfgang Konrgold
Choir Chorus and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin
Conductor Marc Albrecht
Stage Director Christof Loy
Distribution TV Naxos Audiovisual Division