Johan Reuter as the Flying Dutchman and buffing up at the gym
You can currently watch barihunk (bear-a-hunk) Johan Reuter in Wagner's The Flying Dutchman from the Finnish National Opera on the OperaPlatform. We recently featured the Danish singer buffing up in preparation for this role. The video will be available until February 12, 2017.
In this production, director Kasper Holten
interprets the opera without four-masters, hawsers and
nautical romanticism. Instead, the errant sailor becomes an artist, trapped in
the world of international jet set. A man, driven by his inspiration and
forced to live without ever finding a place called home. Holten draws
attention to Senta as well, wondering who is this girl that is willing to
sacrifice herself through devotion and is it really selflessness that
drives her?
In 2017, Reuter will make two role debuts. On January 21, he debuts in a new production of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking at the Royal Danish Opera. In May, he'll make his role debut in Hans Werner Henze's Elegy for Young Lovers at the Theater an den Wien.
Johan Reuter hits the gym (and a faux magazine cover from the production)
Johan Reuter, who last appeared on this site shirtless in Carl Nielsen's Saul and David, has been buffing up for his performance as the Flying Dutchman at the Finnish National Opera. The opera opened this week and continues through December 30 with two cast. Reuter has sung the Dutchman in Munich, Hamburg, Berlin, Madrid and Copenhagen
Tickets and additional cast information is available online.
Der fliegende Holländer, Richard Wagner’s first masterpiece, is the story of the Dutchman, a captain cursed to sail the seas of the world forever; he is only allowed to make landfall once every seven years. This curse can only be broken by the love of a faithful woman.
The Finnish National Opera has enlisted director Kasper Holten for their production, which sets the opera in an urban environment and the tempestuous world of the international art trade. In this production, the Dutchman is a famous Dutch artist who travels the world. The sea, storms and ships are all evoked in the production, but never present.
Johan Reuter sings Die frist ist um from Der fliegende Holländer:
Barihunk (bear-a-hunk) Johan Reuter studied at the Royal Academy of Music and the Academy of the Royal Theatre in his hometown of Copenhagen. Since 1996 he has been a soloist at the Royal Theatre in Copenhagen. Last season, in addition to Saul and David, he performed in Oscar nominee Atom Agoyan's production of Wagner's Die Walküre in Toronto and a new co-production of Alban Berg's Lulu by artist William Kentridge in Amsterdam and the Metropolitan Opera.
In 2017, Reuter will make two role debuts. On January 21, he debuts in a new production of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking at the Royal Danish Opera. In May, he'll make his role debut in Hans Werner Henze's Elegy for Young Lovers at the Theater an den Wien.
Our 2017 Barihunks in Bed calendar is now on sale. Order your copy by clicking on the LULU button.
The Royal Opera in Copenhagen is celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Danish
composer Carl Nielsen with a new production of the composer’s
first opera, Saul and David. Barihunk Johan Reuter will be singing the role of Saul opposite the David of tenor Niels Jørgen Riis.
Saul and David, which is is the first of the two operas by Nielsen,tellsthe
story of King Saul who is fiercely jealous of the young David, who has
won the favor of the people by defeating the giant, Goliath. The story comes from the Book of Samuel in the Bible.
Watch Saul & David in its entirety from the Royal Opera's 1986 production:
The first performance was at Det Kongelige Teater in Copenhagen in 1902. The opera is one of Denmark's most important musical works and dates from the period preceding his Second Symphony. The dramatic and lyrical score is perhaps best remembered for its choral scenes.
The Royal Opera production will be conducted by Michael
Schønwandt, one of the world’s greatest Carl Nielsen interpreters. Performance run from April 17-June 9 and tickets are available online.
