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Standing ovations for Israeli opera in Berlin

Updated: 16/Oct/2005 20:22

A scene of L’Elisir d’amour

Photo: Gadi Dagon

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A performance by Israel’s only opera company received standing ovations from two full houses at the Deutsche Opera house in Berlin.

The financially strapped Tel Aviv-Yafo Company put on the production of Doninzetti’s 1832 composition L’Elisir d’amour last week at the Deutsche Opera house.

In just their third performance abroad, the Israelis were invited to the capital as part of the celebrations of the 40th anniversary of German-Israeli diplomatic relations.

Not only did the magic potion that was central to the plot cast a spell on the character Nemorino, sung by tenor Marius Brenciu, it also left the audience awestruck.

Stunning sets

Israeli theater performances are known for their playful, fairytale-like sets. And L’Elisir d’amour was no exception to that rule.

Doninzetti’s 1832 L’Elisir d’amour played by the Tel Aviv-Yafo Company at the Deutsche Opera house in Berlin

Photo: Gadi Dagon

Omri Notzan’s brightly decorated stage, with its fields of sunflowers and bales of hay, would have kept even the most uninterested viewer’s eyes wide open. The set and costumes reminded audiences of idealistic Kibbutz life at the turn of the last century.

Some 250 people were flown in from Israel to perform what is a co-production of the Israel Opera, the Israel Symphony Orchestra of Rishon le-Zion and the Philharmonia Singers choir.

Commenting on the company’s difficult financial situation, its superintendent Hanna Munitz said that culture is not on the Israeli government’s priority list.

“Believe it or not, the city of Tel Aviv subsidizes our company with no more than 5 million Euros. That accounts for less than 40% of our operating budget,” she said.

“We earn the rest of our money is through high priced tickets, sponsors and an almost always full house,” Munitz added.

Secret of success

With about 130 full-time employees, the Israel Opera performs approximately 8 productions per year.

We Israelis live as though there will be no tomorrow – so we have to have to achieve everything immediately – even success

Hanna Munitz, company's superintendent

The company is only able to survive with a strict business plan. Each production gets performed 14 times. All employees work on a seasonal basis. When the season ends, the staff is fired and, then rehired for the following season.

Over the last 80 years there have been many attempts to establish a successful opera company in Tel Aviv. But finally, the current company seems to have found the right formula to survive.

The 20 year old company began with a vision. “We Israelis”, Munitz told the press, “live as though there will be no tomorrow – so we have to have to achieve everything immediately – even success.”