Ruben Gazarian

The new production of the opera of all operas – “Don Giovanni” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – is the first major musical theater production by the Altenburg Gera Theater at the beginning of the 2023-2024 season. The premiere in Altenburg took place in September 2023, while the Gera audience will not be able to experience this new production until January 2024.

PRESS QUOTES:

• Thüringische Landeszeitung; Ostthüringer Zeitung (Wolfgang Hirsch), January 2024
• “[…] Let’s get started and enjoy ourselves! GMD Ruben Gazarian and the orchestra, who are in good spirits, ensure this at the premiere. In the D minor overture, the conductor reduces all tragic force to the bare essentials, unfolding a cleverly accentuated web of melody with transparent delicacy and, in contrast to the dimly lit showroom, soon allowing a brilliant storm of timbres to light up the orchestra pit with increasing clarity, brightness, and breathtaking intensity. Gazarian knows what he is doing; he is at home with Mozart. The ensemble of singers is also perfectly rehearsed.”
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• opern.news (Ute Grundmann), January 2024
• “With the occasionally vivid opening notes, the Altenburg Gera Philharmonic Orchestra under GMD Ruben Gazarian immediately makes it clear how much verve, clarity, and beautiful sound are to dominate the evening. […]
• Alongside the magnificent singers, the orchestra becomes the trump card of this Mozart opera. The bright strings repeatedly catch the ear, and under Gazarian’s baton, the musicians bring a fire and drama that is sometimes lacking on stage.”
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• Osterländer Volkszeitung (Felix Friedrich), September 2023
• “High praise for the other musical performers at the premiere, above all GMD Ruben Gazarian, the Philharmonic Orchestra, and the opera choir. As usual, Ruben Gazarian conducted Mozart’s score with absolutely concise conducting movements and great passion, its often virtuoso and not easily summarized vocal flourishes, leaving hardly any room to breathe during the dramatic Last Supper scene and Don Giovanni’s descent into hell. The orchestra followed his intuitions perfectly.”
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• Kunst und Technik (Moritz Jähnig), September 2023
• “The best comes last: the Philharmonic Orchestra, seated next to the stage, performs Mozart with theatrical verve and powerful rhythmic emphasis in the Altenburg theater tent under the baton of GMD Ruben Gazarian. It is also a pleasure because you can really hear the individual voices very well, which otherwise—pardon me—sometimes remain in the pit. […]
• An entertaining evening, bravo. Go see it.”