Vienna State Opera: Philippe Jordan's end with mixed feelings!

Vienna State Opera: Philippe Jordan's end with mixed feelings!

On June 28, 2025, the grand finale of Richard Wagner's ring tetralogy took place at the famous Vienna State Opera. This idea, under the direction of Philippe Jordan, was not only the highlight of the season, but also an important moment for the conductor himself, who celebrated his last staging as general music director.

The performance offered a mixed picture. The criticism stated that Jordan's musical clarity was affected by a certain aim. This affected not only the performance of Wagner, but also other masterpieces by Mozart, Strauss and Verdi. On the last evening there were obviously difficulty combining the music into a convincing whole, which was particularly noticeable in the final vocals of Brünnhilde. The “Hehrre Wunder” moment so often praised could not be implemented as intended.

Mixed reviews and emotions

The orchestra game of the State Opera was left behind the usual standards. Technical problems such as uncleanliness in the brass and unsynchronous interaction clouded the overall picture. Despite these challenges, the final applause found its way into the audience and was accompanied by cheers and flowers. The question remains whether the enthusiasm was to be understood as an expression of the cultural policy, because as a consistently positive consent to Jordan's artistic achievement.

But the Vienna State Opera not only completed the season with Wagner's work. In the weeks earlier, Philippe Jordan had conducted the full Nibelungentretralogy twice and put his focus on Wagner. In addition, the premiere of Tannhäuser on May 22, 2025. This staging was Jordan's fourth new Wagner production at the State Opera and was staged by Lydia Steier.

a successful start for Tannhäuser

The premiere of Tannhäuser proved to be very successful. Critics emphasized the fine details and strong accents in Jordan's implementation. Intimate emotional moments came into their own, and the choir under the direction of Thomas Lang was also convincing. The line -up with Clay Hilley as Tannhäuser, Malin Byström as Elisabeth and Günther Groissböck as Landgrave Hermann, among other things, provided positive feedback on the direction and the representations of the singer.

Philip Jordan's career at the Vienna State Opera may have ended with this season, but his dedication to Wagner’s music and the moving moments he created will certainly remain in the audience for a long time.