Der Freischütz

Conjuring magical bullets and demonic hordes in the dark heart of the German forest, Weber’s sinister operatic fairy tale is told through some of the 19th century’s most gloriously gothic music. Laurence Equilbey and Insula Orchestra present a concert performance of the opera that defined German Romanticism, bringing together its hallmarks of folk music, nature, and the supernatural for the first time. Inexplicably neglected in the UK, this should be a gripping revival. Stanislas de Barbeyrac heads a lively cast as Max – the obsessive young huntsman tempted by Satanic powers – and Equilbey’s brilliant period-instrument orchestra could have been born to play Weber’s impassioned score. It’s time to rediscover why both Berlioz and Wagner considered Der Freischütz to be the definitive Romantic opera.