Ottorino Respighi: La fiamma from the Deutsche Oper Berlin

Director Christof Loy continues his series of opulent operas from the first third of the 20th century at the Deutsche Oper Berlin.

In “La fiamma”, imposing choruses and colossal tableaux accompany a story about intrigues, power play and an affair between stepmother and son in Ottorino Respighi’s last grand opera.

When the opera was first performed in Rome in 1934, Europe had long been staring fascism in the face. The opera’s story, the brutal show trial fuelled by hysterics of the masses, is an unvarnished reflection upon the very same ugly grimace of social upheaval. Respighi created music going far beyond his illustrative-seeming “Trilogia romana” for which he is known in concert halls today. Yet in essence, the composer remained true to his colourful tonal language – the result is a musical amalgamation of French impressionism, influences of Russian music and a classicistic reimagining of Italian renaissance music.