On Wagner: Ring Cycle, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe

“The real star of the two performances was the orchestra under Justin Brown, which gave an excellent and completely rounded performance – which for one-off performances is a rare occurrence.  Already in the orchestral preludes, the atmosphere of what was to come was masterfully conveyed.”

– Manfred Kraft on Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, BNN, 3-30-13

‟How Justin Brown approaches the Siegfried score by building a sustained pianissimo, and then shapes the climaxes without ever allowing the excellent brass of the Badische Staatskapelle to become overbearing, is one of the remarkable aspects of this performance:  Brown shapes the Leitmotif layers masterfully while striving always for transparency, in order to bring out to the full the  colorfulness and instrumental finesses of the work.  At the same time he can be relied upon for thrillingly dramatic orchestral surges, as for example in the final scene on Brünnhilde’s rock. That Karlsruhe’s General Music Director has developed a powerful affinity for Wagner underpins this celebrated performance.”

– Die Rheinpfalz on Siegfried, 4-4-13

‟Under General Music Director Justin Brown, this year’s Ring Cycle must be counted as one of the best of recent decades, and as such was rightly acclaimed by the Wagner-hungry public.”

– Manfred Kraft on Siegfried, BNN, 4-2-13

On Wagner: Tannhäuser, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe

“Justin Brown conducted the Vienna version of the score, and showed that he was in command in the grand ensembles and chorus scenes, with a good ear for the world’s brilliant orchestral sophistication.”

– Reiner Knäbel, Opera Magazine, 3.2013

“…Without ever rushing the tempos, Brown paced the big tableaus with a fine eye for the architecture and a compelling sense of drama, especially in the final scenes of the second Act.  Great acclaim for this excellent new production.  What a sensation such a sublime and interesting Tannhäuser would have been in Bayreuth!”

– Hans-Klaus Jungheinrich, Frankfurter Rundschau, 10.9.12

“…Justin Brown made clear how the music of Tannhäuser is rooted in the tradition of French grand opera.  He did not attempt to paper over the cracks – after all, these are characteristic of the work – rather, he paraded them explicitly for the marveling listener.  That Tannhäuser is in many senses a double game was thus made clear before the curtain even opened:  the Badische Staatskapelle aggressively countered the pious pilgrims’ chorale with what Berlioz called the “ungodly yowling” of the string figures, which call that very piety into question. The conductor’s felicitous way with Wagner once again got to the heart of the matter in this Tannhäuser, conjuring up benevolently transparent, gentle passages as well as ebullient ones, the voices occasionally sidelined by urgent orchestral eruptions.  … That the drama is so clearly played out in the orchestra pit, whatever happens visually on stage, is the greatest plus-point of this performance.”

– Jürgen Hartmann, Stuttgarter Zeitung, 10.9.12

“Brown’s interpretative grip is always strong and convincing, especially where he points the musical contrast between the two opposing worlds on the stage.”

– Frank Pommer, Rheinpfalz, 10.9.12

“Justin Brown at the helm of the Staatskapelle achieved a great deal:  he was a superb accompanist and produced a sumptuous and yet not too heavy Wagner-sound.”

– Stefan M. Dettlinger, Mannheimer Morgen, 10.9.12

“The quality of the Badische Staatskapelle under Justin Brown has been extolled many times over in these pages.  Even so, in transparence, contrapuntal clarity and delicate pathos, the illumination of the Tannhäuser score here could scarcely be surpassed.  Musically speaking, a thoroughly convincing, thrilling all-round performance, greeted with stormy applause from the premiere audience.”

– Eckhart Britsch, Opernnetz.de, 10.8.12

“The Karlsruhe GMD Justin Brown paid attention both to clarity of detail, and to the contrasts which are so present in this stylistically not quite unified score… Fascinating above all were the ensembles, whose structure was excellently delineated by Brown.”

– Alexander Dick, Badische Zeitung, 10.10.12

“The very first crescendo of the Overture was full of tension – and later too, Brown maintained the tension even in leisurely tempos with beautifully judged musical arches.  In the Bacchanal, Wagner’s new command of tonality was strongly brought out.  Brown highlighted the harmonic structure of the score – somewhat less complex than in Wagner’s later operas – sometimes to extremes, but never melodramatically.”

– Manfred Langer, Der Opernfreund, 10.9.12

“Great things were achieved also from the orchestra pit, where GMD Justin Brown steered the Badische Staatskapelle with vehemence, but also much discretion through the many twists and turns of the score.  With mostly leisurely tempi – but always pressing forward where necessary – the countless romantic beauties of the score (above all in the woodwinds) were relished with abandon… The synchronization between orchestra and stage was remarkably successful, as was the pacing of the ensembles and the balance with the singers… Once again:  a veritable feast of a season-opener, and an award-worthy gift for the Wagner-year.”

– Udo Klebes, Der neue Merker (Vienna), 10.10.12

“Musically, the performance is a pleasure, and that’s thanks once again to the Badische Staatskapelle under Justin Brown, who intensified the drama:  at times Wagner’s music is finely teased out, at others it sweeps powerfully over the listener; Brown and the orchestra do full justice to the colours presented on the stage.”

– Christine Gehringer, Pamina-Magazine.de, 10.10.12

“The defining achievement of the evening came from the orchestra, from which the GMD Justin Brown extracted a fascinating cosmos of musical sensations, in an incisively illuminating mix of passionate fervor and solemn emphasis, stormy excitement and earnest asceticism.”

– Rüdiger Krohn, Rheinpfalz, 10.15.12

On Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe

“Along with the successful staging, music director Justin Brown’s performance with the Badische Staatskapelle was a real tour-de-force. The score was so brightly illuminated that the whole evening became a three-and-a-half-hour delight for the ears… finely crafted chamber music-like textures with their subtle polyphony, as well as the powerful entries of tuba and timpani; a luscious and rounded string foundation, opulent tuttis and vivid motivic detail. The orchestra and conductor were deservedly acclaimed.”

– Manfred Langer, Der Opernfreund, 7.2.12

On Wagner: Lohengrin, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe

“Justin Brown drew from the magnificent Staatskapelle a beautiful Wagner sound: finely nuanced, the contours clearly delineated while also gently and lyrically interwoven… With a sure hand, Brown achieved throughout a fine balance between delicate strings and clear-cut winds.”

- Ralf-Carl Langhals, Mannheimer Morgen, 4.3.12

“This Karlsruhe Lohengrin makes a strong musical impression, precisely because the Badische Staatskapelle under their Music Director Justin Brown play flawlessly, excellently balanced in the tuttis and with a wealth of detail, in which one can hear already the presence of the “Ring” orchestra.”

- Alexander Dick, Badische Zeitung, Freiburg, 4.3.12

“Justin Brown’s conducting is feisty, precise, not so much an introspective Lohengrin as a lively and fresh interpretation, which the Badische Staatskapelle articulates adroitly.”

- Judith von Sternberg, Frankfurter Rundschau, 4.3.12

On Delius: A village Romeo and Juliet, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe

“This sensitive rendition of states of mind illustrates the specifics of the composition that, technically speaking, should be understood less as an opera and more as a piece of symphonic poetry whose meaning one cannot escape. Particularly when so phenomenally presented by the General Music Director Justin Brown and the radiantly disposed Badische Staatskapelle. With great elegance, the conductor and the musicians reveled in the intoxicating waves of sound that were presented with filigreed and transparent opulence. Brown achieved an optimal balance between the tonally and dynamically finely attuned instrumental groups and with equal emphasis focused on the juxtaposition of the different colors, which made his graceful direction appear very sophisticated and nuanced. The singers seemed to feel very comfortable under the considerate aegis of Brown. He always paid attention to their needs and never drowned them out, thus resulting in a simply wonderful symbiosis, particularly between the lyrical songs of the lovers and the orchestra.”

–Ludwig Steinbach, Der Opernfreund, 1.29.2012

On Donizetti: L’elisir d’amore, Bavarian State Opera Munich

“Musically it offered a very clean performance by the orchestra under the attentive direction of Justin Brown and a well-rehearsed chorus of the Bavarian State Opera.”

– Johannes Marksteiner, Der Neue Merker, 7.30.2011

“Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe’s General Musical Director Justin Brown made his very successful debut on Tuesday at the Munich National Theater with Gaetano Donizetti’s comic opera The Elixir of Love. Brown had already demonstrated his mastery of the Italian opera buffa with his impressive direction of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville in the summer of 2009. He proved this again with an equally strong performance at the Bavarian State Opera.”

– Die Rheinpfalz, 12.30.2011

On Berlioz: Les Troyens, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe

“Justin Brown is not only an irreplaceable partner, but also the driving force. Seldom does one hear the refinement of French musical articulation so precisely and yet also so flexibly realized.”

–Klaus Heinrich Kohrs, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 10.21.2011

“Whoever wants to hear how interesting the musical theater-composer Berlioz can sound these days should go to Karlsruhe, where the new Justin Brown makes all of the discoveries in Les Troyens…”

–Detlef Brandenburg, Die Deutsche Bühne, 11.1.2011

“The Karlsruhe Music Director not only maintained a commanding overview of the manifold events, but also knew how to inspire his musicians… On one hand, he intensified the inner rhetorical tension, while allowing the virtuosic brilliance of the orchestral movement to come into its own—almost as if he had taken the Paris critic Théophile Gautier’s remark to heart: ‘To each instrument in the orchestra Berlioz has given a soul, to each note an expression; he wanted every phrase to convey a particular meaning.’”

–Uwe Schweikert, Opernwelt, 12.2011

“Justin Brown is phenomenal.”

–Stefan Dettlinger, Mannheimer Morgen, 10.17.2011

“Justin Brown…gave an outstanding performance with the Badische Staatskapelle… He made Berlioz’ richly colored, at times impressionistic musical language shine wonderfully.”

–J.M. Wienecke, Opernglas, 12.2011

“Opera director Justin Brown makes the music of Berlioz sound magnificent…”

–Karl Harb, Salzburger Nachrichten, 11.3.2011

“Justin Brown views Berlioz (next to Shostakovich) as a matter of the heart. Again, he has achieved a gripping and phenomenal performance.”

–Hans-Klaus Jungheinrich, Frankfurter Rudschau, 10.18.2011

“Justin Brown and the Badische Staatskapelle illuminated the phenomenal acoustic palette of the score… the full magic of Berlioz’s musical creativity was given complete expression in the orchestra pit.”

–Pforzheimer Zeitung,11.17.2011

On Janacek: Katya Kabanova, Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe

“Justin Brown is a renowned enthusiast and intimate connoisseur of the great Moravian composer Leo Janacek’s work.”

– Die Welt online, 6.13.2011

“Justin Brown and the Badische Staatskapelle perform the music with fluent movement and powerful expression.”

– Badisches Tagblatt, 6.15.2011

“This music has found an exemplary champion in conductor Justin Brown, General Music Director of the excellent Staatskapelle.”

– Badische Neueste Nachrichten, 6.15.2011

On Wagner: The Ring of the Nibelung, Baden State Theater Karlsruhe

“The revival of three evenings of The Ring of the Nibelung was followed over Easter by the first cyclical performance of the tetralogy, conducted by the English maestro. He, of course, was the “hero” and celebrated protagonist of this long sold-out performance. Rightfully so, since his direction of the Ring is exceptional…What is particularly unique about Brown’s direction is the authenticity of expression… The eloquence of the sound in this rendition is sensational.”

– Die Rheinpfalz, 4.25.2011

“The series of revivals of Wagner’s Ring opera resumed with a magnificent performance of Siegfried by the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe.”

– Die Rheinpfalz, 10.27.2009