When the curtain rose, it was on a gorgeous blue set by Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein. Each of the three acts was in a primary color, and the characters were costumed in a mixture of 18th-century, modern and Disney cartoon attire. Film director Maximilian Schell, extending his realm to opera direction, staged this masterpiece with a perfect balance of respect and originality, emphasizing the emotional interactions among the principal characters. ...

Das absolute Rock am Ring Highlight am Samstag war der Auftritt von Antichrist Superstar Marilyn Manson – im strömenden Regen und zahlreichen Kostümwechseln. Und als wäre das noch nicht genug gewesen, hat Manson den MTV NEWS im Interview verraten, dass er noch dieses Jahr bei seinem deutschen Künstlerfreund Gottfried Helnwein heiraten wird. ...

Along with direction by cinema great Maximilian Schell, this original go at Richard Strauss’ opera of the young rose-bearer was designed by Viennese visual virtuoso Gottfried Helnwein. The team has created a surrealist environment undefined by any specific time or place. Visually, characters range from over the top froo-froo to contemporary, with nightmarish interpretations of Venetian masqueraders and creeping minions of the lecherous Lerchenau in between. Each act is bathed in its own primary color suited to the general feeling as if you’re watching through a giant mood ring. ...

The museum contains a representative collection of mainly European art. There are individual works by many of the most important artists, including Rembrandt, Gainsborough, David, and many of the impressionists and post-impressionists - Degas, Renoir, Monet, Pissaro, Seurat, Cézanne and others. There are also representative works by key twentieth century figures such as Braque and Picasso, and works of contemporary artists like Gottfried Helnwein and Robert Crumb. ...

All that show biz background is applicable here because this production is nothing if not visual, AND excellently acted, as well as being nicely sung. Chorus costumes ranged from a nine foot tall version of Abel Gance's Napoleon, two guys from Matrix, and the set design by Gottfried Helnwein was equally visual and challenging and very good. ...

The LAO's compelling new production of Strauss' "Der Rosenkavalier" bears the intriguing vision of Hollywood legend, actor/director Maximilian Schell, and the marvellous designs of Austrian-born, Los Angeles-based visual artist Gottfried Helnwein.
Helnwein's brilliant costumes are also character driven. Sophie's duenna Marianne (soprano Susan Foster) is garbed like a Shakespearean nurse, Sophie is an idealized Helen of Troy, while the schemers Valzacchi and Annina (tenor Anthony Laciura and mezzo-soprano Margaret Thompson) could be straight out of Mozart's "Don Giovanni'. In short a production that clearly needs to be visited again and again to fully reveal its symbolic and metaphoric riches.
Perhaps the greatest glory of this "Der Rosenkavalier" is its visual unpredictability. ...

...

FAVORITE MUSICAL EXPERIENCE:
”Der Rosenkavalier Dorthy Chandler 2005- Such a beautiful opera. Amazing Melodies. Incredible Art direction by Gottfried Helnwein. Very few performances make you weep, inspire you to create. My head was spinning. ...

The von Faninal Palace set for Act II was an absolutely astounding use of space. Almost all of the characters entered from the sides of the stage, at least two stories high. They descended to ground level by use of a two huge curved staircases which come together at the top. All around on the second floor is a chest high balustrade and the entire structure is supported by a series of columns which go through the second floor and continue upwards from there. The structure was in white, but lighting designer Alan Burrett bathed the entire scene in a “daylight” type gel. Because of the elaborateness of the set for Act II (and the time required to “build” it and then break it down again), the sets for Acts I and III were the same, merely a big box, dressed differently. It is a brilliant concept. ...

Much of the credit in this year’s new production of Der Rosenkavalier goes to Gottfried Helnwein, scenery and costume designer. Steeped in Austrian visual art, his motto declares: “Art must excite, amaze or shock, startle, or inspire.” Indeed, he does in this work. Each act is tailored to a symbolic color scheme: Act I, blue-expectation/morning, Act II, gold and yellow-neuvo riche, and Act III, red-love, hate, revolution. Over 200 costumes are required in this performance since many of the principals appearing in each act require three (or perhaps more, such a Octavian) different colored outfits and make-up. The different shades of primary colors (palette of the Rococo Era) came to life in these rather stark sets, yet this is exactly the key to Helnwein’s artistic success: reducing visual means, and enhancing a stronger message. The intrinsic value of colors becomes more apparent, and yields a deeper impact on one’s subconscious. ...