Press (Selection)
Concert Tour, Chile, April 2016
Entrevista-DiarioConcepción-14.04.2016
Diario Concepción, 14.04.2016
Concert Tour, Santiago de Chile, August 2015
Entrevista-„El Mercurio“-05.08.2015
El Mercurio, 05.08.2015
THE VICTORY OVER THE SUN, after the futuristic opera by Kasimir Malevich, October 2013
The productions of the company NOVOFLOT are becoming always bigger. What began in the Sophiensaele and Radialsystem with small, innovative music theatre projects, has changed the emphasis in recent years from an insider tip to a “heavyweight”.
Now for its new project based on the 1913th Futuristic opera „The Victory over the Sun“, NOVOFLOT perform in 5 different venues through Berlin…
The music, powerful and precise performed by five soloists, a senior choir, ensemble mosaik and apparat under the proven leadership of Vicente Larrañaga, can also stand by itself, generates its own immanent tension … Very many impressions so much to hear and see – again an interesting and successful musical theatre project of Novoflot.
Klassik in Berlin, Oktober 2013
The gently-unorthodox approach of the company doesn’t involve spitting at the audience either, like in 1913. In return, you have to be willing to travel across Berlin into the 35th century. To annul gravity, in order to juggle the elements of music theatre, without letting them fall heavily to the floor, is a specialty of Novoflot.
Der Tagespiegel, 14.10.2013
Nobody should claim to have been bored, and not have seen a lively, imaginative and sustainable music theatre.
Berliner Morgenpost, 16.10.2013
THE CASTLE, after Franz Kafka, Haus der Berliner Festspiele, January 2013
For years NOVOFLOT leaves adorn their thought experiments in a gold frame of exceptional soloists and instrumentalists (ensemble mosaik under the conductor Vicente Larrañaga)
Noethers-Kritiken, 18.01.2013
The reviewer rubs his eyes in bewilderment: this was music theatre full of striking imagery – outstanding composition, an admirable unit and togetherness of music and image… In short: this is opera 2013 – the whole magic without illusion. If it would need a plea, why theatre venues are needed: here it is. Cinema is not capable of this.
Jazztext, 19.01.2013
PARISIAN LIFE, Jacques Offenbach, Radialsystem V, December 2011
The new arrangements and scenic changes of the Ensemble Mosaik (conducted by Vicente Larrañaga) should please the more open-minded, as well as the successful integration of diverse and talented actors, dancers, singers and musicians… Novoflot surprises by a scaling back their innovative fury and a stronger commitment to solid craftsmanship.
Neues Deutschland, 21.12.2011
The musical framework is perfect: under the direction of Vicente Larrañaga, the ensemble mosaik delivers arias that are poignant, distinctive, delightful.
Tagesspiegel, 19.12.2011
… The musicians of the Ensemble Mosaik play infinitely better than their Staatsoper counterparts, and Novoflot’s cast sings with a great deal more style and accuracy than their better-paid peers across town.
Financial Times/ Opera Now
Concert, ensemble ascolta, Salzburg Music Biennale, March 2011
For this film project presented for the first time in Austria, festivals and museums have been associated by commissioning contemporary composers to write new music for these films. […] with or without conductor (Vicente Larrañaga): “ensemble ascolta” left admire tonight a great job of synchronism and sound.
DrehPunktKultur, 11.03.2011
WEIHNACHTSORATORIUM (Christmas Oratorio), Radialsystem V, December 2009
Nominated as premiere of the year (Opernwelt / Yearbook 2010)
The opera company Novoflot Berlin (“Kommander Kobayashi”) invited to a deconstructed version of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio for singers, actors, two choirs, free jazz quartet and orchestra, that during four hours performs from the ground floor to the roof of the place and even outdoor… And the last word didn’t belong the vital performance of the Ensemble Kaleidoskop conducted by Vicente Larrañaga, the Children’s Choir of Berlin or Hanna Dóra Sturludóttir (Alto), Steffen Doberauer (Tenor) and Nils Cooper (Bass), if not in the improvised Impromptu of the jazz group “Bauer 4”.
Opernwelt, February 2010
… After the second break in the main hall continues scenes of Parts I-III of the Christmas Oratorio, almost like a “normal” concert, heatedly conducted by Vicente Larrañaga
Süddeutsche Zeitung, December 2009
Concert, ensemble ascolta, Musikfest Stuttgart, September 2009
The seven musicians from Ascolta – in the new compositions conducted by Vicente Larrañaga – were visibly having fun in the process. Music and pictures were perfectly synchronized across the stage: a great concert.
Eßlinger Zeitung, 18.09.2009
… time under the direction of Vicente Larrañaga, sometimes without a conductor, Ascolta has brought this evening of contemporary music, the audience and himself again and again to make you smile.
Stuttgarter Zeitung, 18.09.2009
New Year’s concert, Orquesta Filarmónica de Chile, January 2008
It would be unjust not to mention the discovery of the in Berlin based Chilean maestro Vicente Larrañaga, who showed craft and strength training along a musically attractive program, with Mendelssohn The Hebrides Overture (well done accents, balances and transparencies), the Concerto No. 23 Mozart piano (Teresa Larrañaga as soloist) and Symphony No. 7 by Beethoven (with a musically impeccable speech of Larrañaga plus the enthusiasm of the musicians, especially in the sweeping Allegro con brio final).
Gran Valparaíso, 05. January 2008
On a full Teatro Oriente, took place the “New Year Concert” of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Chile conducted by Vicente Larrañaga, who develops his musical activities in Berlin … The conductor dominates a clear gesture and concept, knows exactly what he would like and gets it with an ever-attentive response from the musicians … Energetic, in search of instrumental brilliance and very prompt for the musicians was the version of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, Op. 92 … the end result was swinging and reached a euphoric reaction of the audience.
El Mercurio de Santiago, 07. January 2008
»WAS WIR FÜHLEN« (»HOW WE FEEL«) / 2008-2011
WAS WIR FÜHLEN # 3 Glück, Sophiensaele, February 2011
Exiting music theatre
RBB stilbruch, February 2011
WAS WIR FÜHLEN # 2 Erschöpfung, Sophiensaele, September 2010
“Exhaustion” is the name that the opera group Novoflot have given to the second part of their exceptionally intelligent trilogy, which sends piercing rays of light through “the impossible artwork” that is opera. In a furious performance featuring the music of Joseph Haydn to Depeche Mode, operatic situations are subjected to an ironic, caustic and highly original investigation to determine exhaustion levels. […] And opera proves to be lurid, demented, exaggerated and ecstatic. This production can be wholeheartedly recommended, also as an antidote to any lurking fears about the genre itself. Because an evening of such exquisite opera pasticcio, in which timing and rhythm are absolutely spot on, is pure bliss.
Siegessäule, October 2010
… Qualitatively speaking, what you get here is the cream of the crop. The singers are better than good, and they can sing, act, contort, skip rope, and overturn pianos. […] This production proves again that you can bind together pop, barock, romanticism and contemporary music in a wonderful way.
taz, October 2010
WAS WIR FÜHLEN # 1 „Scream Queen“, Sophiensaele, September 2008
In »Scream Queen« collides Barock’s vocal works against new compositions of the Polish composer Aleksandra Gryka, Vicente Larrañaga has the musical direction … HOW WE FEEL #1 Scream Queen is not only a music pleasure, but also a picture-intensive performance that in a context of fear and destruction shows, what despairs human beings and how this fundamental situation looks in an operatic format.
Neues Deutschland, 25. September 2008
»KOMMANDER KOBAYASHI« (2005-2007)
KOMMANDER KOBAYASHI SERIES 3, Sophiensæle, Trafó Budapest, September 2007
The operatic series Commander Kobayashi finishes with two remarkable new compositions at Tráfo. The first-class singers and the extremely precise musical ensemble (Musical director: Vicente Larrañaga) keep the tension until the stirring finale with a blinking senior choir from the dark afterlife.
Magyar Hirlap, Budapest, September 2007
KOMMANDER KOBAYASHI SERIES 2, Sophiesaele Berlin, Warsaw Autumn, Theatre National du Luxembourg, September 2006
With the project »Kommander Kobayashi« the opera company Novoflot search and test new production’s concepts and ways for the contemporary opera… Now the Sopiensaele shows in a evening the second series with the parts »Die Zerstörung von Moskau ist keine Lösung« and »Scream you«.
… This crazy but at the same time profound actions are accompanied by the corresponding tones: new music plenty of dissonance, played very well. Vicente Larrañaga conducted the well –staffed orchestra.
Neues Deutschland, 16. September 2006
What a splendid way to create opera. Luckily season 3 is already in the making: Caution highly addictive series.
taz Berlin, 16. Septembre 2006
KOMMANDER KOBAYASHI SERIES 1, Staatsoper Hamburg, UltraSchall Festival, January-February 2005
Nominated as premiere of the year (Opernwelt / Yearbook 2005)
Open heart opera. Music theatre at the Berlin avant-garde festival UltraSchall.
Each episode of this soap opera cosmos founded its own composers: Moritz Eggert, Aleksandra Gryka, Ricarda Kabelis, Juha T. Koskinen, Helmut Oehring and Jennifer Walshe wrote very different music – from the smooth pop-parody (Eggert) over the ritualized performance (Walshe) to the masterful maelstrom of Oehring »Feature drama«. Musician of the off-ensembles NOVOFLOT under Vicente Larrañaga contributed to the great success of yours.
… So it is the “Kobayashi”-people managed to make out from clichés of science fiction, opera and crazy speeches a serious three-hour evening. And just like we know it from well-done series: One cannot wait for the next sequel.
Opernwelt 3/2005
ANTIGONA, Tommaso Traetta, Sophiensaele Berlin, April/May 2004
What Vicente Larrañaga achieves with the Novoflot orchestra mirrors his success with Krenek’s “Glockenturm” and Milhaud’s Minute Operas. Each phrase is tensely articulated, even in the rugged overture with its restless woodwind figurations, he retains command of the basic rhythm, and the orchestral playing is faultless. Also the coordination with the singers and the forceful chorus works perfectly.
Berliner Zeitung, May 2004
…Superb singers and instrumentalists make the opera into a musically sensual experience. … The chorus and orchestra lead by Vicente Larrañaga are, from the sprightly overture to the mournful finale, engaged solicitors of Traetta’s all to rarely performed music.
Berliner Morgenpost, May 2004
… With Vicente Larrañaga a young, energetic director conducted the small orchestra carrying Traetta’s music congenially. Elevating it to the highest heights and in collaboration with his joyfully playing musicians weaving it into a dense sound. The woodwinds alone deserve a hymn. And the singing was good!
Orpheus, September/October 2004
DER GLOCKENTURM (The Bell Tower), Ernst Krenek, Sophiensaele Berlin, September 2002
… The production of Der Glockenturm by the Sopiensaele and the production team NOVOFLOT captivates with its musical quality, through the engaged work of the orchestra conducted by Vicente Larrañaga as much as through the good singers… Whoever is interested in the music theatre of the twentieth century shouldn’t miss this production
Berliner Zeitung, 18. September 2002
… I found the score absolutely fascinating. It was also astonishingly well played by an opera group called NOVOFLOT, conducted by Vicente Larrañaga. …
Opera Now London, January 2003
… Musically the performance is a success, since Vicente Larrañaga draws out the music alternating between twelve-tone and atmospherical passages with remarkable discipline and command
Orpheus International, January 2003