ODB Opera – Eduard Ferenczi Gurban in Das Wunder der Heliane at the Opéra du Rhin

A major French premiere praised by odb-opera.com

Eduard Ferenczi Gurban recently appeared in the French premiere of Das Wunder der Heliane (The Miracle of Heliane) by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, presented at the Opéra National du Rhin in January 2026. This ambitious production, conducted by Robert Houssart and staged by Jakob Peters-Messer, received an extensive and highly appreciative review by Pierre Benveniste for the specialist publication odb-opera.com.

Premiered in Hamburg in 1927, Korngold’s opera is a rarely performed work whose disappearance from the repertoire was largely due to the rapid shift in musical tastes following the First World War. Its revival in Strasbourg, in coproduction with the Nederlandse Reisopera, represents an important step in the rediscovery of this luxuriant post-Romantic masterpiece, brought to life by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Strasbourg and the Chorus of the Opéra National du Rhin.

In this production, Eduard Ferenczi Gurban was part of the six-member tribunal of Judges, alongside Glen Cunningham, Thomas Chenhall, Michal Karski, Pierre Romainville, and Daniel Dropulja. Singing mostly in unison, the ensemble is described as forming “a phalanx of rare power and efficiency,” contributing decisively to the dramatic tension of the trial scene and to the opera’s overall vocal impact.

The review highlights the exceptional cohesion of the vocal cast, led by Camille Schnoor’s deeply committed interpretation of the title role, as well as the ensemble’s strong dramatic presence. Jakob Peters-Messer’s luminous and mystical staging, supported by Guido Petzold’s striking set design and lighting, serves Korngold’s opulent score with great intelligence—its orchestral richness evoking Wagner and Richard Strauss while foreshadowing the cinematic language Korngold would later develop in Hollywood.

According to Pierre Benveniste, this performance of Das Wunder der Heliane stands among the three or four finest productions presented by the Opéra National du Rhin in the past decade, combining overwhelming emotional power with outstanding orchestral and choral achievement.