Christiane Karg as Dvořák's “Rusalka” in Berlin

In wetlands: Christiane Karg's singing shines and Robin Ticciati's conducting blossoms, but in terms of scenery, Antonín Dvořák's “Rusalka” at the Berlin State Opera is simply washed away.

EThere are many ironic moments in this new “Rusalka” from the Berlin State Opera. Even the holy of holies of all Dvořák faithful is not spared: the mermaid sings the end of her song of longing for the moon from the toilet seat, and the Aquarius sweeps a load of shared flat rubbish under the couch during his deeply resigned lament. You can definitely enjoy such malicious punchlines in Kornél Mundruczó's direction; They are still problematic. This opera, premiered in 1901 as the work of a man almost sixty years old, is a late offspring of the romantic century – without illusions, but tied to his motives and dreams with all literary and musical fibers. If, as here, you drive out romance and leave only disillusionment, the balance tips; The result is a piece that Dvořák and his librettist probably did not intend.

Mundruczó and his team also play with such references: Anyone who only hears the beginning of the opera with its three wet elves plus Aquarius is unlikely to think of Wagner's ditzy Alberich and the capricious Rhinemaidens; But if you don't do it in this production, it's your own fault, so to speak. Of course, this scene between the somewhat annoyed (and soon also disgusted) older gentleman and three cheerful representatives of the academic precariat in an anarchically overflowing ground floor communal kitchen already sets a tone of elegantly superficial social observation, of humor, provocation, even thoughtfulness There's just one thing you don't want to play with: any kind of poetry – whether you call it “romantic” or not. This is supported by Monika Pormale's cleverly pedantic milieu images; You could count the toothbrushes in the bathroom if your eyesight was enough.