I've found him to be a specifically great opera conductor (Jenufa, Frau Ohne Schatten, Lady Macbeth, Rheingold)
Based on my experience, I think he’s a very good (with glimpses of greatness) rather than a superlative opera conductor. There is greatness/genius in there, but not in a consistent manner. I'm glad your experiences have all been positive (I’d have liked to have been there for Jenůfa and indeed for any of those - with the possible exception of R. Strauss, after what I've heard him doing to Korngold).
To get a repertoire opera orchestra to perform as the Staatsorchester has performed in those years under Petrenko...
I do agree and appreciate the fact that he managed to elevate the Bavarian orchestra to a different level and to admirable degrees of refinement, but that rather adds to the disappointment if it ultimately results in botched interpretations.
[I'm thinking of K.Petrenko & C.Thielemann, mostly.]
Speaking of Thielemann, I caught parts of his Frau ohne Schatten in Vienna last time I was there in June, at the screen outside; we went for dinner and came back for the finale. Such a fine evening. I agree he’s better in opera than in orchestral music, but, because of the tendencies I mentioned, I think the opposite of Petrenko.
To get a repertoire opera orchestra to perform as the Staatsorchester has performed...
Speaking of repertoire opera houses, it did cross my mind that the night’s - I don’t want to say fiasco because it wasn’t all bad, let’s say gross tonal inconsistencies – might have been aggravated by the fact that they were performing Wozzeck the previous night and God knows what else between the performance I saw (the second one) and the premiere, almost half a month ago.
Also, he's so introverted, I genuinely and seriously doubt Petrenko does anything in order to live up to some perceived notion of him as a conductor known for this or that.
You’d be surprised how insidiously these things can be internalized by any disposition.