Massimo Viazzo
Showing posts with label Wolfgang Koch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wolfgang Koch. Show all posts
Sunday, February 21, 2021
Salome di Strauss - Teatro alla Scala, Milano
Massimo Viazzo
In una parola: conturbante! Ecco come è stata la Salome messa in scena da Damiano Michieletto al Teatro alla Scala, prima nuova produzione dopo il lockdown, e già parzialmente provata circa un anno fa. Il regista veneto ha confezionato uno spettacolo drammaticamente efficace, in cui simbolismo e psicologia viaggiavano a braccetto. Questa Salome è da intendere come vera sorella di Elektra, una Salome che negli abusi e soprusi subiti in gioventù trova la fonte per alimentare la sua esaltazione isterica. Michieletto non inventa e non stravolge nulla del libretto tratto da Oscar Wilde, ma compie una lavoro di analisi nel subconscio di Salome, che mai come in questo spettacolo sembra far scaturire le proprie pulsioni dal mostruoso vissuto adolescenziale. Lo spettacolo avrebbe dovuto essere diretto da Zubin Mehta (che con quest'opera debuttò alla Scala nel 1974) ma le sue condizioni di salute l'hanno costretto a rinunciare. E' salito così sul podio Riccardo Chailly che per la prima volta dirigeva il capolavoro straussiano in forma scenica. E Chailly ha firmato una delle sue direzioni più efficaci ascoltate qui a Milano. Il direttore milanese ha concertato l'opera con grande trasparenza, estrema attenzione alle trame interne, esaltandone anche l'aspetto cameristico, ma sapendo calibrare alla perfezione anche i punti culminanti con l'orchestra al completo. Una direzione di impronta sinfonica certo, ma nondimeno attentissima a ciò che succedeva drammaticamente sul palco. Straordinaria l'interprete del ruolo principale. Elena Stikhina ha dato vita ad una Salome molto ben cantata dalla prima all'ultima nota, con voce gagliarda, intonatissima, ferma, con timbrica limpida, e sorretta da una presenza scenica seducente; voce forse non voluminosissima ma certamente molto ben proiettata. Una bella sorpresa per questo che era il suo debutto scaligero. Il Jochanaan di Wolfgang Koch è parso un po' stentoreo, seppur robusto e sicuro. Gerhard Siegel ha tratteggiato un Herodes meno caricaturale, con timbrica penetrante e piglio, mentre Linda Watson è stata una Herodias esperta e giustamente un po' lasciva. Questa Salome sarà senz'altro ripresa in una prossima stagione quando il pubblico potrò tornare finalmente tornare nella sala del Piermarini. E sarà un appuntamento immancabile!
Monday, August 19, 2019
Salome - Munich Opera: One 16 years old and three murders in just 100 minutes
Photos: Photographer. Wilfried Hösl & Patricia Sigerist / Bayerische Staatsoper
Oxana Arkaeva
The first Premiere of 2019
Opera Festival Season at the Munich State Opera featured one of the most
challenging and exciting operas of the 20th century:
"Salome" by Richard Strauß. Conducted by parting general musical
director Kirill Petrenko and
staged by Polish director Krzysztof
Warlikowski, the evening was a true celebration of the orchestra and the
mastery of ist leader. During its world premiere in 1905, Richard Strauss
instigated an intentional scandal with his third opera, using as a libretto Oscar
Wilde’s one-act drama, that already has been assailed by censorship. Unfortunately, the opening night in Munich was
anything but a scandal and should there be no such a captivating musical reading by Petrenko,
this evening would end up in a kind of fiasco, due to unfortunate staging by Krzysztof
Warlikowski. The Bavarian State Orchestra and its
leader were a true revelation of this
evening. Petrenko manages to pull out an extraterrestrial level of dynamic
balance. He is a master of sounds-colors and acoustic atmosphere, dynamically
never exaggerating: clear, majestic,
powerful (in the interlude) and with barely perceptible, but physically
palpable piano at the beginning of the final scene. In this, as well as in any
other performance, Petrenko is highly appreciated singers’ companion, for he
carries them, so to speak, on his hands, leaving the smallest voices well
audible. Contrary to Petrenko, Warlikowski
has brought out quite a confusing, at times full of diffuse historical references and contextual contradictions,
staging. His honorable attempt to combine the tragic historical facts of the 20-century history (Nazi) and his diffusing
perception of the plot, ended in tangled accumulation of clues and hints,
ultimately neglecting the story itself. Together with Małgorzata Szczęśniak (impressive
stage and flattering costumes), Felice Ross (lighting) and Claude
Bardouil (choreography) Warlikowski created an atmosphere of closeness,
fear, unfulfilled desire, and inescapable death. Warlikowski did not
seem to bother with an establishment of compelling, memorable characters and,
with few acceptions, leaves singers mostly at the front of the stage to
concentrate on singing and music. This is very much perceptible with Wolfgang
Koch as Johannaan. He sings with a
powerful, dramatic voice, but is very static, looking anything but a "withered"
prisoner (there was much laughter in the audience).
Because of his impressive physical size and
breadth, greasy hair and bum makeup, the audience had great difficulties in
retracing Salome's desperate erotic advances towards him. At the end of the
opera, the prophet exited the stage puffing the cigarette, sending the waves of
frustrated "O, no! Why?“ through the audience. The Salome of the opening
night, Marlies Petersen, had little of Salome´s irrational excessiveness
or hysterical attitude, of “mental cruelty, immeasurable lust, and limitless
pervertedness.” (Oscar Wilde). We experience a copy of Berg’s Lulu: cold,
reserved, and emotionless. Vocally, Salome is a border role for Petersen.
Despite some difficulties at the top, she was nonetheless celebrated for her
debut as moody Jewish princess and deserved the praise to have well managed
this demanding role, singing with a rather small voice, but in a smart, well-coached
way. Pavol Breslik as Narraboth (likable, powerful tenor and a great
actor) plays a horny he-goat, who regularly sexually pursues Salome. Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke as Herodes
has sung well but seemed to have difficulties in adjusting to Warlikowski’s vision
of him as a Jewish Rabbi. Michaela
Schuster as Herodias has significant, but the monotonous voice. Although enjoying a remarkable stage
presence, she remains, again due to the non-existing personae interpretation, a
colorless, secondary character. Due to Warlikowski’s
accumulation of hints and clues, mentioned above the famous seven veils dance
is more of a dressing-up formal Jewish wedding, rather than an act of an erotic
divesting. In the final scene, there is no severed head of Johannaan presented
to Salome on the silver plate. Instead, she gets a box full of blood-stained
cloth: an intriguing, but, unfortunately, not a new idea. At the end of the
performance, the stage director and his team were met with massive boos, with
Małgorzata Szczęśniak making an unfortunate disrespectful gesture toward the
audience. Petrenko and Petersen instead were greeted with frantic applause, making
it again even more comprehensive that thoughtful and respectful interpretation of
the score and mastery singing, still are and will remain the only true saviors
of and gift to any opera staging, even the most disastrous one.
***The story
The young princess
Salome is bored with her everyday life and is discussed by her stepfather's Herodes
and other inhabitants of the palace sexual advances. At one moment she is
confronted with the passionate monologue of an imprisoned prophet Jochanaan.
She demands to see him and immediately is taking away by his masculinity and
power of his beliefs. She is sexually attracted to him but is genuinely
interested in getting to know his Got but is fearfully rejected by Johanna as a
daughter of Sodoms. Salome is outraged. Nobody ever had rejected her love. During
a feast at the evening, Herodes requests that Salome dance for him, and in
return promises her to fulfill any of her wishes. Salome consents and following
the dance demands the prisoner’s head. Thus, she can finally kiss Jochanaan’s
lips. Discussed Herodes commands to kill Salome.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
Die Meistersinger en Múnich
© Bayerische Staatsoper/Wilfried Hösl
Oxana Arkaeva
El Teatro nacional de Múnich, punto de referencia de la capital bávara
presentó su festival anual de verano concluyendo la temporada local y dando
paso a dos prestigiosos festivales de verano: Salzburgo y Bayreuth. Asistir a Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg de
Wagner es una ardua tarea, considerando su extensión de más de cinco horas,
difícil lenguaje y su complejo contexto ideológico, por lo que fue una grata
sorpresa experimentar una función entretenida de extraordinario nivel musical y
artístico. Recuperándose del fiasco que fue “Tannhäuser” en la Ópera de de
Paris y distanciándose de la idea de escribir dramas musicales, Wagner compuso
en 1861 una opera cómica alejada de los poderes divinos y con final feliz. Reforzada
por el sobrio escenario con andamios de construcción y edificios de
departamentos grises (Patrik Bannwart)
y personajes redondos fue actual. Observando la vida diaria de la comunidad de
obreros se ve la atmosfera de impotencia en el St. Johann Fest y el concurso de
canto Meistersinger reflejando diversos puntos sociales y culturales, en un ring
de box, con confeti cayendo y proyecciones de videos al estilo de Hollywood (Falko Herold) e iluminación de Michel Bauer nos convertimos en
espectadores de un tipo de “La Voz” show de atmosfera glamorosa cubierta de
pobreza y desesperación. Manteniéndose en la tragicomedia, el director David Bösch contó una historia
comprensible por cualquiera. Situada en los 50s no se puede dejar la impresión
que uno se encuentra dentro de una “West Side Story” de Wagner. Carros
moviéndose, muchachas, jóvenes en pantalones cortos, actuando como ciudadanos o
pandilleros, la sociedad burguesa enfrentándose a los rebeldes que mascan
chicle etc. Vestido con chaqueta de cuero, audífonos y tocando su guitarra, la
figura de Wolfram von Stolzing recuerda a Tony de Bernstein. Bonachón,
inconsciente de su talento y rechazando el titulo de Meistersinger, porque su
alegría personal es más valiosa, apareció Jonas
Kaufmann quien tuvo un categórico debut como Stolzing. Actuó y cantó naturalmente,
manteniéndose autentico y accesible. Tristemente su impresionante presencia
escénica abruma su presencia como cantante y musicalmente lucha con las notas
altas y por momentos tiene dificultades para pasar a la orquesta. Aun así, su
canción final fue cantada con exquisita musicalidad y conmovedores pianos. Como
Hans Sachs, Wolfgang Koch ofreció balanceada
y suave voz de barítono, que en los monólogos del segundo y tercer acto
encontró su mejor forma. El desempeño mas solido de la noche correspondió a Martin Ganter como Sixtus Beckmesser.
Su poseído, anticuado y pedante viejo, sin talento ni creatividad, merece simpatía
y compasión Musicalmente Ganter convenció con su canto claro, facilidad en la
parte alta, balanceado en la media voz y excelente dicción. Como Veit Pogner, Christof Fischesser fue brillante y
agradable. El barítono articuló bien y dio la imagen de un obediente y a la vez
distante padre. La soprano Sara Jakubiak
cantó una valiente e independiente mujer que busca liberarse, como Maria de
“West Side Story” Vocalmente mostró una resuelta y dulce voz lirica de soprano
que puede desarrollar impresionante fuerza y expresión. Benjamin Bruns como David y Okka
von der Damerau como Magdalena, fueron una admirable pareja bufa. El posee resonante voz de tenor con fuerza y expresión,
y ella es agradable de ver y escuchar. El
resto del elenco encajó bien junto al excelente coro dirigido por Sören Eckhoff. La verdadera estrella de
la noche fue la Orquesta estatal Bávara y su líder, Kirill Petrenko un maestro de sonido orquestal y fuerza. Hay amor
en el aire entre él y la orquesta, ya que conduce buscando hacer música. En
todo momento uno es abrumado por su musicalidad y conocimiento de la partitura,
y cada instrumento es perceptible pero a la vez suena como una unidad. Su
temperamento y resistencia no tenia límites y nunca decreció el alto nivel
emotivo. Atestiguamos una precisa, energética, pero relajada y poderosa conducción
en el preludio del primer acto; sensibilidad, pensamiento y reflexión en el
casi impresionista preludio al tercer acto; y sentimiento romántico y melancólico
en el balanceado “Johannisnacht” coro del segundo acto. Esta función ofreció un ameno y fácil
“Meistersinger” de excelente calidad musical, y la producción se repondrá en
este teatro la próxima temporada.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
West side story à la Wagner with happy end - Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg at the National Theatre in Munich State Opera Festival
Photos:Wilfried Hösl
Oxana Arkaeva**
West side story
à la Wagner with happy end “Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg” at the National Theatre
in Munich State Opera Festival July 31st,
2016
The visit to
the Bavarian State Opera is always a remarkable experience. The landmark of the
Capital of the Bavarian State hosts its annual summer festival in the building
of the National Theatre at the representative Max-Josep-Square. Running from
the end of June until the end of July, the Munich Opera Festival precedes the
next two prestigious European summer festivals in Bayreuth and Salzburg and
concludes the Opera Houses main season. Attended performance on the July 31st
presented the dernière of series of seven shows and marked the twelfth of the
Opera in Munich productions of this great opera. Taking place
on a warm evening this show had a touch of the premiere night with all the
glamor of an international audience coming in limousines and taxis. Surrounded
by the beautiful architectural ambiance and attended by friendly, attentive
personal the visitors enjoyed Champagne and tasteful snacks looking forward to
the beginning of the show.
Background
To listen to
and to watch the “Meistersinger” performance is always a task, bearing in mind
an extreme length of the performance of more than five hours and its
complex ideological and philosophical context. Thus, one was pleasantly
surprised to experience a highly entertaining show that came out to be musically, as well as artistically, of an
extraordinary level. After the
fiasco of his “Tannhäuser” at the Paris Opera and contrary to his own, not very
flattering opinion about traditional opera, Wagner decided in 1861 about to
write a comic opera. Distancing himself from his idea of musical drama Wagner
composed an opera that does not deal with some divine power and Gods and tells
story of real historical figures. The score features aria-like solo scenes,
polyphony in composition, German church chorales, and folk songs. The last one
effectively misused by Nazi propaganda of Third Reich, which made Wagner a
banned composer in some countries.
This centuries-old story, reinforced by the sober stage settings of
construction scaffolds and gray apartment buildings with chipped plaster (Patrik Bannwart) and well-shaped
characters, appears quite up-to-date. Witnessing the everyday life of the
community of hard working people we experience an atmosphere of helplessness
(there is a lot of beer drinking going on) with St. Johann Fest and the
Meistersinger singing contest offering some rare cultural and social
highlights. Taking place in sort of boxing ring, with pouring down confetti and
accompanied by Hollywood-like video projections (Falko Herold) as well action supporting stage lighting (Michel Bauer) we become the spectators
of some kind “The Voice” show with a glamorous atmosphere of covered-up poverty
and despair. Keeping up with the practice of the tragic-comedy genre, stage director
David Bösch tells the story that is
comprehensible to everyone. Placed in the fifties (flattering costumes by Meentje Nielsen), one cannot let go an
impression of suddenly being put into a kind of Wagner's "West Side
Story". Moving cars and delivery vans, girls in petticoats and groups of
young men in shorts, acting either as dutiful citizens or as Hitler Jugend aggressive
gang, the bourgeois society is confronted
by the gum chewing rebel, a young, strong woman and innovation seeking city
shoemaker.
Singers
Right at the beginning, we meet Wolfgang von Stolzing, a young knight, who
left his parents castle to come to Nurnberg. Dressed in the leather jacket,
with huge earphones and strumming on his guitar ( a delightfully amusing scene
with the bust of Wagner) his figure reminds that of Bernsteins´ Tony.
Unconscious about his talent, he acts, thinks and lives only for the moment.
Despite the ardent address from his mentor, Hans Sachs, von Stolzing easily
rejects the Meistersinger title putting his personal happiness in the first
place. Jonas Kaufmann gives in this
production his Stolzing Debüt and can be considered a public darling. He acts
and sings naturally, thus remaining authentic and approachable. Sadly, his
impressive stage presence often overwhelms his presence as a singer. Musically
he struggles with hight notes and from time to time has difficulties to
overcome the orchestra. Nevertheless, his final song “At the bright morning”,
was sung with exquisite musicality and touching Piani thus considered one of
the musical highlights of this evening.
At Stolzings´side,
we experience his elderly protector: The city shoemaker and widely recognized
Mastersinger Hans Sachs. A good-natured man, widower, maverick and philosopher, he is the only one who recognized Stollings´ talent and who is ready to sacrifice his personal luck for the sake of the
young couple happiness. Wolfgang Koch presented well-balanced baritone voice,
which in the monologs in the second and third acts found to its best form. His famous “Despise me, not the Master title” scene presents another musical highlight
and achieves an enormous impact with the silence in the audience being almost
physically perceptive.
Artistically and from a singing point of view, the strongest performance on this evening was given by tenor Martin Ganter in the role of Sixtus
Beckmesser. A City Clerk and Meistersinger Guild Marker. His rules
possessed, caught in the old times, pedantic,
elderly men, deeply in love with Eva and completely lacking any talent
and creativity, Beckmesser is genuinely
convinced to be able to win the singing contest, by just stealing and
memorizing Stolzing´s Song. Leading the life of a continuous challenge and failure and unceasingly
making a fool of himself (absolutely hilarious serenade scene with a ukulele in the second act and ridiculous glittery outfit in the third act), singer´s authentic portrayal of this unfortunate
character deserves our entire sympathy
and compassion. Musically Ganter convinced with his singing, presenting young
sounding, clear voice, with easy top, well
balanced middle voice and excellent diction.
Stolzing, Sachs, and Beckmesser
build a love triangle around Eva, the young daughter of wealthy city goldsmith.
Christof Fischesser in the role of Veit Pogner offers a bright, pleasant baritone sound, good articulation
and gives the figure of dutiful, but somehow a distant father, who promises his daughter Eva as a trophy prize for the
winner of the upcoming singing contest. Soprano Sara Jakubiak sings and performs a courageous, independent young
woman who wants to break free. Resembling the character of Maria from
"West Side Story" and deceptive in her elf-like appearance, she
manipulates and acts to achieve this goal. Vocally, soprano presented a
resolute but sweet, lyrical sounding soprano
which, if necessary, can develop an impressive
power and expression.
Tenor Benjamin Bruns in the role of Sachs´s
apprentice David
and Okka von der
Damerau, mezzo-soprano, in
the role of Eva´s companion Magdalene, give an admirable buffo couple. David,
who seems to be a younger version of Beckmesser, tries to follow the rules accurately
and to do everything properly. Thus he occasionally
accepts his master´s violent treatment to become a companion. Bruns enjoys a
lovely sounding tenor voice that sure has
enough power and expression for the role of Stolzing in the future. Okka von der
Damerau as Magdalene is pleasant to look at and to listen to. A
pretty singer with a beautiful, female appearance
and supple voice, she gave a convincing performance of a worldly-wise and
gracious young woman. The rest of the cast is perfectly fitted together and include singers
with throughout good voices for all Meistersingers and City keeper (Tareq Nazmi with warm bass sound). Together with the excellently prepared Choir (Sören
Eckhoff), we are invited to dive into an atmosphere of the beautiful
midsummer night and hearty laugh at the hilarious male cheerleaders at the beginning of the third act.
The real star of this evening though is the Bavarian State Orchestra
and its leader, Kirill Petrenko.
Completing his third season as a general music director, Petrenko advanced to the Master of orchestral sound and power. There
is love in the air between him and his orchestra. Hardly at the pit; he begins straightway to conduct as if he could not wait to start to
make music. From the very first minute and throughout the performance one is
overwhelmed by his musicality and his knowledge of Wagner’s´ score. With each
instrument group perceptible en detail and yet sounding
like unique entity, Petrenko's temperament and endurance seemed to have no
limits of never decreasing high emotional level. We witness precise, accurate,
yet relaxed, energetic and dynamically powerful conducting in the prelude to
the first act; The sensitive, thoughtful, reflective, almost impressionistic prelude
to the third act and melancholic, romantic feeling in dynamically perfectly balanced
“Johannisnacht” choir in the second act.
Conclusion
Despite lacking some pointing and emphasizing towards Wagner’s political
and social concerns as well his ideas about the role of the art and artist,
this production nevertheless offers a rare opportunity to experience an amenable,
easy "Meistersinger” of an excellent musical quality. The production will return
to the National Theater on Max-Joseph-Square next season with performances on
September 30th, as well as on October 3rd and 8th 2016.
Cast on July 31st, 2016:
Conductor: Kirill
Petrenko, Stage director. David Bösch, Stage setting: Patrick
Bannwart, Costumes: Meentje
Nielsen,Video: Falko Herold , Light: Michael Bauer Dramaturgy: Rainer
Karlitschek , Choir: Sören Eckhoff, Hans Sachs: Wolfgang Koch,Veit Pogner: Christof Fischesser,Sixtus Beckmesser: Martin Gantner, Kunz
Vogelgesang: Kevin Conners, Konrad Nachtigall: Christian
Rieger, Fritz Kothner: Eike Wilm Schulte, Balthasar Zorn: Ulrich Reß, Ulrich Eißlinger: Stefan Heibach, Augustin Moser: Thorsten Scharnke, Hermann Ortel: Friedemann Röhlig, Hans Schwarz: Peter Lobert, Hans Foltz: Dennis Wilgenhof, Walther v. Stolzing: Jonas Kaufmann ,David: Benjamin Bruns, Eva: Sara Jakubiak, Magdalene: Okka von der
Damerau, Night guard: Tareq Nazmi. Bavarian
State Orchestra Choir
and extra Choir of the BSO.
**Oxana Arkaeva. The Winner of Placido Domingo World
Opera Contest in Mexico, soprano Oxana Arkaeva, enjoyes vast range of concert
and opera repertoire with more than a 100 roles sung and more than twenty years
on international stages as well as a member of “fest” ensembles in Germany.
Besides her singing career, she is involved in music project organizing and
management activities. Curently she copmplets her Executive Master in Arts
Administration (EMAA) studies at the Univercity in Zurich and acts as advisor
and presentation trainer and for the person of public life and politic. Links:
www.arkaeva.com and http://www.emaa.uzh.ch/de/StudierendeEMAAVI.html
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Sachs and the City – Richard Wagner’s Meistersinger von Nürnberg in Munich, July 28 2016
Suzanne Daumann
The Meistersinger’s city of Nürnberg is a
somewhat rundown affair in David Bösch’s uninspired and uninspiring production
for the Munich Staatsoper: shabby 1970s apartment blocks, complete with
satellite dishes and a cigarette vending machine, are the background for Act 2,
the rest is scaffolding around a kind of boxing ring, decorated with a few
lights and banners for the final scene. The lacklustreness of the set and
costumes reduces the storyline to its bare basics: young alpha-male arrives in
the herd; old alpha-male instantly recognizes his qualities and takes him under
his wing. Old beta-male doesn’t understand a thing and gets his comeuppance
good and proper. Young alpha-male gets the alpha-female and they live happily
ever after. The second theme, the eternal and unanswerable question of craft in
the arts, of talent versus hard work, is not really addressed. Given the bleak
sets, one can only suppose that the stage director identifies most strongly
with carefree and talented newcomer Walther von Stoltzing. Stoltzing’s
inspirations, however, bring him the beauties that Wagner wrote for him. Sachs’ house is a mobile workshop, a small
truck of the kind normally used for selling snacks and fast food on the
streets. It’s kind of cute, but one wonders: why? And why should Hans Sachs be
a drunk? Certainly, it is amusing to see young Stoltzing choke on his laced
coffee in the morning after the aborted elopement, and the whole stage play
around this coffee and schnaps is entertaining to watch, but what does it have
to do with everything else? Sachs is the very incarnation of integrity and
honesty; he has enough self-control and discernment to encourage Walther and to
stay away from Evchen himself. He is the one who pulls the strings – an
alcoholic would never have achieved all this. The Meistersingers themselves are
just as drab as their environment, grey and brown suits long gone out of
fashion: they seem to cling to a better past and when the future comes along,
they don’t see it with a favourable eye. This at least makes sense and goes
with the story. Fortunately, Kirill Petrenko and the Bayrische
Staatsorchester, along with a magnificent cast, bring at least some musical
sparkle to this production. With his usual energy, Petrenko reveals and
highlights many a lovely detail of the score. But even they cannot remedy the
tediousness of Act I, and neither can the occasional gag in the staging; one
wonders if, when arias can be cut or rearranged in Don Giovanni or Le Nozze di
Figaro, nothing could be done about this. Wolfgang Koch, with his powerful and warm
baritone voice, is Hans Sachs, and he brings out the whole range of emotions
that he experiences. Baritone Martin Gantner is equally perfect as Sixtus
Beckmesser, ridiculous and touching at the same time. With the golden suit he
wears for the contest scene, he is the only shining thing in this production. Jonas Kaufmann is Walther von Stoltzing, the
newcomer who butts in, full of irreverent talent, carefree and a tad
naïve. Winning the contest is important
to him only as a means to get the girl he loves. Kaufmann, who is in his
forties, seems to belong to this set of people who don’t believe in years and
whose youth in truth never ends: his every movement on stage is full of
youthful energy and he is totally credible in his part. Needless to say, he has
the loveliest music to sing in this opera, and he delivers the goods: with his
particular timbre, warm and strong, and his particular brand of pianissimo, his
every intervention is pure delight. Sarah Jakubiak, light of voice and of foot,
charming and natural in her every movement, is the adored Evchen. Okka von der
Damerau is Magdalene, full of wit also vocally. Young tenor Benjamin Bruns is
equally convincing in the role of the apprentice David. The quintet of Act III,
“Selig wie die Sonne”, when all these wonderful voices come together, is a
moment of serene beauty. It is a pity Veit Pogner doesn’t have more to say –
we’d have liked to hear more of Christoph Fischesser and his elegant baritone. An entertaining evening all in all, but nothing
that will stay with us for longer than it takes to get home, no new insights
into the workings of the story itself, nor into the inner life of the
characters. Drab’s the word.
Sachs and the City – une production décevante des Maîtres Chanteurs à Munich, le 28 juillet 2016
Suzanne Daumann
Dans cette production sans inspiration et peu inspirante, signé David
Bösch, la belle et noble Nuremberg est une petite ville de province en piteux
état : la scénographie de l’Acte II consiste en des immeubles style années
1970, ringards et ternes, avec leurs antennes paraboles et un automate à
cigarettes. Pour le reste, on se contentera d’un amas d’échafaudages autour
d’une espèce de ring de boxe, qui seront décorés de quelques lumières et
transparents pour l’occasion du concours des Maîtres Chanteurs. Le manque
d’inspiration de cette scénographie réduit l’histoire à sa dramaturgie
basique : un jeune mâle alpha arrive dans la bande ; le vieux mâle alpha
reconnaît instamment ses qualités et le prend sous son aile. Le vieux mâle bêta
ne comprend rien de ce qui se passe et sera ridiculisé comme il faut. Le jeune
mâle alpha épouse la jeune femelle alpha et ils vécurent heureux et eurent
beaucoup d’enfants… Le second sujet, la question éternelle de la corrélation
entre le savoir-faire artisanal et le talent pur dans les arts n’est pas
vraiment abordé. Compte tenu de la scénographie insipide, on peut supposer que
le metteur en scène s’identifie principalement à Walther von Stoltzing, le
nouveau venu insouciant et talentueux. Seulement voilà, Stoltzing est inspiré
par les belles choses que Wagner lui écrivit… La maison de Hans Sachs est un atelier roulant, dans un fourgon ceux des
marchands ambulants de fast-food. C’est mignon, certes, mais l’on se
demande : pourquoi ? Et pourquoi Sachs serait-il un ivrogne ?
Certainement, il est amusant de voir le jeune Stoltzing s’étouffer avec son
café renforcé le matin après la fugue avortée, et tout le jeu autour de la
bouteille et le café est fort divertissant, mais quel en est le sens ?
Sachs est l’incarnation même de l’intégrité et de l’honnêteté ; il a suffisamment de discernement et de
contrôle de soi pour encourager Walther et renoncer à Evchen. C’est lui qui
orchestre le tout, c’est lui le maître artisan par excellence – comment
pourrait-il être alcoolique ? Les Maitres Chanteurs sont tout aussi ternes que leur environnement,
portant des habits gris et marron et caduques depuis longtemps : ils
semblent s’accrocher à un passé lointain, et quand le futur arrive, ils ne le
voient pas d’un bon oeil. Cela au moins est cohérent dans le sens de
l’histoire. Heureusement, Kirill Petrenko et le Bayrische Staatsorchester, ainsi qu’une
distribution magnifique, font scintiller cette production, au moins
musicalement. Avec son énergie habituelle, Petrenko révèle et souligne maintes
beautés dans le détail de la partition. Même eux ne peuvent pas pallier les
longueurs de l’Acte I, et le gag occasionnel de la mise en scène n’y arrive pas
non plus : à une époque où chacun se sent libre de tailler dans le vif
même des opéras de Mozart, l’on se demande si personne ne pourrait nous tailler
un peu cet Acte I. Wolfgang Koch, voix de barytone chaude et puissante, est un merveilleux
Hans Sachs. Il souligne toute la gamme d’émotions de son personnage, et l’on
peut le comprendre et s’identifier à lui. Le barytone Martin Gantner est tout
aussi merveilleux dans le rôle de Sixtus Beckmesser, touchant et ridicule et
exaspérant à la fois. Dans l’habit doré qu’il porte pour le concours de chant,
il est le seul élément scintillant de cette production. Jonas Kaufmann est
Walther von Stoltzing, ce nouveau venu qui se pointe, plein de talent et
irrespectueux, insouciant et un peu naïf. Le concours l’intéresse seulement
comme le moyen de gagner la main de celle dont il possède déjà le cœur.
Kaufmann, qui a la quarantaine bien sonnée, semble faire partie de ces
personnes qui ne croient pas aux années qui passent et dont la jeunesse ne
finit pas : chacun de ses mouvements de scène est imprégné d’énergie juvénile et il est totalement
crédible dans son rôle. Bien sûr, il a la plus belle musique dans cet opéra et
il lui rend justice : avec son timbre particulier, chaud, puissant et
lumineux, avec son pianissimo particulier, chacune de ses interventions est un
délice. Acteur formidable qu’il est aussi, il éblouit et fait rire dans ses
moments de figuration. Sarah Jakubiak, à la voix légère et souple, charmante et
naturelle dans chaque mouvement, est son Evchen. Okka von der Damerau est
Magdalene, espiègle de jeu et de voix. Le jeune ténor Benjamin Bruns est
impressionnant et convaincant dans la partie de l’apprenti David. Le quintette
de l’Acte III, “Selig wie die Sonne”, quand toutes ces voix merveilleuses se
réunissent, est un moment de beauté sereine et sublime. Dommage, Veit Pogner a
si peu d’interventions – on aurait aimé d’avantage Christoph Fischesser et son
barytone élégant. Une soirée divertissante tout compte fait, mais rien qui va nous
accompagner pour plus longtemps que le temps de rentrer à la maison ; pas
de nouvelles idées concernant la vie intérieure des personnages ou leurs
interactions. En un mot : tout cela est bien terne.
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Capriccio de Strauss en la Ópera de París
Foto: Vincent Pontet
Gustavo Gabriel Otero
París (Francia), 25/01/2016. Ópera Nacional de París. Palacio Garnier. Richard Strauss: Capriccio. Pieza de conversación para música en un acto. Libreto de Richard Strauss y Clemens Krauss. Robert Carsen, dirección escénica. Michael Levine, escenografía. Anthony Powell, vestuario. Robert Carsen y Peter Van Praet, iluminación. Jean-Guillaume Bart, coreografía. Ian Burton, dramaturgia. Emily Magee (Condesa Madeleine), Wolfgang Koch (El Conde), Benjamin Bernnheim (Flamand), Lauri Vasar (Olivier), Lars Woldt (La Roche), Michaela Schuster (Clarion), Graham Clark (Monsieur Taupe), Chiara Skerath y Juan José De León (dos cantantes italianos), Jérôme Varnier (Mayordomo), Camille de Bellefon (bailarina), Ook Chung, Julien Joguet, Vincent Delhourme, Chae Wook Lim, Vincent Morell, Christian Rodrigue Moungoungou, Hyun-Jong Roh y Slawomir Szchowiak (ocho lacayos). Orquesta Estable de la Ópera Nacional de París. Dirección Musical: Ingo Metzmacher.
A más de setenta años de su estreno Capriccio de Richard Strauss no logra imponerse en el repertorio de los teatros pero cada vez que sube a escena produce suficiente interés como para agotar las localidades. Esta conversación bastante estática cobra perfecta vida en la extraordinaria puesta de Robert Carsen creada en 2004 para la Ópera de París y que se reposo nuevamente con gran éxito. Carsen en lugar de situarla en un castillo a las afueras de París cerca de 1775, lo hace dentro de un teatro en tiempos del estreno de la obra. El Palacio Garnier parece ser un protagonista más desde el inicio en el cual la Condesa se sienta en una platea para escuchar –partitura en mano- el sexteto que inicia la obra desde el escenario hasta el final en el cual las columnas de la escenografía desaparecen y queda el interior del escenario totalmente desnudo y a la vista del público. El movimiento actoral es perfecto y parece un obra de teatro sin momentos de estatismo y sin estereotipos. Sólo en el momento de los cantantes italianos se recurre al humor y los cantantes actúan como antaño con movimientos estereotipados, que es justicia decir aún gustan a muchos melómanos. En este marco lucen con perfección los decorados de Michael Levine el ajustado vestuario de Anthony Powell, y la perfecta iluminación de Robert Carsen y Peter Van Praet. A la perfección de la versión visual se le sumó una suntuosa versión musical a cargo de Ingo Metzmacher quien insufló sutiliza y refinamiento a una obra plena de claroscuros. La Condesa Madeleine de Emily Magee fue compenetrada y profunda. Alguna acidez en el registro no fue óbice para redondear una protagonista de calidad. El Flamand de Benjamin Bermheim resultó perfecto, bien acompañado por el Olivier de Lauri Vasar. Lars Woldt se convirtió en eje de la acción como La Roche con calidad vocal y vuelo interpretativo. El Conde de Wolfgang Koch fue mesurado y de gran profesionalismo mientras que Michaela Schuster fue una Clairon de adecuados acentos. Con gran histrionismo y calidad vocal los dos cantantes italianos de Chiara Skerath y Juan José De León. Bien servido el resto del elenco.
Thursday, January 1, 2015
Die Frau ohne Schatten at the Munich Staatsoper
Photo:Bayerische Staatsoper
Suzanne Daumann
Richard Strauss’ “Die Frau ohne Schatten” is a fairytale, set in
dreamland, full of signs and symbols. It’s the story of two couples, of two
women mostly, who have to face a series of trials: one of them to save the man
she loves, the other to find her place in life. A voyage of initiation, like
every fairytale worth its salt, where the symbols speak directly to the heart
of the spectator, and everyone can understand just what they need. That is the
way fairytales work and heal. For his staging, Krzysztof Warlikowski however
makes the choice to interpret the story beforehand: based on the intellectual
universe of the period in which the opera was written, he sees in its heroines’
troubles the typical female hysteric illnesses: sterility for one, frigidity
for the other. And so we can see nurses and medical situations throughout the
opera. Barak has become a simple launderette owner, whereas a dyer is part
alchemist. The magical part only shines through every once and again, when
extras in animal costumes walk the stage or beautiful video installations just
float along with the music. Most of the time however Malgorzata Szczesniak’s
sets just seem incoherent and arbitrary. Kirill Petrenko once again manages to square the circle: his conducting
is tense, intense, taut, and still has this Viennese suppleness and sweetness
where it is asked for. The Bayrische Staatsorchester and its brilliant soloists
and the excellent cast are perfectly up to the task: musically this performance
is as good as it gets. Ricarda Merbeth, soprano, deploys the whole amplitude of her voice only
in Act 3. She is the woman who has no shadow, the fairy that the Emperor
conquered as he found her wearing the body of a white gazelle. Robert Dean
Smith, Heldentenor if there ever was, plays the Emperor with noble humility.
The Empress loves her husband, he comes to her bed every night. She is not able
to conceive his child however, she doesn’t become totally human, she can have
no shadow. Her father, the mighty and invisible Keikobad, has decreed that the
Emperor will turn to stone, if she doesn’t get pregnant in the first year of
marriage. Her old nurse, sung by the fabulous mezzo Deborah Polaski, takes her
to the land of the humans, where she knows a woman who might sell her own
shadow. She is the wife of Barak, the dyer. Soprano Elena Pankratova brings to
life this multi-layered character with her splendid, agile voice. Wolfgang
Koch, bass-baritone, is Barak. Warm velvety voice full of temperament, he gives
intelligent depth to the humble tenderness of his character. Finally, the two
women find salvation in giving up their egos and plans and everything ends well
for the four of them.
Much merited applause and bravos galore – it’s been an exciting evening!
Die Frau ohne Schatten de Richard Strauss au Staatsoper de Munich
Suzanne Daumann
Die Frau
ohne Schatten, la femme sans ombre, c’est un conte de fées qui se déroule au
pays des rêves, plein de symboles et de signes. C’est l’histoire de deux
couples, de deux femmes surtout, qui doivent affronter des épreuves et
voyages : l’une pour sauver l’homme qu’elle aime, l’autre pour trouver le
chemin de sa vie. Dans sa mise en scène, Krzysztof Warlikowski prend le parti
d’interpréter les difficultés de ces femmes comme des maladies dites
hystériques : stérilité pour l’une, frigidité pour l’autre. Logiquement,
il peuple l’univers de l’opéra de personnel et matériel médical. C’est un parti
pris cohérent et honorable, basé sur l’univers intellectuel de l’époque de la
création de l’œuvre. Cependant, beaucoup de scènes laissent ainsi un sentiment
de manque, souvent la scénographie de Malgorzata Szczesniak semble arbitraire,
incohérente et l’on n’arrive pas à saisir une ambiance de fond. Barak est
devenu un simple patron de Lavomatic, alors qu’un teinturier est moitié
alchimiste. Cela fonctionne bien mieux dans les scènes dans lesquelles
l’élément du rêve a été réintroduit, quand des animaux peuplent la scène, quand
des belles installations vidéo donnent une impression de flou, de flottement,
en harmonie avec la musique. Kirill
Petrenko réussit une fois de plus la quadrature du cercle : sa direction
est dense, intense, tendue, tout en retrouvant, quand il faut, la tendre
souplesse viennoise que demande la musique de Strauss. Le Bayrische
Staatsorchester et ses solistes brillants lui font honneur, ainsi que l’excellente
distribution. Ricarda
Merbeth, soprano, est la femme sans ombre, la fée que l’Empereur a conquise
lorsqu’elle lui apparut sous la forme d’une gazelle blanche. L’Empereur est
interprété avec noblesse et humanité par
le ténor Robert Dean Smith, grande voix de Heldentenor. L’Impératrice aime son
époux, il partage sa couche toutes les nuits. Cependant, elle ne conçoit pas
son enfant, elle ne devient pas tout à fait humaine, elle n’a pas d’ombre. Or,
son père, le puissant et invisible Keikobad, a stipulé que, si elle n’est pas
enceinte au bout de dix mois, l’Empereur se transformera en pierre. Sa
nourrice, interprétée par la fabuleuse mezzo Deborah Polaski, l’emmène alors au
pays des humains, où elle connaît une femme qui pourrait lui céder son ombre.
C’est de la femme du teinturier Barak qu’il s’agit. La soprano Elena Pankratova
lui donne vie et sa voix splendide, agile ; elle saisit toutes les
facettes de ce personnage particulièrement humain, cette femme à la recherche
du sens de sa vie, de son mariage. Barak, son mari, est interprété par Wolfgang
Koch, baryton-basse. Avec sa chaude voix de velours, il donne une profondeur
intelligente à la tendresse humble de cet homme. Après maintes épreuves, les
deux femmes trouvent le salut dans le renoncement à leurs desseins égoïstes et
tout se termine bien. Applaudissements et bravos bien mérités pour tous !
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