Although I have a soft spot for Puccini's 'horse opera' I booked my ticket with slight feelings of trepidation - but once again only because of the English language issues. Given my recent experience of ENO's Otello, where the translation let the production down I felt, I wasn't really expecting The Girl of the Golden West to be much better. But bolstered by positive first night reaction from Twitter friends, loins were girded and off I went.
La Fanciulla del West (as this opera is better known) is a strange beast among the Puccini canon of works. Puccini was drawn towards the unusual and exotic for his plots and to an Italian I suppose you don't get much more exotic that the wild, wild West of the US goldrush period. The libretto is based on David Belasco's play and as usual Puccini has consigned huge chunks to the dustbin, including Minnie and Dick Johnson/Rammerez first meeting. Its worth a read if you like digging into the background of this opera.
The musical structure too is advanced with very few standalone set pieces (a couple of tenor arias apart) and even those are skillfully woven into the fabric of the opera. The whole opera moves at a brisk pace with scene after scene flowing quite naturally without disruptive breaks for applause.
As with quite a lot of my experiences, my first encounter with Fanciulla was via a video recording featuring Placido Domingo in the monumental ultra-traditional Pierro Faggioni production at the Royal Opera House. I finally managed to catch up with this production live in 2005 with Jose Cura - and that was the last time I saw Fanciulla live on stage....until now.
This new production by Richard Jones is very clear and uncluttered and does the job of telling the story well. Slightly updated - The Polka now has electric lighting - but it still highlights a group men mining for gold, with Minnie as the only (good) girl in town. I liked this production although I had a couple of issues with some of the directorial decisions - especially in the second act. I thought the slap/coffee throwing incident between Minnie and Johnson could have been staged better - or perhaps it was just the view from my seat. Nothing worse than a fake slap that doesn't quite come off! The second act set didn't really leave Johnson many places to hide so he ended up under the bed! Now really, hiding under the bed - isn't that the first place anyone would look? And rather then letting the poor wounded tenor faint and have a lie down, he seemed to be propped up against the wall while Minne and Rance gambled for his life. But honestly, these are minor quibbles and certainly didn't spoil my enjoyment. I found the final scene especially touching - and where Minnie & Johnson normally ride off into the sunset, here the miners are standing on the set start which receded slowly away. Very effective.
Vocally things were competent rather than outstanding although again that is probably just me being picky. I do like Susan Bullock a lot and as Minnie she certainly convinced with her acting. Her singing was fine and its a tricky part but I did miss a more typical Puccini voice in the role. These days the casting tends towards Wagnarian sopranos but I did miss a bit of warmth and plushness in the voice. The same could probably be said for Peter Auty who was a sympathetic Dick Johnson but whose voice I found slightly constricted in the upper reaches - and there are plenty of upper reaches in this role. Craig Colclough as Jack Rance grew on me - again more because of his overall portrayal than having a stunning voice. He was more than a one-dimensional villain and that greatly added to the drama.
All of the other parts were taken well and the cast made their roles into real individual characters - always a plus when so many of them are on stage at once. It's hard to know what to do with the Native American Indian characters of Wowkle and Billy. As written they can come across as horrible stereotypes with lots of "Ugh's" and other nonsense. On the other hand turning them into dramatic ciphers with no character as here didn't really work either.
Ah and what about the English translation I hear you say? Well, to my great surprise it actually worked in English. Somewhere a decision was made down the line to incorporate American accents. I thought this would be distracting but actually I think it helped with the text and translation and the translator Kelley Rourke was very skilled in producing a very singable and yet understandable translation.
If you haven't had a chance to see this opera, do go! I heartily recommend it and you will leave the theatre will a smile on your face. I'll leave you with this clip from the Met production of Fanciulla with Placido Domingo and Barbara Daniels. This is the scene were Dick Johnson has been revealed as the bandit Ramerrez and Minnie confronts him. It has Spanish subtitles but its very clear I think. And a particularly good example of a stage slap!
No, not a 'Night at the Garden' this time but a 'Night at the Coliseum'. Not that it's my first venture to ENO but it's rare enough to warrant mention. One of the main reasons I don't venture to ENO more often is their blanket 'opera in English' language policy. I was lucky enough to grow up listening to opera in the original language as background music in my home as my Mum loved opera. So that by the time I came to re-discover opera in the early 90's the foreign language issue didn't bother me - especially as the Royal Opera thoughtfully provided surtitles. So opera in English isn't a great pull for me - especially in the standard Italian repertory as frankly in English just sounds odd!
So there has to be a compelling reason for a visit to ENO; a great singer, a great non-standard opera or a particular production I want to see. While Otello can hardly be called non-standard, I haven't seen so many live performances that I could afford to let one slip by! Especially with Stuart Skelton taking on the herculean title role. With bargain Secret Seat ticket in hand and not without a little trepidation I settled into my seat.
Strangely enough, Otello was one of the very first opera's I came to know and love, rather than one of any number of 'easier' works such as La Boheme, Rigoletto or Tosca. Falling in love with opera in the early 90's I used to raid the local library for CD recordings and snapped this up. Readers, it was love at first listen! I haven't looked back since!
But what about this production?
Let's get the somewhat controversial element out of the way first. Generally speaking (and certainly in all of the productions I've seen) Otello is portrayed as a black man and this usually means the white tenor 'blacking up' to a greater or lesser degree. Quite rightly, this is no longer an option but given the dearth of tenors who can actually sing this highly dramatic role, what is the solution? ENO doesn't really come up with one to be honest and simply ignores the issue. Which I think was wrong. Don't get me wrong, I was quite happy to see Stuart Skelton sans blackface, but I do think that the production has to compensate for this somehow, otherwise Otello ends up just being like everyone else. Where is the sense of isolation, inferiority, 'different-ness' that is implied in both Shakespeare's play and in Verdi's opera. Where is Desdemona's daring in marrying someone not of her kind, her rank or her age? If Otello is reduced to just being another stock jealous 'Italian tenor' figure then the production has failed.
It can be done. In another Verdi opera, La Forza del Destino, the tenor character is also a foreigner, an outsider or as the libretto has it , half-breed or 'mulatto'. Yes, the racial insults fly just as much in this opera as in Otello! And yes, in the past, the tenor has nearly always had a suspiciously deep tan to mark him as 'foreign' and not worthy of his lady-love. However, the times they are a-changing and in the recent Munich production the tenor was outfitted and bewigged in such a way as to mark him out as 'different' without resorting to a change of skin colour.
The production itself was a one-set fits all affair, dark, spare and minimalist with little furniture cluttering the stage. What furniture did appear was subject to some violent abuse by various characters, chairs being thrown around the stage at moments of high tension. Unfortunately this has become something of a cliche so perhaps didn't have the dramatic effect it might have done. At this particular performance Stuart Skelton also (unintentionally) threw himself off a tower of chairs, but luckily was uninjured and carried on as though this was all part of the stage business!
While the set more or less worked for the first three acts, the lack of a separate bedchamber, or even a bed, for the vital last act murder, made it all a bit silly and the murder of Desdemona a bit anti-climactic. Could the budget not stretch to a bed? This all sounds very caviling and I did quite like the overall design and look of the set but it somehow needed more.
Now to the good bits.
Otello is a chorus heavy opera and ENO's chorus were in fantastic form. The sound they produced was awesome in its power and use of dynamics. However I do like to see my chorus have defined characters and here they didn't. I'm sure this was the intention of the director but they just looked like an anonymous amorphous lump. The less said about the flower strewing episode the better!
In the title role Stuart Skelton was anguished, brutal and heartrending in places. While not having a typical Italianate sound, there was glorious compensation in the secure focused tone and the knowledge that there would be no cracking under pressure. This is an interpretation that will grow with time and I look forward to seeing and hearing him in another production - preferably in Italian.
Leah Crocetto was a voice new to me and she has a lovely dark spinto tone, gloriously lyrical and yet able to meet the demands of Otello's anguished spouse. Dignified in approach, she nevertheless conveyed strength of character in a role that can all to easily come over as somewhat wimpy.
Allan Clayton as Cassio is another superb tenor voice, his lighter but still ringing tenor contrasting nicely with Skelton's more hefty anguished tones. While he plays a convincing drunkard, I do think that it was a mistake to play him drunk from start to finish.
As all good Iago's do, Jonathan Summers almost stole the show. Verdi was tempted to name this opera 'Iago' and you can understand why why you have as good an actor as Summers. He was truly convincing as a two-faced manipulator who directs events with the skill of a master. His English diction was also exemplary.
So all in all a bit of a mixed bag. Whilst I enjoyed the singing and music-making very much, the lack of defined direction in the production was a disappointment and my emotions were not engaged - somewhat of a first for me with this opera.
Also disappointing were the swathes of empty seats in the dress circle. If ENO cannot shift tickets with great singers and a well reviewed classic Verdi opera, then I'm not sure I know what the solution is! Certainly I cannot see how they can go on with the constant discounting of tickets especially not that their Arts Council grant has been severely curtailed!
My Royal Opera House season got off to a great start with a double whammy of contrasting operas - Rossini's Barbiere di Siviglia on Friday evening, rapidly followed by Verdi's dark drama Rigoletto at the matinee performance the next day. If this blog concentrates on the Verdi, that's no slight to Rossini's sparkling comedy which was everything I hoped it would be - hugely enjoyable fun with some fabulous singing to boot. Go see!
It's very easy to take middle-period Verdi for granted at times and among the twittersphere there was a definite sense of ho-hum about Royal Opera's autumn season offerings - a lack of star singers in some cases or just a lack of excitement about the operas scheduled. To a certain extent I can definitely sympathise - on paper certainly there seemed little to get the operatic juices flowing - at least compared to the upcoming Winter season. First night reports of this Rigoletto did not ease misgivings as singers were reported as being out of sorts and the conducting somewhat erratic. One of the reasons why I mainly give first nights a miss!
This David McVicar production from 2001 is no romantic costume drama rather a bleak dystopian nightmare - the first scene especially is stuffed to the gills with debauchery and copulation of all varieties - not a production for your granny or any small children! While not a prude in the slightest (even if the boob count was on the high side) it was all a bit too hectic, with too much going on and I found my attention wandering and not concentrating on the music - toning down the manic element a little wouldn't harm the depiction of the overall licentiousness of the court of Mantua. But overall this is a very dark portrayal of the opera indeed - there is no light at the end of the tunnel and the only truly sympathetic character is Gilda - and look what happens to her!
The set is essentially a huge dark edifice set on a revolve which serves as the set for all acts. It works as most of the opera is set in dark gloom but there were some pauses between scene changes didn't aid the flow of the drama. Luckily the singers compensated for that.
Saimir Pirgu as the Duke is a fine tenor although I'm not really sure that he captured the essential character of the Duke - there seemed to be little differential between his romantic 'Gualtier Malde' interactions with Gilda, and his altogether more nasty alter-ego. Not that I've seen many other tenors get to grip with this conundrum - they all seem rather more keen on the romantic side of the role than the real meat of the character - a reluctance to play nasty perhaps? For me, this character should have the face and voice of an angel...but the morals of a tom-cat. Of the more recent tenors I've seen in this role only Vittorio Grigolo has convinced me as truly despicable....make of that what you will! Vocally Pirgu took a while to warm up and the voice was a little 'one-note' to start with but things improved by the second act and the money notes were all there. I'd just like a bit more acting and more honey in the voice.
Aleksandra Kurzak is a new voice to me although pretty much established at the Royal Opera, having made her debut in 2005. Again, her voice took a while to warm up but when it did I found it extremely beautiful and perhaps with a little more heft to it than most Gilda's - more lyric soprano than true coloratura. She returns to ROH later in the season as Fiorilla in Il Turco in Italia something I will definitely look forward to. Her acting here was touching and convincing - which can sometimes be difficult in a plot that is, to say the least, far-fetched in places. Her scenes with Simon Keenlyside were especially convincing.
Ah yes, Perhaps I'd better admit that besides my abiding love for Verdi, the main reason for booking this opera is that I was intrigued to see and hear how one of my favorite baritones would fare in this most taxing of Verdi baritone roles. This was a house role debut for Simon so I'm guessing a lot of the critics and regular audience were also wondering how he would fare. Despite dark rumblings after the first night performance, I found his performance mesmerising and in the end deeply touching. Vocally he may not command the typical Verdian heft but I found nothing wanting in the overall tone and technical accomplishment. He managed the transitions from snarling, cynical jester at the Duke's court, to loving, over-protective Father in his duets with Gilda magnificently. Physically too he gives it his all, staggering, crawling and generally heaving himself around on two sticks as the situation demands - I have no idea how you actually sing while doing that! Rigoletto is one of the few operas where I don't actually cry at the end - not sure sure. But on this occasion there was a definite lump in the throat. Just superb.
The smaller roles were none too shabby either with fine contributions from Brindley Sherratt as a cavernous voiced Sparafucile and Justina Gringyte as a wonderfully convincing Maddalena. Now, I've never really had cause to notice Monterone in this opera before but Sebastian Holecek brought a real character to the stage along with a commanding baritone voice. Is this a future Rigoletto perhaps?
So then a dark and interesting start to the season and a useful reminder for me that even when you think you know an opera very well - and this is very familiar music to me - even I can be surprised at Verdi's achievements. The conventions are still there (cabalettas and slightly improbable plots combine for inadvertent amusement) but at the heart of it there is a dark tale to be told and I'm betting that baritones give thanks to Verdi for such an amazing title role to play!
As
the days get shorter and the nights longer, it’s time to anticipate the coming
attractions of the ROH 2014-15 season.
A
quick overview reveals a pretty even-handed distribution of composers this
season. Verdi leads the way with five
productions followed by Mozart with three.
No Richard Strauss this year and French opera almost entirely absent – I
presume making up for last season’s superabundance of French opera. Instead we get a fairly even distribution
including Rossini, Donizetti, Giordano as well as a bit of Wagner and
Weill. Hopefully something for everyone.
While
not having quite the same appeal as last year’s programme, I still think it’s
quite an exciting season and there are lots of things I want to see – as well
as a few things I’ll probably be giving a miss.
All the details of the 2014/15 upcoming season are here
I’m
concentrating on opera in the main house but there are also some interesting productions coming to the Linbury which you might like to investigate
Placido
Domingo brings his Papa Foscari to Covent Garden and I will be there for two
reasons. One – I’ve never seen this
Verdi opera before and two…it's Domingo!
Yes, I know there are mixed opinions regarding his ‘baritenor’ outings
(to say the least) but I have a feeling this is a good role for him. And as
ever he will bring his exceptional stage presence and musicality to this
endeavour which is never a bad thing.
A
new Mozart opera for me and a pretty rare outing for ROH – last seen here in
1989. The UK directorial debut of Martin Kusej should ensure press and public
interest and a cast including Matthew Polenzani, Franco Fagioli and Malin Byström
should ensure high vocal standards.
Another
new Verdi production and one of my very favourites. This is an opera full of wit and humour and
yet equally dark and brooding – typical Verdi in many ways. But this is also Verdi at his most brilliant
and complex. I’m looking forward to
seeing the production by Katherina Thoma and hearing Joseph Calleja, Liudmyla
Monastryka and Dmitri Hvorotovsky in the
lead roles – vocal values will be high although I’m slightly less optimistic
about dramatic ones!
Obviously
this is THE hot ticket of the ROH 2014/15 season – ticket prices are high and availability
restricted due to the presence of Jonas Kaufmann in the title role. Yes, Jonas takes another bite out of
Placido’s repertory, resurrecting an opera last seen in the house in 1985 with
Domingo in the title role. Eva-Maria Westbroek
is Maddalena, David McVicar directs and Antonio Pappano conducts. What more
could you ask for?
I will have to do my homework for this opera as not only have I never seen it before, I've also never heard it before. Undaunted, I'm planning to be there and I'm looking forward to hearing Anne Sofie von Otter, Willard White and Christine Rice. The director is John Fulljames whose Donna del Lago I wasn't particularly enthralled with, so I'm hoping for better things.
More homework required as another opera new to me (and I suspect a lot of the ROH audience) makes its debut at Covent Garden. I've heard very good reports from productions elsewhere so I'm suitably intrigued. With the added incentive of Mariusz Kwecien and Samir Pirgu in the cast, Pappano conducting and Kasper Holten directing, this could be the dark horse hit of the season.
What? More homework? Okay, I vaguely know the music but this is anotther comparative rarity at Covent Garden. However with a cast led by Gerald Finley and conducted by Antonio Pappano, the audience should be in for a good time.
This
is the revival chosen to kick off the ROH 2014-15 season and rather
commendably, the very first performance is a student only affair. I’m still debating whether to attend this
opera as my tolerance for good-girl gone wrong stories may have peaked with
last season’s Manon Lescaut! But ticket
sales are looking rather slow at the moment so still time to grab a bargain. Eva-Maria Westbroek returns to the role she
created in 2011.
A
reliable staple of many an opera company there are two great casts here to
tempt – I’ve plumped for Simon Keenlyside as the poisonous court jester, Samir Pirgu as the Duke and Aleksandra Kurzak as the innocent Gilda. Alternatively you could have Dimitri
Platanias, Piero Pretti and Eri Nakamura.
David McVicar’s production is dark-toned – Verdi’s music is glorious.
This
Leiser and Caurier production passed into operatic legend when Joyce DiDonato
broke her leg on opening night…and carried on with the performance, not only on
this night, but in all subsequent performances.
Hopefully nothing quite so dramatic will happen with this run! I’m not the world’s biggest comic opera fan
but the music should fizz along nicely with Mark Elder at the helm. Serena Malfi makes her ROH debut as Rosina
along with fellow debutant Michele Angelini as Almaviva. The eponymous barber is Lucas Meacham.
More
hijinks as Donizetti’s comic opera is rolled out for yet another revival. I
missed the last outing with Roberto Alagna as Nemorino – this revival has
Vittorio Grigolo who will no doubt ham it up for all he’s worth! Lucy Crowe as
Adina will be worth a visit as will Bryn Terfel as Dulcamara.
Christoph
Loy’s production came in for quite a lot of criticism when it was first
presented and sight lines were ‘challenging’ to say the least. ROH have said that some of these issues have
been addressed and restricted sightlines will be reflected in the pricing –
we’ll see. Tony Pappano conducts a fine
cast lead by Nina Stemme as Isolde, Stephen Gould as Tristan, backed up by
Sarah Connolly as Brangane and John Tomlinson as King Marke. Highly recommended.
More
Wagner but for once I’m not really complaining.
Bryn Terfel returns as the Dutchman with acclaimed Canadian soprano
Adrianne Pieczonka as Senta. Throw in Andris Nelsons conducting and well you
can’t really say no!
Hand
on heart, I’m not the world’s biggest Butterfly fan…although I do love Puccini.
But with Kristine Opolais returning in the title role I’m hardly likely to
resist. Brian Jagde makes his house
debut as Pinkerton and the flamboyant Nicola Luisotti leads the ROH orchestra. Bring a handkerchief.
There
are nine performances of this David McVicar production, shared between two
casts. I may give this one a miss as I saw two performances at the most recent revival. Casts are very good if not ‘starry’ – Toby
Spence and Janai Brugger, alternate with Pavol Breslik and Christiane
Karg. It’s a very enjoyable production
and if I do give in and buy a ticket I may be swayed by the Breslik/Karg
combination.
Oh
Lord! What is it about comic operas this
season? Anyway, that notwithstanding
I’ll probably attend as I’ve never seen this on stage before. Another colourful
production by Leiser and Caurier, and with a cast led by Ildebrando d’Arcangelo and
Aleksandra Kurzak it should be enough to make the evening go with a swing!
Yet
another batch of performances for this ROH and audience favourite. There are 16
performances in total so if you miss one performance there’ll be another along
shortly! Two casts share the honours;
Sonya Yoncheva, Ismail Jordi and Franco Vassalo kick off the run with Marina
Rebeka, Dmytro Popov and George Petean picking up the baton later. And if that wasn’t enough excitement, Domingo
jets in to give two performances as Giorgio Germont. Personally I’d probably go with the Yoncheva
cast and I wouldn’t mind catching Domingo as this is one of his better
‘baritenor’ assumptions.
Yet
another audience favourite and another excuse to schedule 11 performances.
However, this is the very last chance (honest!) to see this venerable John Copley
production as we are assured a new production is forthcoming. In the meantime, this last outing has been
very starrily cast indeed – Anna Netrebko and Joseph Calleja are down to lead
off as Mimi and Rodolfo with Lianna Haroutounian and Piotr Beczala very
respectable alternatives. Personal
preference draws me towards the second cast but also the very real suspicion
that Ms Netrebko won’t actually turn up!
Given that her current roles now include Lady Macbeth, Manon Lescaut and
Leonora in Trovatore, I find it difficult to believe that she’ll be singing
Mimi next year. We’ll see.
A
quick revival for Kasper Holten’s somewhat controversial take on Don
Giovanni. You can read my opinion here so I can’t see myself making a return visit despite the attractions of
Christopher Maltman’s Don, The rest of
the cast are decent enough too with Alex Esposito returning as Leporello and
Rolando Villazon appearing in his new guise as a Mozart tenor. Alain Altinoglu conducting should also
provide some fireworks.
I
wish I loved this opera. I like it….but
I just don’t love it. I certainly don’t
love it enough to go and see it again in this production. It’s a good production but it's just okay and
the final act doesn’t really work as it should. But
it's okay. Ambrogio Maestri returns to the production as Falstaff with Marina
Poplavskaya currently down to sing Alice Ford – but don’t hold your
breath! Unfortunately Popsy has been
cancelling assignments left, right and centre so unless she has sorted out her
problems by next year then expect a replacement to be announced.
Wow! What a season that was...and how quickly time has gone by. Doesn't seem five minutes since I was compiling the 2012/13 highlights but here we are again. For me this has been a very positive season at ROH where the highs have definitely outweighed the lows. Of course live theatre isn't perfect but I really feel that this has been such a great season - great singers, interesting productions and a good mix of new experiences and revisiting old favourites. Here's what I saw at ROH this season:
Productions I missed this season in the main house were La Fille du Regiment and Die Frau ohne Schatten - which isn't bad going really.
Best New Production
Once again this was a really hard decision. I find new productions quite frustrating for the most part. Quite often they are so nearly perfect (Manon Lescaut) but then something goes awry. In other cases I am baffled and sometimes quite angry (Don Giovanni). But in the end I have to make a decision and its probably not the one you think...
Yes, considering the Wagner-phobe I claim myself to be, Parsifal won me over to such an extent that even my love for tenors and Jonas Kaufmann couldn't sway me! The combination of production and Wagner's music completely transformed my opinion. Not saying I love everything about Wagner (I don't) but for some reason this particular opera hits the spot. Now, if ROH would only entice Mr Kaufmann to come sing it, I'd be an even happier woman!
Worst New Production.
Sigh. For some reason this category is one of the easiest to judge although I have to say that on balance, the new productions this year were slightly less annoying than last seasons but there is a clear winner for me....
Yes, I'm afraid Kasper Holten's production of Don Giovanni left me less than impressed. The combination of whirling set, constantly flashing lights and borderline misogynistic concept meant that although I wanted to like this production, I didn't. At all. Best Production Revival
Once again, spoilt for choice amongst the many commendable revivals. Some great performances from singers enlivened even the most venerable and staid of productions. Honourable mentions go to Faust, Manon and Ariadne auf Naxos. But, the surprise winner is.....
La Boheme. I know! All the more surprising as this time last year I chose this opera (reluctantly) as my 'worst production revival'. Well all I can say is, what a difference a year makes. John Copley once again returned to breath new life into this veteran production, but it was the casting of Ermonela Jaho and Charles Castronovo which made all of the difference. Subtle and believable actors, they instantly convinced as star-crossed lovers Mimi and Rodolfo. And not only that, their musicality and willingness to live the drama on stage totally convinced. Mesmerising and magical. Worst Production Revival
Once again this category was very hard to pick. Most of the revivals I have seen these season have had their merits, be it in individual performances (Tosca) or the production itself (Nozze di Figaro). But for better or worse the winner is....
Carmen. It wasn't bad. But it wasn't really a stand out either. Individual performances were okay but frankly this just seemed like another routine revival of an old warhorse. The production now seems tired and lacking in verve. Alagna was good but brought no special insights into Don Jose. Next!
Best Male Singer Performance
Ah. Now I know what you think. She's going to pick that tenor again. You're right but quite frankly when you have a tenor who is currently performing at the very top of his game, then there is no choice. The winner is....
Yes, its that man again. Jonas Kaufmann. Although as you may gather from the picture, I'm actually choosing him for his magnificent performance of Wintereisse, rather than his performance in Manon Lescaut. Not that his Des Grieux wasn't good - it was fantastic. But it is rather his ability to totally entrance in lieder and then switch to full-blooded and passionate operatic singing that has me hooked.
Very honourable mentions go to Charles Castronovo, Gerald Finley and Bryn Terfel.
Best Female Singer Performance.
This has been the season of some very great and wonderful soprano singing. I've encountered voices new to me and revisited some favourites. Honourable mentions to Lise Lindstrom, Ailyn Perez, Joyce di Donato and Karita Mattila. But my winner for this season is....
Wow! Just wow! I was almost left speechless by my first encounter with the Tosca of Sondra Radvanovsky. Where has this soprano been all of my life? Well not at ROH very often to be sure. This voice is the real deal. And her assumption of the role of diva of all diva's was just perfection. Brava Sondra - please come back soon.
And finally...
Operatic Highlight of the Season.
I've had so many highlights this season that I really consider myself very lucky to live near London and have the opportunity to see and hear some wonderful opera. There were many highlights for me, not least Manon Lescaut which was wonderful and frustrating at the same time. Mentions must also go to Ariadne auf Naxos, Faust and Turandot. But my highlight of the season was....
Yes it was actually Dialogues des Carmelites. I have waited so many years to see this opera but it was worth the wait. Musically and dramatically satisfying and emotionally overwhelming. Just wonderful.
So that's it for another season and I'm already missing the place already! My next scheduled visit is in September to see Barbiere di Siviglia...here's a little taster of what lies ahead...
I love this opera. Thought I'd better get that out in the open before we go much further. And I have a pretty long history with it, as bizarrely (given its comparative scarcity) it was one of the first full length operas I watched back in the early 1990's when I was first getting into opera in a big way. Placido Domingo was really my way into opera - I loved his voice (still do) and I loved that he could act and make me believe in the character he was playing. So when I investigated his video catalogue and found Manon Lescaut (which I'd never heard of) it didn't faze me one bit...and as a bonus it also starred Kiri te Kanawa and Thomas Allen.
I think its safe to say it was love at first sight...or first listen. I just fell in love with the romance, passion and desperation it portrays. And even in a traditional no-surprises sort of production, the plot is clear and concise, the singing soaring and melodic (even if Kiri was having an off night due to illness) and the music simply sublime. Yes, I love Tosca and Fanciulla, but if I'm honest Manon Lescaut is my first love. But since 1983 there have been no performances of Puccini's first great success at the Royal Opera...until now.
You can imagine then my excitement when it was announced that Jonas Kaufmann would be taking over the mantel of the lovelorn Chevalier Des Grieux opposite Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais as Manon Lescaut. Jonathan Kent was announced as director and Antonio Pappano conductor. I had no qualms at all about Tony P at the helm. He is such a great Puccni conductor, almost feeling the music in his blood. And he has such a magnetic and enthusiastic personality - I just love to watch him talk about music and especially Italian opera.
Jonathan Kent is a slightly different proposition, although it has to be said I have only had two previous experiences with his productions, one of which I love, the other, well I pretty much hated it. I loved the ROH Tosca production, although I don't think you can really go far wrong with Tosca. The other was a Flying Dutchman for ENO which started well but then deteriorated badly and changed Wagner's passionate opera of redemption into something else entirely. So its fair to say I wasn't entirely sure which side of the fence Manon Lescaut would finally rest. As it turns out, it was somewhere in between.
But lets get the good stuff out of the way first. The most important question for me is 'is the singing any good?'. Kaufmann is a very well known quantity for me now so I had no doubts about his ability in the vocal department. And sure enough he was outstanding as a lovelorn student forever in thrall to Manon, singing with a desperate passion that I have not heard from him before. The voice seemed to soar effortlessly even in the dark and heart-rending scenes of Acts 3 and 4. Make no bones about it, Manon Lescaut is not an easy opera for singers and this is one of Puccini's most difficult tenor roles. There were definite hints of Otello in his passionate Act 3 pleas and in the total desperation of Act 4. There is such drama in the self-loathing and debasement the character feels, and Jonas gives it his considerable all. This part fits him like a glove and I'd go far as to say its one of his best roles. Yes, perhaps you could say that the Act 1 arias could be lighter and more flirtatious, but that's a minor quibble and I thought he sang them well. This is his début as Des Grieux and already he has scheduled two more new productions - one in Munich later this year with Anna Netrebko, and a rumoured production at the Met in New York, a co-production with Baden-Baden. Make no mistake, Kaufmann and Puccini are a match made in heaven.
Kristine Opolais comes to the part of Manon Lescaut with a pretty good track record in Puccini and a fast growing reputation as a singer to watch. I caught her in Tosca last year and whilst I enjoyed her performance I didn't find her as exciting as everyone had told me she was. I did enjoy her characterisation of Tosca which went a long way, but vocally I thought she was good but not extraordinary. After now hearing her in Manon Lescaut, I still feel much the same way, although I think the part of Manon suits her much better. Don't get me wrong, I loved the total performance and her chemistry with Kaufmann was extraordinary. She's an effective actress and this was a great début in a difficult role (and a difficult production...more later) but take away the stage and the acting and the set and what do you have? A very good voice to be sure but not one that I could pick out of a crowd. And that readily identifiable quality is what I miss in her voice - something special that marks her out from the crowd. I also heard her sing Desdemona's aria at the Proms last year and on balance I actually think I prefer her Verdi. But I'd definitely go to see her again - she's doing Butterfly next season and I will be there no doubt about it.
Christopher Maltman as Manon's brother Lescaut (another role début) was in very good voice indeed, in what is quite an ungrateful part for a baritone...but then Puccini wasn't really that interested in baritones as a rule. As a result his part tapers off in Act 3 and he is never seen again. I think an ounce more charm would make this character even more of a success, but Chris did what the director asked of him and it came off pretty well I thought.
If I've been cagey so far about the production there's a very good reason for that...its because basically I'm feeling a bit schizophrenic about it! I loved half of it but then.....
But I'm rushing ahead.
Jonathan Kent made no bones about it in the lead up to the production that this was to be a modern contemporary version. If I was nervous about that, it was only because I'd already seen the Welsh National Opera 'contemporary' updating recently and was less than impressed. I was so not impressed by it that I couldn't even blog about it - that's how much I disliked it. I don't mind updatings and enjoy quite a lot of them, but I do hate it when directors change the story on me, to give me their own version or tell a completely different story to the one the composer is telling. I have a particular problem when they do this with Puccini as his music is so specific and so theatrical that if you try to tell a different story, it doesn't match the music. For me, the WNO production of Manon Lescaut had the same affect as nails down a blackboard. Great directors work with the music, not against it.
I've now seen the new ROH production twice, once on stage and once on the big screen HD broadcast so I've had a chance to think about it and see what worked for me and what didn't. Broadly speaking Acts 1 and 2 worked dramatically and Acts 3 and 4 were less successful. Not helpful in the house were the restricted sight-lines experienced in some areas. I notice that ROH Director of Opera Kasper Holten has now apologised for this with a promise to do better next time.
Apart from sight-line problems most of the directorial ideas worked well in the first act, although I found the slightly self-concious waving around of iPads amusing. The gaming tables/casino set up on stage were a little odd and would it have hurt to put the supposed soldier Lescaut, into a uniform - at least for his introduction? Otherwise all was colourful enjoyment, even if there was a little too much running up and down stairs on this multi-layered set.
Act 2 was possibly my favourite although it appears I may be in the minority. This is the act where Manon has left her young lover for the abundant riches of Geronte, here played as some high-level, filthy rich banker. She is comfortably ensconced in a Barbie-pink gilded cage of a boudoir, platinum blonde wig and minuscule dress, her dancing lessons transformed into some sort of soft-porn movie shoot, watched by Geronte and his hangers-on. As bizarre as this sounds it works very well and at no point do you ever feel that Manon is there against her will. No. This is the price she is willing to pay for the riches, jewels and fame that come her way. Although the music provided by Puccini is faux- 18th century (including an elegant minuet at one point) this still works for the most part. Where Jonathan Kent has got it absolutely right, is the depiction of sex - both successful and not quite so successful. (Avert your eyes now if you're squeamish).
Manon Lescaut is about sex, passion, power, lust and desperate devotion. No where is this more evocatively portrayed than in the music of Act 2 which musically describes not only the overwhelming physical passion of Manon and Des Grieux but a slightly less successful encounter between Manon and Geronte. In traditional productions these two encounters are slightly less obvious, usually involving a dance for Manon and Geronte and then a passionate embrace for Manon and Des Grieux. Listen again. The music accompanying the 'dance' builds in a slow but steady rhythm, the music rising higher and higher with suitable vocal encouragement from the hangers on, until suddenly the music suddenly skitters out of control, as Manon's more mature admirer suffers a bad case of errr...getting overexcited shall we say? While not explicitly shown in this modern production, Manon was straddling her aged protector on the bed at this point, so I think the director knew exactly what he was doing.
As he was when he finally had Des Grieux burst onto the scene, once Manon's other admirers had left her bedroom. After the usual recriminations Des Grieux capitulates to Manon's charms, allowing himself to be seduced...although in this production he is by no means passive in the seduction! "I can fight no longer" he says, and the love duet proper begins. The ensuing duet is a musical depiction of sex - passionate loving sex to be sure, but sex all the same, and the singers throw themselves into the action as required, culminating in a musical orgasm, complete with whispered sweet-nothings muttered in the post-coital glow. When Des Grieux mutters "Manon, mi fai morire" (you make me want to die or you bring me close to death), he's not talking about actual death, but rather the more pleasant 'le petite mort' - an orgasm. And nothing wrong with that at all. Unsurprisingly, when Geronte unexpectedly reappears there is consternation all around - lets face it, he has just walked in on them, in bed, basking in the sexual afterglow and while no nudity is involved, I think this production leaves no doubt as to what as happened. As an aside, I thought it was slightly more 'passionate' in the dress rehearsal and slightly, only slightly, toned down for the HD broadcast. Not sure if this was due to the inclination of the singers, director, opera house or possible DVD censors! It still works but I'm intrigued.
Photograph Copyright Bill Cooper
And alas this is where my praise for the physical production more or less ends. In Act 3, the original story has Manon (after Geronte has her locked up for being an 'immoral woman') sentenced to exile to the American colonies. In this production Manon is sentenced to....I'm not really sure! When Des Grieux and Lescaut arrive to rescue Manon, she seems pretty much able to wander about as she wants! No ship awaiting to take her to exile, in fact no mode of transport at all. It seems to be some sort of game show set up, although everyone looks to be a loser and their fate is to step through a ripped poster. Now, call me old-fashioned but that doesn't really work for me. The music and singing was as sublime, passionate and heartfelt as ever (especially from Jonas) but there was no sense of drama in the setting, no sense that he was about to be separated for ever from his love, that she would be exiled and never seen again. Luckily the two principles managed to overcome the lack of coherent drama, providing it all with their acting and singing -but what a let down!
The very short Act 4 (which basically consists of one long duet interspersed by a solo aria for Manon) was also scenically not ideal. For a start, the action basically continued on without pause from Act 3, Manon still dressed in her tattered and now faded pink Barbie dress. In the novel on which this is based, some time has passed and Manon and Des Grieux have settled happily in the colonies until once again trouble ensues, Des Griuex kills the Governor's nephew who had desired Manon, and they had to flee, ending up in some deserted wasteland far from civilisation. Although Puccini didn't set any of this to music, I think it important to note that once again they are in trouble and its not just a continuation of the previous act. The production here sets this on a half destroyed flyover/highway leading nowhere. Honestly, if this is literally just supposed to depict 'the end of the road' then I'm disappointed and slightly miffed to be honest. While I don't like to over-intellectualise at the opera, I don't like being treated as stupid either. I presume the director wasn't aiming for stupid but that's what it felt like. Anyway, this worked a lot better in the broadcast than it did in the theatre. The singers were placed precariously high up on the highway, resulting in a lot of sight-line problems in the house. The singing was of course sublime and in many ways, made up for the lack of imagination and clear plot narrative displayed. Here I thought, Opolais came into her own, as Manon finally realises how much she loves the man beside her. "My faults will be forgotten, but my love will never die." Frankly, if you're not in tears by this point, you've a harder heart than me!
So in all it was a mixed bag and yet I actually do like this production and I will buy it if it comes out on DVD. Somehow the singing and orchestral playing overwhelm any faults in the production - and the faults are not so huge that the piece as a whole is not worth seeing. But I do also wonder if this production will be revived in the near future - and how revivable it is. Exactly how good would this production have been without the combined vocal and dramatic talents of Kaufmann, Opolais, Maltman and Pappano in the pit? How many top class sopranos do we have who can also pull off the skimpy Act 2 costume. How many tenors can match not only the excessive vocal demands, but also the shimmying up and down staircases and ladders? I don't know the answer, but I do know that this will be a hard cast to follow. That plus the fact that contemporary productions date rather quickly. Jonathan Kent commented that his Tosca for ROH had to be traditional to accommodate frequent revival with a variety of singers. Does he then not expect the same for his Manon Lescaut?
At this point I must also praise Tony Pappano and the ROH orchestra. What a master of Italian opera and Puccini in particular Pappano is. The famous Intermezzo was so richly played, the narrative so clear, the emotion so apparent, that I was almost in tears just listening to this piece. I'm looking forward to the rumoured collaboration between the Maestro and Kaufmann in a recording of Puccini arias. I'll leave you with Pappano and the Intermezzo:
I remember with utter clarity the very first time I heard a snippet of music from this opera. It was way back in the mists of time (around 1992/3) when I was just starting to really explore opera and classical music in earnest. So I'd buy one of those magazines with a free CD featuring snippets of classical music and just listen. Some of the tracks I already knew, some I didn't like and some I really enjoyed wanted to know more about - it was a really good way of exploring music on the cheap! Lo and behold one day a track from Carmelites blasted from the speakers and it stopped me in my tracks. What the hell was this? Singing nuns getting their heads chopped off? Baldly stated it sounds bizarre but what I had stumbled across was the Salve Regina, perhaps the most famous 'piece' of the opera and its utterly devastating conclusion. I didn't know the opera at all but it was love at first listen. Unfortunately I never got a chance to see a live performance....until now.
And I have to say that it was worth the very long wait. Much has already been said about this production by Robert Carsen. This is not a new production by any means, having originated in 1997 and has been travelling around the various opera houses since then. Still, better late than never. I've only seen two Carsen productions before and neither was a completely satisfactory experience. Most recent was the Falstaff which I saw live at ROH. An updating to the 1950's there seemed to be more surface than substance and the final act didn't really work. His Zurich Tosca (seen on DVD) was also a 1950's based production, although this one taking its cue from film noir and Hitchock themes. This had the novel idea of removing religion from the opera all together - the first act taking place in a theatre and not a church. There were some good moments but this was mainly due to the performers and not to the concept. So I was still a little bit wary of what was to come.
In Carmelites, Carsen quite wisely lets the story and the music do the talking. While the costumes evoke the period of the story, the stage is mostly bare. Carsen uses the very evocative and clever lighting (designed by Jean Kalman) to great effect. Combined with the use of the chorus and actors who fill the stage when required this is a simple tale, simply told. There were no real jarring moments in terms of production although the finale has divided opinion. As the nuns are gathered to meet their fate they indulge in some gentle almost tai chi like movements before falling gently to the ground one by one. I think it would have been just as effective to have them stand utterly still but by this time I had tears in my eyes and I couldn't see anyway.
Its very hard to highlight individual performances as this is very much an ensemble - no diva turns here! Of note to me was the cameo of Thomas Allen as the Marquis de la Force, surely now in the winter of his career...but what a winter. Richly characterised as always, he made the most of this small role and was warmly applauded at the end for his efforts. Yann Beuron as his son made a good impression but this opera is not really about the men. Sally Matthews as Blanche, the novitiate nun who is pretty much afraid of everything, was outstanding as was Anna Prohaska as the perky Sister Constance. I'm a big fan of Sophie Koch (especially in French opera) and I wasn't disappointed here. Another standout was Deborah Polaski as the aged and dying Mother Prioress. She really threw herself into the agonies of the dying nun and you can imagine poor Blanche being terrified. If Emma Bell was less notable than the rest of the cast, it was only because she had little enough time to establish her character. Quite honestly there was no weak link in the cast.
So what was it all about? I suppose on the surface it was about a group of nuns who succumbed to the zeal of the French Revolution. Others have said it is about the transference of faith - that the faith shown by Constance and the other nuns is somehow transferred to Blanche, enabling her to return to the nuns and die with them. For me personally, it was about overcoming fear, or rather overcoming the fear of fear and thus being able to move on.
In many ways, I had a very similar experience with this opera as I did when I saw Parsifal for the first time and I approached it in much the same way. This opera is a journey and you have to slow down and let the composer take you on that journey and not want to rush ahead - the conclusion is all the more devastating for the slow pace in getting there.
I have only one criticism and that is a technical one. The sounds of the guillotine, while still devastating, were greatly over-amplified in the theatre - at least in the lower amphitheatre where I was sitting. It just brought a slightly false-note to an otherwise perfect night at the opera. I'll leave you with that devastating final scene.
May 10th was a busy day for me operatically speaking; first I had a matinee performance of Nozze di Figaro at the Royal Opera, swiftly followed by the final Met HD broadcast of the season with the enticing Joyce di Donato and superlative Juan Diego Florez. That I've decided to concentrate this blog on La Cenerentola is no reflection on the standard of performance of Le Nozze di Figaro. With a cast containing Gerald Finlay, Rebecca Evans and Camila Tilling it was certainly one of the finest performances I've attended recently. However, this was my very first Cenerentola...and apparently Joyce di Donato's last and it just felt right to dedicate this post to Cinderella herself.
I must admit to not being entirely comfortable with Rossini - especially comic Rossini - the endless coloratura and interminable crescendi don't really do it for me. I suppose when it boils down to it I like my opera laced with a bit of tragedy and if there isn't at least one dead body by the end of the evening I feel slightly disappointed. However, I do love Joyce's voice and this was her last outing in one of her signature roles so I was prepared to put doubts to one side and dive in.
This was only my second experience of a Met HD broadcast and once again I was not disappointed. The cinema was packed - not a single seat was empty and the audience seemed keen and enthusiastic. There was a lot of laughter and applause during the evening. And not without cause. The opera fairly fizzed along with barely a moment to pause for breath.
The plot is slight but very familiar so it was all about the singing and characterisation for me. I'm not really a bel canto expert but I was really overawed by the vocal skills on display - by all of the cast. There was not a single weak link amongst the performers. This production has been gaining rave reviews in New York, mainly concentrating on the virtuoso tenor skills on display; firstly a 'star is born moment' for Javier Camerena in the role of the Prince and then Juan Diego Florez returning to the role in a case of 'anything you can do I can do better.' Mr Florez was simply stunning, with not a single note out of place and giving a touching performance as the Prince who falls head over heels. In previous performances there have been encores of 'Si, lo ritrovarla.' Tonight, Juan Diego restricted himself to a solo bow to acknowledge the wild applause, perhaps as an acknowledgement that this was Joyce's night after all.
Ms DiDonatao was not outshone in any way and her long partnership with Juan Diego made this special night was all the more special. I'm not sure exactly why she is retiring the role, but surely not for want of technical ability on her part. She was immediately believable and sympathetic as the downtrodden Angelina and the audience were behind her all the way.
The rest of the cast were no slouch in the vocal or dramatic stakes either. Rachelle Dirkin and Patricia Risley as Clorinda and Tisbe were an absolute hoot, even if some of the stage 'business' sometimes descended into farce. Surely it must be far more difficult to perform comic opera as opposed to dramatic? Of the male trio of bassi appearing, Pietro Spagnoli as Dandini was the most impressive for me, with expert comic timing and exhibiting a believable relationship with the Prince he was impersonating. Alessandro Corbelli made light of some taxing patter songs and was believably 'wicked' as Angelina's step-father. I enjoyed Luca Pisaroni as Alidoro but didn't really know what to make of the role. What he did was good but alas all too brief I thought.
The production by Cesare Lievi came across well on the big screen, although I found it a bit sparse and in parts without any recognisable logic to it - although perhaps as a fairly tale it doesn't really need it?
And then at then end of the evening, when the girl has married her prince and all hurts have been forgiven, the real emotion set in. I will admit to a tear in the eye when Joyce acknowledged the applause - all the more so as she looked slightly overcome herself. It must be a difficult decision to give up a much loved role - especially when going on on such a high note. But then perhaps that is the best way...always leave them wanting more!
I wasn't originally going to attend this set of performances of Verdi's classic opera; performances are split between two casts and I was saving my pennies for the second cast - more of which later. But thanks to the offices of a Twitter friend (thanks Ruth), a standing ticket became mine for this matinee performance. Even better, due to the slow tickets sales in the more expensive parts of the house, I found myself sitting in the stalls - a very rare occurrence.
This is a handsome and well-known production of Traviata, first seeing the light of day in 1994 and I remember it well from the tv broadcast with Angela Gheorghiu who made such a splash in the role. My hoard of programmes also reveal that I saw this production in the Albert Hall in 1998 during the period when the opera house was closed for refurbishment. To be honest, I can't remember that much about the Albert Hall experience so I was keen to reacquaint myself with Richard Eyre's production.
The physical production is as traditional as they come but is relatively uncluttered and tells the story well - which is all you can ask of a a production be it traditional or modern. I liked the contrast between the sumptuous Parisian settings of Act 1 and the second half of Act 2, and the more restrained and slightly abstract look for Violetta and Alfredo's country hideaway at the beginning of Act 2. Act 3 of course, was all whitewashed desolation as Violetta met her tragic end.
Diana Damrau as Violetta, was one of the main reasons I wanted to catch this cast. She has only recently taken the role into her repertoire, having previously concentrated on the purely coloratura soprano roles. Reviews have predictably been mixed after performances at La Scala and at the Met. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect but in the end I found her portrayal of this iconic character very moving. The first act vocal hurdles caused her no problems at all, although I was less keen on her physical embodiment of the character, with a slight case of overacting and over the top gestures. 'Old fashioned' is the phrase that springs to mind. This gradually settled down as the opera progressed - or perhaps I just got used to it. Either way, she was very physically into the role, certainly fainting and collapsing very impressively on several occasions. The final act was the most impressive of all and I don't think I have seen another soprano embody the physical frailty of Violetta quite so well. She even managed to carry off the final 'swan-song' in this production - where the soprano has a last burst of energy and runs around the stage before collapsing. She managed to make this look not only plausible but heartbreaking.
Vocally there were no complaints at all from me. Not only did she fearlessly throw off the coloratura of the first act (complete with high E to finish), but also negotiated the more dramatic and emotional requirements of Acts 2 and 3. The audience were suitably appreciative and she received the biggest applause of the day.
Dmitri Hvorotovsky is no stranger to this production, in fact he made his ROH debut as Georgio Germont at the Albert Hall performances which I attended in 1998. He is probably a little more suited to the elder Gemont now, although he did sound a bit 'throaty' to begin with, he soon warmed up and his duet with Violetta in Act 2 was a masterclass in controlled and beautiful legato. His physical interpretation was also interesting, suggesting an attraction to Violetta which he manfully tried to hide. I actually quite liked this approach which makes the elder Germont seem less of a one-dimensional 'baddie' than I have seen portrayed in other productions.
In fact, I did wonder at times why Violetta didn't run off with Papa Germont rather than his son! That's not to say that there was anything wrong with Francesco Demuro's portrayal of Alfredo - just that I didn't really feel there was any special chemistry with Damrau and so I was less involved with the 'tragic romance' aspect on this occasion. Demuro has a fine lyric voice well suited to this role his Alfredo was impetuous, naive and somewhat self-absorbed and selfish. I haven't always noticed this about Alfredo before, as in other productions the emphasis can be towards the romance and the undercurrents are forgotten. It worked well but as I said, I did begin to wonder why Violetta had fallen in love with him.
All in all it was a very satisfying performance of an old favourite. I tweeted after the performance saying it was 'delightfully old-fashioned'. This is not a criticism by any means although there was a touch of (deliberate?) nostalgia about the whole thing. Interpolated high notes, all cabalettas included, sumptuous sets and costumes and end of act curtain calls made the whole things seem like a throwback to another time. But there were also the old fashioned virtues of fantastic singing, an understandable narrative and total commitment from all involved.
As I mentioned, I'm going to see this production again with the second cast. Ailyn Perez stars as Violetta with her husband Stephen Costello portraying Alfredo. And if that wasn't enough there is also the attraction of Simon Keenlyside as Georgio Germont. To say that I'm looking forward to this would be understatement indeed.
Jonas Kaufmann is something of a modern-day operatic phenomenon and unarguably one of the best singers on the operatic stage today. He also happens to be an enthusiastic proponent of the art of lieder, art songs with piano accompaniment, and it was a lieder recital which brought him back to the Royal Opera House on a wet Sunday evening in April.
Lieder is something of an acquired taste and one which I'm currently working on acquiring, so this was an ideal opportunity to catch up with my current favourite tenor and advance my knowledge and experience of lieder and of Winterreise in particular. I will freely admit up front, that I'm spectacularly unqualified to comment on the nuances of lieder, so this is not a technical review, merely impressions from someone who loves singers. I'll admit to feeling a certain amount of apprehension as the house lights dimmed, wondering what on earth I had let myself in for! I've been to a few recitals before but never a song-cycle in German - surely this would demand fierce concentration and musical intelligence? Still, safe in the familiar surroundings of the Royal Opera House and with a tenor whose voice I already know and love, I was ready for anything....
....except I wasn't really for the set from Act 3 of La Traviata, which is what greeted the audience as the curtain slowly rose. Actually this isn't as bizarre as it sounds, and the neutral and somewhat desolate set provided the perfect background for this recital about lost love and unbearable grief.
The opera house is probably far too large a venue for this sort of recital and yet it worked incredibly well...mainly due to the artistry of Kaufman and Helmut Deutsch, his long-term collaborator. Very cleverly, Kaufmann started softly, quietly, settling the audience and inviting them to listen rather than expanding his sound to fit the venue. It worked for me as I settled in my seat and paid attention. The surtitles helped of course, although by the end of the evening they were almost superfluous as the singer had woven such as spell that the meaning was quite clear. I was quite taken aback by the sheer tonal beauty of the voice. I know this probably sounds ridiculous but I'd forgotten (or never realised) what a simply beautiful voice he has. With orchestra, costumes and other peripheries stripped away it was like hearing the voice for the first time. Recordings simply do not do him justice. However, it has to be said, that for all the gorgeous meza-voce singing, when he occasionally let the voice off the leash, you understood why he is one of the best opera singers today. It also occurred to me, that this was probably the first time he has sung in his own native tongue on the stage of Covent Garden. I do hope it won't be the last time.
I can't analyse every song but suffice to say, I was swept unerringly along towards the devastating conclusion...at least it was devastating in the hands of Kaufmann and Deutsch, so devastating in fact that the audience was left in stunned silence, hardly daring to breath, until at last, Kaufmann himself took a deep breath and came back from the brink. Just amazing. I may have shed a tear or two then. I can only compare it to a similar emotional experience I had when watching Parsifal a few months ago. Quite, quite breathtaking. The audience finally erupted with applause, calling the pair to the stage four or five times before they were permitted to leave. Kaufmann in particular seemed stunned and out of it for a while, although both he and Deutsch had quickly wiped away a tear on conclusion. I know how they feel.
Reading reviews and Twitter reaction today, there seem to be several criticisms....most of audience behaviour it has to be said, but also other elements such as location, marketing ploys etc etc. I wouldn't normally bother responding but I had such an emotional reaction to the recital that I feel moved to put forward a few comments of my own.
The following rants are my own views and not aimed at anyone in particular.
Firstly, the audience. There has been much comment on coughing between songs. Frankly it didn't really bother me that much - I'd much rather they coughed in the pauses, then when the singer is actually singing. Not sure what singers think about this but I'd be interested to know. Unfortunately, the pauses almost seem to invite a clearing of throats and I'm not sure what else can be done. Make an announcement beforehand? Anyway, with an audience of almost 3,000 people, it is unreasonable to expect total silence. No one around me had a coughing fit but perhaps I was lucky. Although I could have done without the hearing aid feedback at the beginning!
Location. Yes the opera house is big, but as described above Jonas totally made it work. Not sure what the sound was like at the back of the auditorium was like, but again I'd be interested to know. In my experience with opera, the auditorium is usually where the best sound is. Given Mr Kaufmann's current level of fame, I'm not sure that there is any other solution in London. The Wigmore Hall holds around 600 at best so getting a ticket for a Kaufmann recital is virtually impossible there...unless he had a week long residency (totally impracticable given his hectic diary and I don't suppose the Wigmore's coffers can stretch to that) then I'm not sure what the solution is. If they held more suitable recitals or orchestral concerts at ROH I'd definitely go.
Marketing. Here's the thing. All opera singers with a high enough public profile record an album and then tour to promote it, whether that album is opera, lieder or Mario Lanza tributes. Not every single album, and not all the time, but like every artist of whatever genre, they've got to get out there and sell it - that's why record companies sign them up in the first place. Recent examples; Rolando Villazon, Joyce DiDonato, Joseph Calleja and yes, Jonas Kaufmann. And the problem is?
Kaufmann Fans. Yes, guess what, there were a lot of Kaufmann fans in the audience. Funny that. And yes, perhaps many of them had never been to a lieder recital before (although I'm sure a lot had). What a great opportunity then for them to experience another facet of Kaufmann's artistry and yes, maybe even venture into exploring further. Even if only one or two go to another recital or buy a lieder CD, isn't that worth it? Isn't that a result of some sort? Rather than bemoaning the fact that its taken the appearance of Kaufmann to get them into a recital, why don't we celebrate the fact that they're here?
I could go on but I think I've ranted enough. I was going to comment on perceived elitism and lieder but perhaps I'll leave that for another day. Suffice to say that for the moment at least, I feel more comfortable attending a recital in the vast space of the opera house, whatever its faults, than the smaller confines of say Wigmore Hall. Maybe one day that will change - I hope so.
Anyway, to end on a positive note, I thoroughly 'enjoyed' my first Winterreise...not quite the right word but you know what I mean. Jonas Kaufmann is currently on top vocal form, singing with gorgeous tone and musical intelligence. Long may it continue.
