Showing posts with label Sarah Connolly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sarah Connolly. Show all posts

Saturday, 12 November 2016

ENO: Kentridge's Lulu ★★★★

Brenda Rae in ENO's 'Lulu'  (C) Alastair Muir 
This week is another tasteful and satisfying evening out at the ENO. It is also the second time the ENO has presented a revival work, following The Pearl Fishers (click here for my review), that went down a treat in New York's Met opera house last year (click here for my review), also shown in Amsterdam as a co-production with Dutch National Opera. The formidable artistic director William Kentridge has brought his magnetically animated production of Berg's Lulu to the ENO stage, and for an English conversion it seemed to work so, so well.

 Alban Berg didn't live long enough to finish his three-act opera, and it was in the hands of Friedrich Cerha to complete the final and most ghastly act where our lead character is murdered by London's mysterious killer - Jack the Ripper. 

 The narrative of Lulu isn't, at all, complicated, yet the musical mastery of Berg's score shows the depth of his innovation, out of the Second Viennese School, with expressionist composers Arnold Schoenberg and Anton Webern. Berg wrote his second opera, after a successful Wozzeck, during a time in Germany where women were repressed, and writing Lulu was his escapism. 
James Morris as Dr. Schöen and Brenda Rae in ENO's 'Lulu' . (C) Alastair Muir 
This modern opera (1937) is atonal and remarkable for a narrative filled with diverse voices; brimming with scandal, mistresses, clandestine relationships, sex, blood, and suicide. That said, everything is left to the audience's imagination in Kentridge's stylish production; you may see underwear and legs, but hardly a sight of nudity - the projections do the work. 

 Lulu, an alluring, yet brazenly sexual woman is loved and lusted over by many. It is her sensuality and seductive powers that bring her admirers down, yet as the opera progresses audiences see that it is the essence of her ultimate demise as well. 

 The production has various dynamic parts and components happening at the same time. The stage is a party of all sorts: mime, moving imagery, strong visuals, projections of expressionist artwork, thick paint marks, and a rainbow set that perfectly sits within the 1920-30s vintage style and couture. Audiences applauded Kentridge, Sabine Theunissen, Greta Goiris, Catherine Meyburgh and Urs Schöenbaum for their creative achievements at ENO's opening night. 

 Mark Wigglesworth drains out the best he can of the ENO Orchestra as it is his last performance as ENO's music director. The orchestra sets in motion a buttery, rich and unbroken interpretation under the baton of an exceptional conductor. 
Brenda Rae and Sarah Connolly as Countess Geschwitz in ENO's 'Lulu'. (C) Alastair Muir 

Having seen Marlis Petersen, who had mastered the role of Lulu for 20 years, at the Met Live production last year, it is hard to compare American soprano Brenda Rae for her own vigourous interpretation of the title-role. Lulu is a challenging and tough role, but Rae is consistent. Ready for each scene, she has vocal charm, yet it would have been nice to see something that stood out in her performance - something she could call her own. All of Lulu's admirers - Countess Geschwitz, a schoolboy, painter, athlete, animal tamer, Dr. Schön and Schigold - are performed by sublime soloists, Sarah Connolly, Clare Presland, Michael Colvin, David Soar, Nicky Spence, James Morris and Willard White. 

 Joanna Dudley gives a fine performance as the symbolic mime figure of Lulu's alter ego. While Lulu arouses Dr. Schön's son's Alwa, Dudley distorts her body, opening her legs but holds them in the air for minutes, suggesting she is ready to commit adultery on the same sofa her second husband bled to death. Andrea Fabi is also a bold mute figure from a black and white film that acts like a butler to the stage, helping the characters along with the narrative. 

 This is a unique and tenacious production, worth seeing, but it is three hours and 40 minutes long. The ending may receive some mixed opinions and the opera won't be to everyone's taste, yet why stick to what you like and know? Try something new and get a ticket to a unique opera which will give your brain an opera orgasm. 
Lulu is showing at the ENO until November 19th 2016. Get your tickets now here!




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Saturday, 20 December 2014

Royal Opera House: Nina Stemme - Tristan and Isolde ★★★★★


My critical view of Christof Loy’s acclaimed production of Tristan und Isolde is slightly marred by where I was sitting in conjunction to the Royal Opera House's stage – literally five meters away from Wagnerian Soprano Nina Stemme who won a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance as Isolde at its premier in 2010.
Having witnessed her vocal prowess and first-class performance at this year's Proms as an audacious Salome, my expectations were only skyrocketing for an opera said to be ‘intoxicated by passion almost to the point of depravity.’ Wagner, unlike other composers, wrote the libretto and poetry to his operas where ‘words, stage setting, visible action and music all come together in closest harmony towards the central dramatic purpose’ (otherwise termed as Gesamtkunstwerk (total art-work)). And here Stemme’s role as the heroine plays as much a significant part as Antonio Pappano’s conducting of the orchestra of the Royal Opera House.
In this four hour production Loy’s minimal setting, which is limited to walls, two chairs and a table, puts the onus on Pappano, the orchestra and the cast members’ vocal craft to evoke the drama on to the opera; in the back a parallel world: banquet of debauchery, is concealed by curtains that supposedly represent Wagner’s metaphysical influences from philosopher Schopenhauer and the yearning of endless night, darkness and even death. Although known for controversial productions, Loy's effective stage decision, here, is one that I fully support.
The preclude in Act I is a moving feast and it transcends from the overture - this unsettling and uncomfortable atmosphere of natural and sharp notes magically transfix into a reassuring romantic vortex, which sensationally flows and weaves. And Pappano just captures it like a butterfly in a nest. Of course, he is no stranger of Wagnerian Leitmotif as he also conducted Puccini’s Manon Lescaut in this year’s repertory and articulated his interest for such ‘sublime’ music. Yet once the overture was over, Pappano softened his conducting and left the magnitude to, what I thought was,  one of the most crucial parts of the opera in Act II alongside Liebstod. It seemed that he was saving the ardour and luster for the climactic parts. 
This was a different case for Stemme who entered with the same energy and fire, which she ended on.  In the 80 minutes where she had to sing continuously in Act II she was unflagging and we can only thank her experience as Isolde, in multiple opera productions, for her unrelenting performance - I can’t recall a note off. Her stage act as an angry Isolde to a undivided and loving Isolde was also developed and didn’t look a mark out of place. When Stephen Gould, as Tristan, and Stemme unite in Act II, I couldn’t contain my tears – the Celtic poetry that inspired Wagner and the hopeful romance, exceled by voice and music, was stupendous – never has an opera truly make me feel this way.
Stephen Gould is no stranger to Wagner either and has played multiple international roles as Siegfried and Lohengrin. Both him and Stemme seem to understand Wagner’s musical text and the notion of Liebstod (love-death) better than many. Although Stemme comes in full thrust, and a notch higher in quality, Gould has tones of mellowness that can romantically subdue audiences. The role of Tristan is not an easy one and even if he was soft toned on the poetry he managed to balance this out with higher notes, which he sang with glory and might.
Brangäne sung by Sarah Connolly was also a vocal blessing as the contrast character to Isolde. Her strong voice, and diction was in place as well as Brangäne's woeful worries that were particularly felt by the audience. The synergy between Stemme and Connolly were remarkable. And we see Iain Paterson as a wilful Kurwenal who sings with heart and poignancy in Act III.
The wonderful production, I experienced, hit some nostalgic nerves. Liedstod, as I understand it, is a swirling symphonic piece that can be appreciated on its own; yet it needs the right soprano with the vocal integrity and depth to extract the challenging and peculiar subtleties of the music. I’ve been listening to a lot of Jessye Norman and now Stemme and although different in voice I admire how immensely important it is for there to be a strike in balance for such a cosmically daring role as Isolde.  
Last showing tomorrow - More information here.
Recommended to queue from 8.30pm tomorrow (21st Dec) for day tickets
Courtesy of Royal Opera House for photographs

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