Photo: Winslow Townson
The
first time I saw this opera was in Wroclaw in April 2014. Mariusz Trelinski,
now (sic) of “Yolanta/Bluebeard’s Castle” fame, was the director, and
Ewa Michnik conducted. Mariusz Godlewski
was King Roger. The title character is a historical figure from the 12th
century, King Roger II of Sicily, but the plot echoes Euripides’s “The
Bacchae.” Jaroslaw Iwaszkiewicz (Szymanowski’s distant cousin) and Karol Szymanowski
collaborated on the libretto. The inspiration came after a trip they made
together to Sicily and North Africa in 1914.
In
Boston, another Mariusz, this time Kwiecień (baritone) was King Roger, Olga Pasichnyk (soprano) was
Roxanna, Yvonne Naef (mezzo-soprano) was the Deaconess, Edgras Montvidas
(tenor) was the Shepherd, Rafal Majzner (tenor) was Edrisi, Alex Richardson was
the solo tenor (I recently encountered Mr. Richardson after the DiDonato
concert at Carnegie Hall), Raymond Aceto (bass) was the Archbishop, with the Tanglewood
Festival Chorus, and the children’s chorus Voices of Boston, the full BSO
orchestra, the renowned Charles Dutoit conducting.
I confess
I found it overwhelming, starting with my arrival. After the winter for all
ages, not a parking spot anywhere, street or parking lot alike! What…to do?! A companion offers to drop me off…it is five
minutes to curtain…I agree…the performance is luckily delayed, there are many
in similar woes… the lobby is full of those whose companions for the evening were
out parking…
I
suspect that the extra minutes were welcomed by the orchestra and soloists
alike. I confess…I found the BSO stage that evening overwhelming. A confession,
had I not already seen the Opera, much would have been lost… (For background
and synopsis, I recommend an excellent article at http://culture.pl/en/article/king-roger-op46-and-the-clash-of-the-gods
and an enlightening interpretation by Mr. Kwiecień in an interview posted on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIHZbtQ-mG4).
What was missing was the sexual ambiguity and tension present with a fully
staged opera. But that is just one point of view. To this day, the opera
remains controversial and open to many interpretations. Some think the Shepherd
Jesus Christ…
Despite
the concert version (no costumes, no set, crowded stage and, at times, an
overwhelming orchestra) Mr. Kwiecień’s
persona, his controlled intensity, warm, dark, colored baritone voice,
excellent enunciation, musical virtuosity and temperament were all evident
throughout. In his "Słońce! Słońce! Edrisi!" (Act III) we witness King Roger free
from the shackles of authority, no longer the man in full control (Act I and II),
seemingly happy now… at least I thought so…all this matched by the
expressiveness from the orchestra.
It stayed with me
for days!
Soprano Olga
Pasichnyk was more than able to convey Roxanna’s importance and her intoxication
with the Shepherd. Her voice was clear, her orchestral fortissimos riding high
above the orchestra, not a small feat. (Only once did I fear she might have
been overwhelmed by the power of the orchestra.) She was wonderful in Act II,
where her wordless notes were intoxicating
The Lithuanian
tenor Edgars Mintvidas had perhaps he biggest challenge of the concert version.
Difficult to convey the complicated, at times controlling, then seductive and
intoxicating persona of the shepherd, when you are wearing a tuxedo…
His lovely tenor
voice stood up to the rigor of the evening, the lengthy vocals with their high
notes. Impressive.
Mr. Maizner was
overshadowed by the above mentioned soloists, not because he is not a good
enough singer, but again because of the constrains of the concert version. The
importance of his role as the advisor/confidant remained clear.
The vocal journey for
all was impressive!
The “supporting”
cast was superb including The Tanglewood Festival Chorus and the children of “Voices
Boston” (Andy Icochea Icochea conductor). Tackling the Polish language could
not have been easy! Bravo!
Charles Dutoit and
his ‘plus size’ orchestra are obvious fans of Szymanowski’s music and this
Opera!
As
for the night’s English ‘supertitles’ (I read, write and speak Polish), there
were too many misspellings and many times an awkward choice of words (I did not
take notes…). Surely there is no lack of excellent Polish to English
translators available to the BSO…
I
hope Mr.G. (http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/03/23/a-fight-at-the-opera)
brings it to the Metropolitan Opera…I think it is time Szymanowski gain the
respect and audience he deserves. After all, he was a modern, dare I say XXI Century
man at a time and place not friendly to such a persona (I’m afraid he is still
much misunderstood, dare I say disapproved in Poland, where his lifestyle and
criticism of Polish provincialism is still a subject for some …)
So…I
think it is time to acknowledge that this is not an unknown opera by an unknown
composer! It has now been performed (in no small measure do to Mr. Kwiecien’s
efforts) in Paris, Madryt, Santa Fe, Bilbao,
(here in the new production by Michal
Znaniecki), and in London(http://www.roh.org.uk/productions/krol-roger-by-kasper-holten)
Warszawa and Krakow. The opera is being presented in London again this May and
in Krakow (I will be there…) this Fall.
New
York City next…
Brak komentarzy:
Prześlij komentarz