From July 20 to August 31, the Salzburger Festspiele presented 199 performances (opera, concert, theater). Nine operas were on the programme: five new productions, two revivals and two concert performances.
The new productions: Idomeneo (Mozart), Médée (Cherubini), Oedipe (Enescu), Orphée aux Enfers (Offenbach) and Simon Boccanegra (Verdi); the two revivals: Alcina (Händel) and Salome (R. Strauss) and the two concert performances: Adriana Lecouvreur (Cilea) and Luisa Miller (Verdi). Finally, there was a production for children "Der Gesang der Zauberinsel" (Marius Felix Lange) performed by the singers of the "Young Singers Project".
Concert performances, expensive vehicles
The concert opera performances were mainly vehicles for stars, less appealing when the star, in this case Anna Netrebko, fell ill and the public found the ticket prices (up to 330 euros) rather expensive! Four of the operas that received a scenic performance were inspired by myths from antiquity: Médée, Idomeneo, Orphée aux Enfers and Oedipe and received very different stagings. But Médée, Orphée aux Enfers and Oedipe unfortunately had a faulty projection of the French text in common, which made it often impossible to understand anything!
Pole dancing with Médée
The staging of "Médée" by Cherubini was entrusted to Australian Simon Stone, who primarily presented a visual spectacle with many scene changes (set Bob Cousins), costumes (Mel Page), lighting (Nick Schlieper) and a mass of extras, resulting in fairly picturesque and lively scenes in which, however, the real dramatic tension was lost. An example: the telephone conversation between Médée and Créon, who apparently owned a nightclub, whose activities Stone showed us extensively, including pole dancers! For of course the myth has been adapted to our time and is presented with video images, parallel scenes and the insertion of spoken fragments (written by Simon Stone) that express Médée's states of mind. Her confidante Néris addresses her comforting words to an image of Médée that she sees on the television screen while Médée tries to convince Créon at the airport to allow her into the country!
In the final scene we see Médée back at a gas station where she locks her children in her car before setting the vehicle on fire. This happens in the midst of an observing crowd, Jason and firefighters included, who at no point attempt to overcome Médée! Much credit is due to Russian soprano Elena Stikhina, who performed Médée's passion, despair and revenge with an expressive, ample voice. Her scenic commitment was total, her interpretation of Cherubini's music quite personal but in any case more convincing than Pavel Cernoch's portrayal, who presented a rather detached Jason and remained vocally quite weak. Rosa Feola brought charm and emotion to Dircé and Alisa Kolosova sang the role of Néris with an emotionally charged mezzo. Vitalij Kowaljow was a roaring Créon. Thomas Hengelbrock conducted the ensemble, the Wiener Staatsopernchor and the Wiener Philharmoniker in a rather straightforward performance.
The Hulk or rather Oedipe? In any case, musically worthy of a standing ovation
Under the musical direction of Ingo Metzmacher, the Wiener Philharmoniker seemed much more inspired to perform George Enescu's "tragédie lyrique" "Oedipe", an opera that has gained real recognition in recent years. For the performances at the Salzburger Festspiele, the festival chose the Felsenreitschule as a suitable setting for this impressive fresco and entrusted the staging to Achim Freyer, who was also responsible for the set, costumes and, together with Franz Tscheck, for the lighting. Benjamin Jantzen provided the video images. A whole team, then, to ultimately present a production that came to life primarily thanks to the music. This score, which is a document of its time (1910-1931), and which received its full due from the creative, tender and stimulating hands of Ingo Metzmacher and the luxurious sound and dramatic impact of the Wiener Philharmoniker. This was of course also thanks to the performances of the singers who gave life and voice to the characters that were primarily and essentially part of the colourful and very personal cosmos of the artist Freyer rather than of the world of myth.
What an idea to present Oedipe as a combination of Rocky and the Hulk! Poor Christopher Maltman, who was condemned to this, but who nonetheless managed to present Oedipe as a man with a destiny and to move us. Not least through his intense vocal delivery. He was surrounded by a meritorious ensemble of human puppets dressed in Freyer's imaginative costumes, which hardly helped to distinguish the various characters. Is it because he is blind that Tiresias walked around in a sort of white shroud that covered him completely and from which the clearly recognizable but unfortunately also very tired bass voice of John Tomlinson rose from the depths.
There were beautiful, committed vocal performances by Eve-Maud Hubeaux (le Sphinge), Chiara Skerath (Antigone), Anaïk Morel (Jocaste), Brian Mulligan (Créon), the other cast members and the choirs. The audience, clearly impressed, gave the entire team an ovation.
Euphoric Orphée aux Enfers
On a journey of discovery through the world of myths, the Salzburger Festspiele did not limit themselves to the great dramatic and lyrical repertoire. There was of course also Jacques Offenbach who let himself be inspired more than once by the ancient world. And since 2019 marked his 200th birthday, his opéra-bouffon "Orphée aux Enfers" was also on the program in a production by Barrie Kosky, the Australian director, head of the Komische Oper in Berlin and a virtuoso artist with a rich imagination.
It had initially been announced that the work would be performed in its original French version but that the spoken dialogues would be in German. Ultimately all dialogues were entrusted to German actor Max Hopp who also played the role of John Styx. Max Hopp accomplished this task with admirable virtuosity but the audience had to be truly exceptionally attentive to follow what was being said by whom in this whirlwind presented by Barrie Kosky. He presented "Orphée aux Enfers" as a grand "farce", not particularly refined but full of energy, with delightful moments and others of sometimes questionable taste in a 1900 theatre setting by Rufus Didwiszus, costumes by Victoria Behr, lighting by Franck Evin and mostly charming choreography by Otto Pichler.
Kathryn Lewek as Eurydice (in negligée, bosom and rear end corseted) jumped from one bed to another and sang virtuously with a supple soprano and brilliant high notes in her attempts to escape her musical husband (Joel Prieto with lovely tenor) and Aristée/Pluton (excellent Marcel Beekman) to follow into hell. But even in the realm of Pluto, Eurydice is bored and becomes easy prey for Jupiter who presents himself in the form of a beautiful golden fly (Martin Winkler not so convincingly). Finally and despite the efforts of Opinion publique (a majestic Anne Sofie von Otter) to restore order, Eurydice will become a priestess of Bacchus and the spectacle ends in general euphoria, clearly much appreciated by the audience. But I must honestly confess that despite my appreciation for individual performances, I was not particularly enthusiastic about this overloaded production. Offenbach was nonetheless well served by the Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted with great verve by Enrique Mazzola. There were also fine performances from the Vocalconsort choir, the ensemble of dancers and the entire cast who enthusiastically embraced Barrie Kosky's concept.
No meaningful or convincing updating
With "Adriana Lecouvreur" (Cilea) and the two Verdi operas "Simon Boccanegra" and "Luisa Miller", the Salzburger Festspiele also offered operas that did not belong to the world of ancient myths. "Adriana" and "Luisa" had to content themselves with concert performances but "Simon Boccanegra" received a staged realization in a production by Andreas Kriegenburg (set: Harald B. Thor, costumes: Tanja Hofmann, lighting: Andreas Grüter, video: Peter Venus). Kriegenburg moved the 14th-century action to the present day and presented the people of Genoa as a group of officials, apparently only interested in their smartphones. Beyond that there was no meaningful or convincing updating of the drama in a plot that more than once got lost in the elegant, spacious, bare set with cold, grey walls.
The character direction and the movements of the choirs offered little dramatic tension and emotion was barely present. Even the orchestra, an excellent Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted by Valery Gergiev, could not really bring tension, life and warmth to this sterile environment. The cast nonetheless offered committed singers with good voices who knew how to sing Verdi. The character that made the most impression was René Pape's Fiesco, a proud man, wounded father and formidable opponent with an authoritative voice, sonorous and expressive. Luca Salsi brought humanity and vulnerability but also authority to Simon with his homogeneous, warmly coloured baritone. Marina Rebeka was a loving and concerned Amelia who especially convinced in the most dramatic moments but experienced some problems in her entrance aria "Come in quest'ora bruna". Gabriele Adorno had the impetuousness of Charles Castronovo with supple tenor. André Heyboer lent his somewhat rough voice to Paolo and Antonio Di Matteo delivered a solid Pietro. The choirs of the Vienna State Opera performed as expected.
- WHAT: Salzburger Festspiele 2019[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFHQw2lX8NQ[/embed]
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