Beethoven, Leonore: Soloists; Chorus & Orchestra of Chelsea Opera
Group/Howard Williams, QEH, 26.11.2005 (CC)
First performed at Vienna's Theater an der Wien on
November 20th, 1805, the present concert
performance neatly marked the two hundredth anniversary
of the opera that was to become Fidelio. Leonore
is almost a different piece, so widespread are the differences
(and with Mackerras' Barbican Fidelio still ringing in the ears, comparison was easy).
Three acts as opposed to two, for a start...
Properly, it was Leonore 2 Overture that opened the evening. Easy to hear why the shorter
Fidelio Overture was the composer's final choice
– having the whole drama enacted instrumentally does
rather change the slant of the opening scene, even if
it does begin with Marzelline's aria 'O wär ich schon
mit dir vereint' (rather than the more overtly buffo
Marzelline/Jacquino duet, which comes second). The Overture
was well rather than outstandingly performed – this
is a good amateur orchestra with some excellent soloists
(clarinet, for example). But it was nice to hear the
silences between the tutti block chords actually counted
out (most conductors seem to rush and come in early).
The Marzelline was soprano Melinda Hughes, who projected
the young girl's hopes completely believably. Throughout
in fact Hughes' clear tone, excellent pitching and nimble
way with lines implied a singer with considerably more
experience than her biography would suggest. I believe
we will be hearing more of this young lady. (Luckily,
Marzelline has more to do in Leonore than Fidelio.) Her Jaquino was Colin Judson, who sang Pang in the ROH Turandot of 2004/5, although alas not in
the performance I attended. Acceptable but with no great
force of character, he was one of the weaker aspects
of this evening.
The titular heroine was actually a substitution –
Turid Karlson was indisposed. How lucky, then, that
Munich's Staats-Theater am Gärtnerplatz is staging Leonore
at the moment and that their heroine, Brigitte
Wohlfahrt, could make it over. Resolute yet ever-sensitive,
it was as if she had been with COG from the very beginning
– the interaction between Marzelline and Leonore in
the great Quartet, 'Mir ist so wunderbar' was magnificent,
and again at 'Um
in der Ehe' (exclusive to Leonore; hearing more
of the character of Marzelline also fleshes out this
character who is of decidedly minor import in the later
version). Wohlfahrt's greatest moment came in the famous
'Töt erst sein Weib' Act III cry as she shelters her
husband from certain death. She tackled the early version
of 'Komm Hoffnung' (shorn of 'Abscheulicher') with aplomb
and charisma, more than could be said for the horns,
who moved from the barely acceptable to the risible.
A shame (it is exposed and difficult, in fairness).
Richard Wiegold's Rocco was focused yet slightly anonymous,
a criticism that could also be aimed at Simon Neal's
Pizarro. Pizarro's 'Ha! Welch ein Augenblick' revealed
a fairly large voice and some presence, although this
was no incarnation of black evil. Much better was his
later (Act III) 'Er sterbe!' By this time one could
hear him enjoying himself.
Florestan has to wait here until Act III before he
gets to sing. Justin Lavender, a regular with COG, was
reliable without being particularly heroic. Apt, really,
as this version is decidedly less Heldentenorish than
the later one. He became a believable prisoner although
overshadowed, to be sure, by his Leonore in 'Namenlose
Freude'. The weakest member of the cast was perhaps
the Don Fernando, Dean Robinson, virtually inaudible
to begin with. There was a gain in confidence, but not
enough to validate him as a character. Of course one
must not forget the chorus, excellently trained and
a model of careful vocal balancing.
Opportunities to hear Leonore do not come along
every day. We should be grateful to Chelsea Opera Group
for this one.
Colin Clarke
