Royal Opera 2006 Season Opening Night - Gounod: Faust.  Soloists / Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera / Maurizio Benini (conductor). Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. 15.09.06 (ED)

 

Faust: Piotr Beczala

Méphistophélès: Orlin Anastassov

Marguerite: Angela Gheorghiu

Wagner: Robert Gleadow *

Valentin: Russell Braun

Marthe Schwerlein: Della Jones

Siébel (Cast change due to illness): Liora Grodnikaite *

* = Jette Parker Young Artist

 

Conductor: Maurizio Benini

Director: David McVicar

Set Designs: Charles Edwards

Set Designs: Brigitte Reiffenstuel

Lighting: Paule Constable

Choreography: Michael Keegan Dolan

 

 

David McVicar’s production of Gounod’s Faust made two appearances in the 2004 season, the first run of which was particularly well received I recall, with a cast that included Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna (Faust) and Bryn Terfel (Méphistophélès). The production back then ruffled a few feathers amongst certain members of the opera-going public for setting one scene in a hellish Cabaret and later for having Méphistophélès appear in a black sequinned dress. If the Royal Opera hoped that such high jinks might have launched the new season with enthusiasm and a sense of fun, then circumstances largely conspired against them in achieving the desired result.

 

John Relyea was originally billed as Méphistophélès, but was forced by illness to withdraw from the run. His place was taken at short notice by the Bulgarian bass-baritone Orlin Anastassov. Imposing physical presence was much to his advantage in the role, but his singing lacked focus, to begin with at least. Piotr Beczala’s rather nasal tenor contrasted well as Faust, and he creditably made the transformations between old age and youth, even if vocally he was happier when having youth on his side. As Ezio Pinza once observed, it is a real challenge for a young singer to bring off age with certainty and true believability.

 

The opera’s second pair, brother and sister Valentin and Marguerite were on the whole taken with more success. Russell Braun possessed purpose in his voice and acting as Valentin, the valiant soldier, whose willingness to stand with honour against Faust assisted by Méphistophélès ensures his own fate. Angela Gheorghiu’s Marguerite grew both in focus and emotional depth as the evening progressed. Initially her ‘Jewel song’ seemed little more than a self indulgent vehicle for obvious posturing by the great diva, but the sense of nervousness she brought to Act Five to display her madness and then its logical consequence, death, was very moving.

 

On the whole smaller roles were well taken, with Della Jones bringing long stage experience to bear in drawing the most out of what is essentially Marthe Schwerlein’s one scene. In many ways the most impressive singing of the evening came from Liora Grodnikaite in the trouser role of Siébel. Given that she stood in for an indisposed Christine Rice for a single performance, hopefully this is a role that Grodnikaite will have the opportunity to revisit before too long.

 

In final summation, this is a production that rather puzzles me. There are long stretches of the work that require concentration and motivation on the part of the audience to get through. Gounod is often heard to be rather self-defeating in that he draws things out rather than investing them with energy to keep the action moving. Although the opera’s crowd scenes are handled with enthusiasm, their sheer noisiness can deaden the ear after a while, and visually the joke-laden contrast between the matter-of-fact street scenes and hell’s cabaret can seem rather trite.

 

Whatever one thinks of the stage action though, perhaps the main culprit of the evening was to be found in the pit.  Maurizio Benini is a conductor with extensive operatic experience, which makes his start-stop approach to the score all the more infuriating. At every possible moment he sought to inject little pauses where they should not appear, thus destroying Gounod’s overall musical shape to a large extent. A pity, because when given without such an approach the score can really benefit. Hopefully future revivals will realise Gounod’s concept with greater care.

 

Evan Dickerson