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Mussorgsky, The Marriage: Soloists, Ricardo Bini (Piano) Sala Gayarre del Teatro Real de Madrid. 26.10.2008 (JMI)

Production from Teatro Real
Direction: Tomás Muñoz
Costumes and Lighting: Tomás Muñoz

Cast:

Fyocla: Marina Makhmoutova
Podkolesin: Isidro Anaya
Kochkarev: José Manuel Montero
Agafia: Sonia de Munck


This short opera by Mussorgsky was composed in 1868, when Boris Godunov had still not been premiered, although its first performance did not take place until 1908 (17 years after Mussorgsky’s death), after being completed by Alexander Cherepnin. The work, better called ‘An Opera with  Dialogue’,  is based on Gogol’s comedy   and it was never orchestrated by Mussorgsky. As a song score had a private first performance in the  year of its composition, interpreted at the piano by Rimsky Korsakov’s  wife to be and with  Mussorgky himself as Podkolesin. Its official premiere took place in Saint Petersburg on stage but still with piano  accompaniment. Orchestrations  have been numerous throughout the years, the last one having been completed by Gennady Rozhdestvensky in 1982. The opera is a comedy with music in which dialogue abounds and without bigger  pretensions nor grandeur: it comes out as a very pleasant and amusing work.

Teatro Real presented this opera last year  as an extra to its main program and in the small  Sala Gayarre (about 250 spectators) in the original version for piano. Following the positive reaction, it is being  offered again this season. It seems to me a good idea to use this small room to unknown works most of which would be of little  interest to the  more general opera-going public.

The Sala Gayarre does not have a pit and its stage is a very small  platform. In these conditions it is necessary for a director to  make use of  his imagination, which is exactly  what Tomás Muñoz does, does. He provides a very funny production, perfectly matched to the  libretto and the music, and  his excellent direction of the actors, has them involved in their characters completely.

Riccardo Bini was the pianist and musical director and he showed perfect control of this small opera. The group of young singers were hand-picked for  their roles and gave a completely  absorbing performance.. The baritone Isidro Anaya  was perfect in his role as the indolent and doubtful Podkolesin and . the same can be said of Jose Manuel Montero as Kochkarev, Podkolesin’s friend and amateur matchmaker. The professional matchmaker Fyocla, was the Russian mezzo Marina Makhmoutova (a member of the Teatro Real chorus) who produced an outstanding performance. Sonia de Munck was a good Agafia, the object of the manipulations of both marriage brokers.

The small hall was absolutely full and the audience showed their satisfaction wholeheartedly, warmly applauding all of the artists.

José M Irurzun


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