SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Wagner, Der Fliegende Holländer: Soloists, Orquesta Sinfónica de Madrid. Coro Intermezzo. Conductor: Jesús López Cobos. Teatro Real de Madrid. 19 and 20.1.2010  (JMI)

New Production from theTeatro Real in co -production with Barcelona’s Liceu.

Director: Alex Rigola.
Sets: Bibiana Puigdefàbregas.
Costumes: M. Rafa Serra.
Lighting: María Doménech.

Casts:

Holländer: Johan Reuter/Egils Silins.
Senta: Anja Kampe/Elisabete Matos.
Daland: Hans Peter König/ Eric Halfvarson.
Erik: Sephen Gould/Endrik Wottrich.
Steuermann: Vicente Ombuena.
Frau Mary: Nadine Weissmann.

Anja Kampe as Senta. Picture © Javier del Real

The new year starts in Madrid with these performances of Wagner’s Dutchman, a work that has not been performed at the Teatro Real since the end of 19^th century, except for a visit by Berlin Staatsoper a few years back. The current performances of this opera have been good rather than brilliant, although clearly better than those seen lately in Barcelona and Seville.

This co-production between Barcelona’s Liceu and Madrid’s Teatro Real has stage direction by Àlex Rigola and was premiered at the Liceu some three years ago. The production moves the action to modern times, which is acceptable, bearing in mind this is a legend which can fit any era. Rigola is a man of the theatre but this time he concentrated mostly on the aesthetics, rather than the stage action, almost as if it was not greatly important. Act I takes place on two levels: the berthing quay and the bridge of the Norwegian boat, each stage perfectly adequately, particularly at the arrival of the Dutch ship. In Act II,  Daland’s home becomes the dining room of Daland and Co. since Daland is shown as an  industrialist. The room has a soft drinks machine and large windows at the back, through which we can see the ocean. The last act takes place in the breakwater next to Daland’s factory with spectacular projections of waves hitting the breakwater stones. The weakest parts of the production are the actual stage direction and an inability to draw decent standards from the large chorus:  a few stage management details, achieved more or less well enough with extras are not sufficient to ensure the production’s success.

Musical direction was the responsibility of Jesús López Cobos, who produced a performance much in line with others he has conducted in recent years - an effective and clean reading, always under control but with a certain imbalance between the brass section and the strings, particularly in the Overture. López Cobos delivered his best work in the final act and overall I would say that his performance was rather better than some he has given recently although still rather short of romantic atmosphere. The orchestra played very well though, certainly much better than anything heard in Barcelona three years ago, and some fine chorus work was a very nice surprise.

There were two different casts, with the first one headed by the Danish baritone Johan Reuter as the Dutchman. His voice is beautiful and he is clearly a fine singer, but his instrument is not quite enough to make a truly  brilliant Holländer. In general he was short on power, making a fine impact in the Act I monologue, but noticeably lacking in the big duet with Senta. He seemed tired by the final act. The Latvian Egils Silins in the second cast was an improvement. His voice has greater power than Reuter’s and he lived the character more obviously, something most evident in the way he sang the above mentioned duet with his Senta. With today’s shortage of particularly fine Dutchmen, he is in fact a very good choice.

The German soprano Anja Kämpe is a regular singer at the Teatro Real and probably the most frequent Senta seen in the main opera houses these days. She was very intense, both as singer and actress although I have always found her rather short on emotion in  the big Act II duet and this time was no exception. Even so, there is no question that she is currently one of the very best interpreters of the role, although her upper notes seem to be becoming rather strained. The Portuguese soprano Elisabete Matos in the second cast was a very good Senta too. Her voice does not have the same quality as her colleague, but her top register is always secure, hitting in the middle of the note perfectly.

Hans Peter König is one of the most outstanding Dalands today and here he proved it once again since his was perhaps the most complete performance in the quartet of protagonists in the first cast. The American Eric Halfvarson is not at quite the same level. He has a sonorous middle register, while his lower notes are rather weak and his top is sometimes unstable.

The American tenor Stephen Gould is a luxury casting for Erik anywhere, although his suitability for the role in purely vocal terms is perhaps debatable. Erik does not need a heldentenor, which is what Gould is without a doubt: better though to sin by excess than by default, I suppose. Gould was quite good in his duet with Senta in Act II, while rather disappointing in the arioso in Act III, one of the most lyrical cantabile passages ever written by Wagner. In the second cast, Endrik Wottrich was little better than routine, without much interest at all. In the supporting roles, Vicente Ombuena was a good Steuermann, while Nadine Weissmann made an excellent Frau Mary.

There was a full house on both days and a warm final  reception for the artists each time. The popular winners were Silins, Matos, Kampe and König and Jesús López Cobos was much appreciated also.

I’d like to finish with a comment regarding the “original version” of Der Fliegende Holländer ; which this production was supposed to be according to the programme notes. To  the best of my knowledge - I was not actually present at the premiere in Dresden! - the “original version” had intermissions while this one didn’t. I am fairly certain that it was Cosima who insisted on eliminating intermissions at Bayreuth to emphasize the concept of “music drama” rather than “Romantic opera”, as Wagner subtitled his Holländer.

José M Irurzun