From: Kirsten LeeSubject: Der Rosenkavalier @ Los Angeles Opera 05.29.05
Octavian: Alice CooteMarschallin: Adrianne PieczonkaBaron Ochs: Kurt RydlSophie: Elizabeth FutralItalian Tenor: Garrett Sorenson (replacing Greg Fedderly)Conductor: Kent NaganoDirector: Maximilian SchellSet and Costumes: Gottfried Helnwein
As the curtain rises during the overture the entire tone of the set is in various shades of blue. We see the blue-grey haired Octavian kissing blue-blonde Marschallin on the corner bed with blue drapes. As the stormy overture indicates what the couple is doing we are shown a film on a giant screen in the front. The film credits Robert Wiene's "Cabinet of Dr.Caligari" but the scene shown has nothing of the 20s signature German expressionist style but a scene of a rushing troop penetrating through the stone arch.
Sorry - thats wrong. The film shown was Robert Wiene's "Der Rosenkavalier"(1925) created in collaboration with Hugo von Hofmannsthal and Richard Strauss who wrote the musik for the film (Op. 59)The set and costumes were created by Alfred Roller who was in charge of the sets and costumes for all the Strauss opera-premières in Vienna.The rushing troop penetrating through the stone arch are soldiers of the Marshall (- the Marshallin's husband) But it's true that Robert Wiene also created "Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari"(1920) for which he became famous.(the website editor).
All this as the overture subsides. Okay, we get the idea. I am just glad the film didn't start with the shot of a lighthouse. Later Baron's entourage come on stage in blue uniform identical to the ones from the film.
Good news is that Alice Coote did NOT cancel. She seemed to be in good form physically and into her character. Her repertoire has been somewhat similar to that of Susan Graham but with wider emphasis on Baroque. Next to tall Adrianne Pieczonka this petite mezzo looked like a child rather than a teenager despite the raked stage. Hers is, among the ones I heard live, the most beautiful and expressive female voice that can deliver emotions with superb acting skills.I had slight concerns how her volume might fare in Dorothy Chandler over large orchestra being mainly accustomed to her voice in Handel work. No problem - she soared above the orchestra with ease. This is a role I dreamt of hearing Coote sing from the first time I was introduced to her gorgeous instrument several years ago and she was certainly there as a committed artist despite the multi-color staging that required her from going from blue to yellow to red haired Octavian, real Alice in Wonderland - giant bunny in Act I, a doctor dressed as a bird with a long beak treating injured Ochs in Act II. From the beginning exchanges to the smitten teenager's tantrum, Octavian was a believable character, exquisite vocal beauty and expressiveness reminding of mixture between Troyanos and Ferrier.
I heard Adrianne Pieczonka only once before, almost exactly 10 years ago as Donna Elvira to James Morris' Don Giovanni and Jane Eaglen as Donna Anna. I enjoyed her voice then and what I recall as slightly acidic voice turned to very warm tone now. I did not care for her characterization in the beginning of Act I especially up to the point "da geht er hin" where she gained some calm and composure. Before that her scenes with Octavian seemed too flirtatious and girlish. I wanted more of Angela Denoke's coolness or even Fleming's reserve. Towards the end of Act I and in Act III she became more of the character I imagine Marschallin to be.
There were some odd touches -in addition to various animal characters, as Mohammed leaves the room after delivering the hot chocolate, he starts to do BREAK DANCING to the tune of Strauss. In addition to the giant bunny with three baby bunnies at the Marschallin's morning levee, three orphans with floor length purple hair that looked like some sea creatures after toxic waste spill wailed. Many supers and principles had humongous hats that kept falling all over, getting caught on their wigs etc. Italian singer was sung by Garrett Sorenson, replacing Greg Fedderly without explanation. Sorenson was very satisfactory, enough Giordani like "ping" in the voice that was perfect for the Italian tenor in his giant blue wig.
Act II was in various shades of creamy to bright yellow. Now newly blond Octavian pays a visit to Sophie (sung by Elizabeth Futral) who looked like a dead ringer of young Beverly Sills. Faninal is dressed like Sarastro in bright yellow with a turban. Some busy circus like characters filled the stage in various shades of yellow. Glad he filled the whole thing in yellow otherwise I would not have figured out Faninal has money.
Elizabeth Futral, although a capable singer and a good actress didn't quite win me over with her portrayal of Sophie. Remembering her terrific Stella in the streetcar I am wondering if it's just this role that didn't quite suit her. I happen to like a very unlikely Sophie of Anna Netrebko, whom I heard sing only the final trio at the opera in the park some years ago in San Francisco. Yes, she butchered the words but a perfect Sophie voice, nice blend of innocence and expectation. Futral's Sophie sounded a bit jaded and aged. I found both Marschallin in the beginning of Act I and Sophie in Act II quite fussy in a very similar way. I wish the director had distinguished these two very different women - in their ages and social status - in their manners with Octavian. It seemed like they were given identical directions on their rapport with Octavian. Maybe it's the charisma of Octavian that turns the women of all ages that silly.
Kurt Rydl can probably sing Ochs in his sleep by now and he was a joy to hear and watch. His comic timing is natural and low notes of almost a Schnarrbass are still there without compromise. He was fun to watch and I enjoyed every minute of Ochs/Mariandel scene in Act III.
During the prelude of Act III we were shown some more film slips, now looking like some Western, the supertitle educates us on some facts such as how Strauss did not originally want to conduct Die Rosenkavalier at Dresden etc. We even see some intertitles during the film "Sieg, Sieg!". I am not sure if this film is also from Caligari but I could not tell. If it is it didn't seem like it.
You are right - it didn't look like "Caligari" because it wasn't. Again: At the beginning of each act Schell and Helnwein showed a different fragment of Robert Wiene's film "Der Rosenkavalier" which was specifically related to the following act.(the website editor)
According to the short notes written by the set and costume designer and visual artist Helnwein, he wanted to use the colors representing Rococo style in each act. Act I in blue, Act II in yellow and gold, Act III in red/pink. Helnwein says he chose these colors to represent expectation (blue), wealth(gold) and love/hate/revolution (pink and red). This means making many of the identical costumes and wigs in three different shades. This is all good. Peter Greenaway used this idea some 15 years ago in his film "The cook, the thief, his wife and her lover" as a character walks through the restaurant, into the kitchen and to the bathroom all in distinctly different colors the color of her identical dress changed to match the shade of the environment. Helnwein had a cute twist, by inserting a "wrong color" character in each act. In Act I where it's all blue, Ochs shows up in bright yellow outfit from Act II. In act II where the sets and costumes are all yellow Ochs otherwise identical suit is in red, complete with red painted face and red wig. In Act III where it's all red and pink Marschallin makes an entrance in splendid Marie-Antoinette style light blue dress and a tall wig that must go up another foot. I liked this touch of accenting colors - a wealth showing up in Act I of expectations in the form of Ochs, love/hate of red (Ochs again) showing up in Act II where the dominating color is yellow and gold of wealth then Act III Marchallin in blue (of hope or forgiveness) showing up in the color representing love.
Futral's voice somewhat stuck out unattractively during the final trio but in her duet with Octavian "Spuer' nur dich" the voices blended beautifully again. Coote tended not to enunciate last "t"s and "d"s clearly in some parts but otherwise her diction was quite good and with a voice like that I cannot complain. All three ladies were good actresses, too bad that the director felt the need to fill the stage is irrelevant circus in the background rather than trusting the singers to act out their inner depth of characters.
Now the red-haired Octavian and Bubbles Faninal are happily falling in love in Act III the staging turns somewhat wild and tacky. Apparently Helnwein couldn't resist the temptation of sticking in some of his visual work (I am assuming they are his works). The wall at the inn was covered by eight giant female photo portraits that looked like skincare commercial "before" photos. Later on when Ochs is spooked by ghostly figures these portraits are transformed to the shot of skeletons then back the the normal face then to partially decayed faces. Oh yes, I get it "Die Zeit..." Apparently this display of partial decaying must a popular form of art in Austria nowadays. There's an exhibition of oozing corpses currently going on in San Francisco by Austrian TV producer Gerhard Perner that's raising public health concerns. This Act III unfortunately turned out to be the pinnacle of Rococo kitsch, Los-trian style.
Despite all the going-on on stage Nagano led a capable orchestra in a textbook like manner. I wish he had some sense of abandonment though in his conducting. Even the waltz felt too controlled. During the curtain call Helnwein came out in his trademark polkadot headscarf and sunglasses, vigorously chewing a gum. Futral must be an LA favorite since she drew the biggest applauds. I am just grateful for the opportunity to hear Alice Coote in this role.
Kirsten Lee