| Sumptuous delight! |
Welsh National Opera |
| Welsh National Opera- Der Rosenkavalier , Wales Millennium Centre , June 4, 2017 |
The overture with its some-time, overwhelming music, masterly played, as ever by the WNO orchestra, spiritedly led by Tomáš Hanus, now firmly at the helm, as the company’s Music Director, raises our spirits right from the start. Much of this story is ridiculous farce but much of it also beautiful and moving.In fact it all starts in silence. Under one solo light we see an elderly lady siting, the first of director, Olivia Fuchs’ interesting inventions. She is a serene elderly version of one of our main protagonists, The Marschallin, the charming Princess of Werdenburg. The elegant older beauty, with wise circumspection observes her previous feisty life pass before her. We’re still in the overture, Ian Jones’ skillful lighting rolls across the stage, propelled by the music. The Marschallin, a hugely challenging role, the opera is four hours long, which Rebecca Evan captures with elegance and delight. The lady may be a bit past her best but she has not lost her taste for lust. With the stage now in full light we see her having a jolly good romp with her young lover on her nearby bed. She thinks she hears her husband returning, so now the fun starts! With her strong and colourful mezzo Lucia Cervoni gives us a splendid performance as the handsome, young lover, Octavian, eventually our Rosenkavalier. As the sparks begin to fly and she quickly disguises her/him self as her mistress’ maid we have the hilarious situation of the lady singer playing a male role now disguised as a female!... And so the farce goes on. It’s not the husband that breaks up this happy tryst. We meet Baron Ochs, richly sung by Brindley Sherratt. The older Ochs has arranged to marry Sophie, a pretty young girl. As a token of his betrothal he needs to deliver a silver rose to her and has come to ask his cousin The Marschallin if she can find a suitable messenger to deliver his token. However Ochs is a bit of a philanderer and is very taken by the maid and starts to chase her about the room. It’s all great fun but I did feel, throughout, that the laughter needed a bit more provoking from the cast. Following a scene of great chaos The Marschallin is left to contemplate and we get full joy of Rebecca Evans beautiful soprano as she sings of losing her young lover. Octavian is to deliver the Rose; as soon as he sets eyes on Sophie they fall in love. And by golly you can’t blame him. Winner of the Young Singers category of the International Opera Awards on May 7th, at ENO, Louise Alder gives Sophie everything a pretty girl should have and she sparkles as she sings. Their tender love duet is ruined by the terrible Ochs appearing again. There’s more chaos and a duel between Octavian and Ochs, leaving a wounded Ochs curiously waltzing around the stage in bewilderment. Now we have a cheeky group of children rush onto the stage and claim Ochs to be their father. They are put up to this by a sneaky duo Valzacchi and Annina, Peter Van Hulle and Madeline Shaw take every opportunity to embrace and enjoy these cunning roles. Policemen appear but they are quickly despatched by The Marschallin. In the following calm she leaves the stage and the young lovers entwine in their final captivating duet. Four hours have quickly passed and we have been totally captured by the beauty of the music and the magic of the stage. |
Reviewed by: Michael Kelligan |
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