Germany Wagner, Tristan und Isolde: Soloists, Refrain (director: Thomas Richter) and Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin / Juraj Valčuha (conductor). Deutsche Oper Berlin, 3.7.2024. (MB)
Manufacturing:
Director – Graham Vick
Designs – Paul Brown
Lighting – Wolfgang Göbbel
Solid:
Tristan – Michael Weinius
King Marke – Günther Groissböck
Isolde – Ricarda Merbeth
Kurwenal – Leonardo Lee
Melot – Jörg Schörner
Brangäne – Irene Roberts
Shepherd – Clemens Bieber
Younger Sailor – Kieran Carrel
Steersman – Byung Gil Kim
And so, the Deutsche Oper’s season, during which it has proven all ten of Wagner’s ‘Bayreuth’ works, begins to attract to a detailed. I’ve not managed to see all of them; accidentally slightly than design, I’ve seen the present productions of the seven ‘music dramas’, however missed these of The Flying Dutchman, Tannhäuser, and Lohengrin (all of which I’ve seen earlier than). Of these I noticed, all however Philipp Stölzl’s Parsifal (right here) have been new to me. Stefan Herheim’s Ring I greeted (right here) enthusiastically, although not with out reservations, in Could; the Wieler-Viebrock-Morabito Meistersinger much less so (right here), although it had its moments. How would the late Graham Vick’s 2011 Tristan, which one way or the other I had missed till now, fare?
Disappointingly, I’m afraid. Possibly I used to be not in the proper temper, although it was definitely not solely that, however I don’t assume I’ve ever felt much less engaged, and even , in a efficiency of what ought to at all times be a piece like no different, on the sting of the attainable but additionally of what one can bear. I likely quote this letter from Wagner to Mathilde Wesendonck too usually, but nonetheless drama-queenish the expression, the precept stays sound, or no less than readily understandable: ‘I worry the opera might be banned – except the entire thing is parodied in a nasty efficiency –: solely mediocre performances can save me! Completely good ones might be sure to drive individuals mad, – I can not think about it in any other case.’ As soon as once more, sanity regrettably endured.
Allow us to start with Vick’s manufacturing, at which I really feel in a position solely to throw my arms into the hair and say (well mannered model): goodness is aware of. One can admire his extraordinary work in Birmingham and certainly some or lots of his stagings, with out having a lot concept what’s going on right here and, extra sadly, with out having the ability to care very a lot. Is it maybe all a drug-induced dream, Dallas assembly Trainspotting? One of many only a few (by itself phrases) theatrically convincing moments, presaged by a disturbing look (certainly one of many, from a forged of irritating extras) by a shaking, wall-hugging addict, is when Tristan and Isolde inject themselves for what appears, even sounds, to be that elusive excellent hit. Who they’re, although, and what they’re doing in one thing that could be a home or could also be a funeral parlour (Morold’s funeral, I assumed to start out with, although the coffin certainly stays too lengthy) is anybody’s guess. All method of unusual individuals come and go. A gang of menacing males within the first act suggests an method based, oddly, upon gender, when certainly the entire level is the irrelevance of the exceptional world, however it’s quickly gone anyway.
So too are the lady who walks round bare and, within the second act, outdoors within the backyard (albeit with an indoor fire), a male bare gravedigger. Maybe it’s scorching on the market, and Tristan’s overcoat is a product of his habit. He and Isolde sit on the couch for many of it, as if watching the tv; they appear to have little curiosity in one another. A torch-cum-gigantic-peppermill typically comes into view above, although it doesn’t appear aligned to the night time/day axis. Every so often, a lady in an adjoining room does the ironing. The Steersman makes his look bursting out of the toilet in mid-shave. All of it ends, banally sufficient, with Isolde, spying some extra individuals strolling across the backyard, opening the door to hitch them. Fairly. That the motion on this ‘motion’ (Handlung) is solely metaphysical appears to have eluded Vick, because it does many, however this lacks a lot as a touch of coherence by itself phrases. I feel the purpose, or no less than a level, could also be that they’ve grown previous within the meantime; with that, no less than, one can sympathise.
The actual drama lies within the orchestra, in fact, or ought to. There have been passages of relative fluency among the many relaxation from Juraj Valčuha, however that’s about the perfect one can say. As a rule, we had audible gear adjustments, surprisingly skinny strings, odd balances, defective ensemble, and a lethal tendency all through every act to decelerate. The second act felt interminable, while Tristan’s third-act agonies amounted to little greater than a prolonged checklist of non sequiturs. The Orchestra of the Deutsche Oper, usually excellent in Wagner, sounded as if it had had sufficient; I can not blame it.
Ricarda Merbeth’s Isolde had a lot to commend it, particularly within the first act. She made a substantial amount of the phrases, providing a masterclass in scorn, although sustaining a line appeared much less of a precedence. Hans von Bülow’s declare that that is Wagner’s bel canto opera is as foolish because it sounds, however that doesn’t imply there isn’t any melodic curiosity within the vocal line. Nonetheless, she outshone her Tristan, Michael Weinius, who had seemingly countless vocal reserves to name on. Given how shouted and unvariegated they have been, it was tempting typically to want that he had not; this was neither bel nor canto, and his appearing was at finest gestural. Leonardo Lee’s Kurwenal bloomed into what, alongside Günther Groissböck’s fantastically sung, finely detailed Marke, was certainly the best efficiency of the night time. Irene Roberts (Brangäne) sang nicely too, although slightly extra mezzo-ish depth wouldn’t have gone amiss, particularly in order to distinction with Isolde. Given what the singers have been introduced with, although, it will be churlish to complain additional.
Wagner, then, was saved once more. Subsequent cease: Bayreuth, together with a brand new Tristan. Fingers crossed for slightly insanity.
Mark Berry
