DCist Goes to the Opera: Ariadne auf Naxos

Posted by Tom in DC Life on 10 31st, 2009 | no responses

(L to R) Ir�ne Theorin (Ariadne), Lyubov Petrova (Zerbinetta), Nathan Herfindahl, Corey Evan Rotz, Greg Fedderly, and Grigory Soloviov, in Ariadne auf Naxos, Washington National Opera (photo by Karin Cooper — see more pictures ) Washington National Opera’s new production of Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos puts me in a bit of a quandary. It has a score and libretto of particular beauty and is produced rarely enough — the last time WNO mounted it was in 1994 — that I would always recommend that others see it, even if this particular production, heard on Wednesday night, is not an ideal one. It is a shame that this quirky opera, revised by Strauss and his brilliant librettist, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, as a postmodern dissection of the perils and vanities of creating opera, returns to Washington National Opera at this time. The company’s precarious financial situation has led to a season cobbled together to fulfill contracts, hardly a context for great Strauss to thrive. Even so, the production’s party atmosphere and bright costumes could make tonight’s performance (at 7 p.m.) an interesting alternative Halloween destination (see the notes at the end of this review for a possible discount opportunity). In the first version of the opera, Ariadne was intended as a play within a play, an opera embedded within a performance of Moli�re’s Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme . Strauss and Hofmannsthal revised it to stand on its own, re-conceiving the mise en ab�me with a prologue that shows the last-minute preparations for a performance of Ariadne in a wealthy man’s home. Strauss parodies his own anxieties in the role of the Composer, cross-cast as a mezzo-soprano trouser role, and skewers the vanities of performers in the roles of the tenor and prima donna who are to sing the roles of Bacchus and Ariadne, as well as many other aspects of the theatrical world. At the last minute the unseen patron, through the person of his imperious major domo, demands that the evening’s two works, the opera seria Ariadne and a commedia dell’arte farce, be merged into a single work, ending in time for the fireworks scheduled at 9 p.m. The much stronger Ir�ne Theorin who reportedly showed up at the end of last year’s run of Siegfried did not appear in her return to Washington. Unfortunately, her Ariadne had a few beautiful, soaring moments among a lot of subdued, even inaudible stretches. Either it was an extremely subtle conception of the role or she is saving her voice to sing Br�nnhilde in the concert performances of G�tterd�mmerung next month. (Actually, that is a pretty cruel thing to do to a soprano, to mix in two performances of Br�nnhilde at the end of a run of Ariadne .) Theorin’s reticence put the remarkably beautiful performance of American mezzo-soprano Kristine Jepson as the Composer into greater relief, something that was sadly not fully acknowledged at the bizarre curtain call that occurred at the end of the prologue, long after the applause had stopped. Russian soprano Lyubov Petrova is not the ideal Zerbinetta, but

she got the job done vocally and had a charming, coquettish stage presence. This was reportedly put to good use in the publicity stunt engineered on opening night, when Petrova plopped herself down in the lap of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, who appeared as a supernumerary. Petrova did well in the showy coloratura parts of the second part, especially a flighty, acrobatic Gro�m�chtige Prinzessin! delivered largely from the top of an immense prop piano. As noted of her Lucia this summer, she did not have the flowing legato and broad swath of tone needed in the duet with the composer in the prologue. The most regrettable part of the casting was Bacchus, a punishing and mostly thankless role, as most of what Strauss wrote for tenors was. Both of the originally announced tenors withdrew: P�r Lindskog (whose repeat cancellation after last year’s troubles in Siegfried cannot be appreciated by the opera administration) and Ian Storey, who was scheduled to replace Lindskog for a couple nights. The originally cast Scaramuccio, Corey Evan Rotz, stepped in with reportedly minimal preparation. While we have admired Rotz in other roles and we can only thank him for making the show go on, he should probably not be singing Bacchus. Occasional coughing and vocal troubles throughout the second act may have been the result of illness, too. Gidon Saks was blustery, if occasionally indistinct, as the Musiklehrer, while Nathan Herfindahl, a former Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist, distinguished himself as Harlequin, among the commedia dell’arte sidekicks of Zerbinetta, with a robust baritone. Chris Alexander’s production, which was premiered by Seattle Opera in 2004, updates the wealthy home where this chaotic entertainment is staged on the fly to “the private gallery of a very rich man let’s say in Washington, D.C.” The concept is not particularly innovative and it does not really transform the story, except to make one wonder why such a modern patron would want to have a chamber opera and a commedia dell’arte farce performed his guests. However, the director balances the comic and serious elements of this odd work well, not allowing one to distract from the other, as happened in a production last year at Wolf Trap. Andreas Delfs made his company debut at the podium, controlled but hardly scintillating. It was hard not to miss the more experienced hand of ailing music director Heinz Fricke, who conducted the opera the last time it was performed by WNO, in 1994. WNO will eventually have to confront the music director issue, in the eventuality that Fricke may have to retire. Having some continuity in the pit is exactly what is needed for the Opera Orchestra, and Fricke’s tenure proved, if nothing else, the benefit of conductor stability. Six performances of Ariadne auf Naxos remain, from this evening to November 13. A promotional offer of seats in the orchestra section for $50 and $75 each may still be available: mention Source Code 9234 when ordering.