Austria Tchaikovsky, The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame): Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Vienna State Opera / Timur Zangiev (conductor). Livestreamed from the Vienna State Opera (directed by Dominik Kepczynski), 27.6.2025. (JPr)
I nonetheless see numerous opera a method or different but it surely was solely when the curtain despatched up for Tchaikovsky’s 1890 The Queen of Spades (Pique Dame) at Vienna State Opera that I realised how I had watched Vera Nemirova’s manufacturing solely three years in the past. Many of my reactions to it now – and the notes I took – had been a lot the identical as that first time; so this assessment will rely in some extent on what I wrote in 2022.
The Queen of Spades has a reasonably simple supernatural plot with a libretto – based mostly on an 1834 Alexander Pushkin novella with the identical title and a reasonably completely different story – by the composer’s brother, Modest. Hermann is a considerably dissolute military officer in late-eighteenth century St Petersburg who’s infatuated with Lisa, the granddaughter of a domineering Countess, who’s engaged to his pal Prince Yeletsky. Hermann turns into obsessive about ‘winning’ Lisa from Yeletsky when he learns how the Countess has a closely-guarded secret about three playing cards (‘Tri kartï’) – three, seven and ace – which legend has it’s going to assure his success on the playing desk. This turns into all-consuming for Hermann with (spoiler alert!) deadly penalties for the Countess, Lisa and himself in the end.
Nemirova’s manufacturing is eighteen years previous now although it does probably not present its age and will have been staged at any time within the intervening years since 2007. We start in a bleakly gray and oppressive post-war Soviet orphanage with a row of steel, hospital-style beds (stage proper) for some kids because the opera begins. A flight of stone steps (stage left) results in a small room on a primary flooring (with reasonably opaque home windows) and characters withdraw and emerge from there all through the opera. This is Johannes Leiacker’s fundamental set – with on events the addition of chairs, an overhead single chandelier and a few ceiling strip lights, a piano or slot machines – that enables for each scene to be performed out within the opera; together with in a summer time backyard, Lisa’s house, a ballroom, Hermann’s barracks, the Countess’s room, the Winter Canal and a playing home.
Nemirova seems to be presenting us with a critique of Russia after the autumn of communism and charting the rise of a nouveau riche (oligarchs) who’ve all made a great deal of cash in a short time; largely on the expense of the bulk who had been left behind and are in want. This is proven by some bizarre folks scavenging the detritus of a gala trend present, in addition to others begging for cash from the Countess. Hermann’s pal Count Tomsky and his colleagues look like concerned within the undertaking of turning the orphanage into the Act III on line casino (we are going to see the disposed orphans from the primary scene processing throughout the entrance of the stage initially of the second act).
Marie-Luise Strandt’s costumes are fashionable and darkish – certainly Hermann appears to be repeatedly in a singer’s black rehearsal garments – and from any time within the late-twentieth century; with uncommon splashes of glamour from the Countess in her extravagant fur coat, some trend fashions (largely in fur and swimwear), pole/lap/go-go dancers, in addition to the pastiche of ‘The Faithful Shepherdess’ pastoral throughout the second-act champagne-fuelled black tie occasion the place the ladies are all seemingly blonde. Intriguingly – as in Richard Strauss’s later Ariadne auf Naxos – a grasp of ceremonies declares fireworks and later that divertissement. The latter must be seen to be believed and is a – considerably dated admittedly – mixture of Gay Pride carnival, celebration of S&M and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. (This perceived loucheness just isn’t what we anticipate from present Russian society, although I believe it’s extra prevalent than we think about.)
Still spectacular is the looks of a bejewelled Catherine the Great amongst the viewers on the finish of the primary scene of Act II and on this event, I had extra understanding how Nemirova has made the Countess and the empress one character. We higher recognize this after we see the Countess climbing the steps to retire to her room initially of Act III regally wearing white as ‘Catherine the Great’ was.
As earlier than, I can’t be sure if all of Nemirova’s authentic Personenregie stays although what there may be was extremely efficient once more and so Tchaikovsky’s opera was wonderful all-round – as in 2022 – due to its outstanding ensemble of singing-actors. Elena Zaremba is the Countess and her characterisation owes a lot to Sunset Boulevard’s Norma Desmond. Notably when Zaremba’s Countess has her second within the highlight as she recounts her previous glories when she sang Laurette’s Aria from André Grétry’s opera Richard Cœur-de-Lion at Versailles earlier than Madame de Pompadour herself. The Countess appears to need to add Hermann to her listing of conquests we’re informed about in Act I. Hermann and the Countess grapple on her mattress although she virtually instantly expires, although to Hermann’s consternation that is earlier than she has revealed the key of her three-card trick. However, a prophecy is fulfilled that the Countess will die by the hands of a ‘third suitor’ attempting to power this data out of her. Hermann is on prime of her once more because the Countess lies in state on her bier – which suggests one thing else solely! – earlier than she chillingly rises to inform him what he believes he must know to ensure that him to get the cash to marry Lisa. Hermann’s have to gamble and use the Countess’s ‘Tri kartï’ is now all-consuming.
The closing scene is excellently staged and if The Queen of Spades – which I’ve solely ever seen a couple of instances earlier than – hadn’t already weaved its spell, the denouement sealed the deal. Around the central card desk which is surrounded by these slot machines the marauding Hermann brandishes a gun – fact be informed he has been threatening virtually everybody with it throughout the opera – and holds the room hostage whereas he sings about how life is only a sport. Soon he realises he has been tricked and the ace he anticipated is simply the queen of spades; in the meantime Lisa’s lifeless physique has been introduced in for Yeletsky to grieve over. Hermann begs forgiveness and shoots himself whereas all involved sing ‘Lord, forgive him!’ and the closing bars are Wagnerian and redemptive.
As hinted at above each singing and appearing was of the very best potential normal. Anna Netrebko matched Yusif Eyvazov’s Hermann in dramatic credibility and tormented anguish. Currently singing in addition to ever, Netrebko displayed her highly effective, expressive, and emotive soprano voice with its acquainted wealthy, dusky tones to its upmost in what was a job debut. Before Lisa is engulfed in a sea of umbrellas (one other Nemirova leitmotif) and ‘drowns’, Netrebko’s resignation throughout Lisa’s concluding ‘I am worn out by grief’ was heartrending. Given present #MeToo sensibilities Hermann could possibly be thought of to stalk and groom Lisa and Eyvazov’s portrayal of an more and more wide-eyed and mentally disintegrating character was partly disturbing, partly compelling. Even extra outstanding was how Eyvazov’s voice didn’t tire and remained impassioned and safe (with some significantly lengthy held prime notes) throughout what’s an awfully demanding function.
Returning as Yeletsky, Boris Pinkhasovich brilliantly conveyed a deepfelt concern in his shifting Act II aria (‘I love you beyond measure’) which deserved its extended applause for his beautiful legato line alone (one thing I remarked on in 2022 as nicely). Alexey Markov employed his clean baritone to good impact as soon as once more as Tomsky and Andrea Giovannini and Ivo Stanchev impressed with their involvement all through the opera as Chekalinsky and Surin. Elena Maximova additionally caught the attention and ear as Polina (and Daphnis within the pastoral) due to her expansive and opulent mezzo timbre. I can not identify everybody, however the singing of all of the principal forged, and the outstanding, very dedicated refrain, helped make this an additional memorable efficiency of The Queen of Spades on this present manufacturing.
Making his debut within the pit on the Vienna State Opera was the younger Timur Zangiev who has beforehand assisted Valery Gergiev (the conductor in 2022) with The Queen of Spades. Zangiev drew an typically searing and detailed account of Tchaikovsky’s symphonic and extremely romantic rating from the consummate and compliant Vienna State Opera Orchestra. (Never earlier than have I appreciated how a lot the composer appears to have recycled themes from his earlier music for Swan Lake.) As Gergiev earlier than him, I assumed Zangiev’s The Queen of Spades was idiomatic, pliant, darkly expressive, undoubtedly haunted and with none undue sentimentality. Nevertheless, Zangiev did emphasise the work’s hovering – and typically oddly Italianate – melodies to reveal, unsurprisingly the opera’s affinity with the soul of Mother Russia, the land of his beginning, in addition to the composer after all.
Jim Pritchard
Production:
Director & Lighting – Vera Nemirova
Stage designer – Johannes Leiacker
Costume designer – Marie-Luise Strandt
Chorus director – Martin Schebesta
Cast:
Hermann – Yusif Eyvazov
Tomsky / Pluto – Alexey Markov
Yeletsky – Boris Pinkhasovich
Chekalinsky – Andrea Giovannini
Surin – Ivo Stanchev
Chaplitsky – Hiroshi Amako
Narumow – Dan Paul Dumitrescu
Master of Ceremonies – Hans-Peter Kammerer
Countess – Elena Zaremba
Lisa – Anna Netrebko
Polina / Daphnis – Elena Maximova
Governess – Stephanie Maitland
Masha / Chloe – Maria Nazarova
Piano on the stage – Kristin Okerland