Sweden Richard Strauss, Die schweigsame Frau: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Gothenburg Opera / Yoel Gamzou (conductor). Gothenburg Opera essential stage, 4.3.2023. (NS)
Production:
Original route – Barrie Kosky
Assistant director – Philipp Rosendahl
Choreography – Magdalena Padrosa
Set and Costume design – Esther Bialas
Lighting design – Benedikt Zehm
Dramaturgy – Olaf A. Schmitt
Cast:
Sir Morosus – Anders Lorentzson
His housekeeper – Katarina Giotas
The barber – Hannes Öberg
Henry Morosus – Eleazar Rodríguez
Aminta – Sofie Asplund
Isotta – Mia Karlsson
Carlotta – Ann-Kristin Jones
Morbio – Åke Zetterström
Vanuzzi – Mats Almgren
Farfallo – Nils Gustén
After practically 90 years Richard Strauss’s Die schweigsame Frau has lastly landed in Sweden. Banned by the Nazis after solely three performances in Dresden due to Strauss’s refusal to take away the title of his librettist Stefan Zweig from the posters, this comedy had a sparse efficiency historical past for a few years however curiosity in it has reawakened in Germany, partly attributable to Barrie Kosky’s much-revived manufacturing on the Bavarian State Opera. It is that this manufacturing which has travelled to Gothenburg to be the opera’s Swedish premiere.
Though the story is taken from the identical Ben Jonson play that impressed Donizetti’s Don Pasquale and the theme of the youthful era enjoying tips on a buffoonish previous man is acquainted in Verdi’s Falstaff amongst many different operas, Zweig’s libretto makes grumpy previous Sir Morosus far more sympathetic than I had anticipated. The humour has a particular British dryness and irony too, appropriately sufficient given the opera’s British setting.
The chief schemer was the Barber, performed with panache by Hannes Öberg (who not way back put in an outstanding efficiency because the Barber of Seville reviewed by me on this web site). Öberg’s sense of comedy was excellent and he delivered the substantial spoken sections of his half in fluent German, however his heat and supple baritone was a selected delight. He was easily convincing as a suave manipulator of Sir Morosus. Sir Morosus’s unlucky housekeeper (Katarina Giotas) doesn’t appear to have bought a lot sympathy from the librettist, however Giotas did an excellent job bringing humanity to her character in addition to exhibiting her character’s foibles.
Sir Morosus himself is a richly drawn character, extra than simply an previous curmudgeon. Anders Lorentzson’s nuanced bass-baritone fantastically expressed the numerous sides of the previous naval officer’s character – from his rages to his loneliness after which wonderment at discovering what he thinks is the proper spouse. The costumer (Esther Bialas) was much less sympathetic, dressing Sir Morosus in a grubby vest and boxer shorts for Act I (in later acts he was a minimum of upgraded to natty sky-blue pyjamas and – for his marriage ceremony – white tie and tails).
Act I shortly known as on all of the sides of Sir Morosus’s character, as his nephew Henry (Eleazar Rodríguez) turned up and was welcomed enthusiastically to Sir Morosus’s residence and inheritance – till Henry defined that he was now an opera singer with a touring opera firm, which preceded to make a shocking entrance. Here Kosky and Bialas pulled out all of the stops, with the opera firm wearing a shocking number of costumes (I shortly misplaced depend of the assorted operatic characters referenced). The finale of Act I used to be an intense burst of color and music, a lot in order that Sir Morosus escaped into his cellar!
Eleazar Rodríguez was charming as Henry Morosus, with a phenomenal mild tenor that was excellent for romantic duets with Sofie Asplund’s Aminta however a bit underpowered for the large ensembles. His performing nevertheless was convincing in exhibiting the unhealthy boy streak in his character in addition to his sweetness. Asplund’s soprano made Aminta spellbinding when she sang and with its overtones was extra comfy within the ensembles than her Rodríguez’s tenor. Asplund’s performing was additionally spot on, turning herself into ‘Timidia’ at first with conviction however then exhibiting how Aminta develops doubts at enjoying such a nasty trick on a person she realises is lonely and weak. But as soon as she overcame these doubts, she was a veritable terror, together with within the gloriously farcical divorce trial within the final act.
The different members of the touring opera troupe all confirmed nice comedian ability too. Mia Karlsson’s Isotta was a robust stage presence and voice and was hilarious as a chatterbox (one of many three women launched to Sir Morosus by the Barber as marriage materials within the second act) who left Sir Morosus practically shell-shocked. Ann-Kristin Jones’s Carlotta made an much more excessive transformation into a rustic bumpkin – from Sweden, saying her strains in very rural Swedish, while the remainder of the opera was in German – in the identical scene. Morbio (Åke Zetterström) and Vanuzzi (Mats Almgren) made an excellent duo, each in officiating on the sham marriage ceremony however most of all as hilarious ‘Lord Chief Justices’ within the divorce court docket scene. Their mixture of tune and mime was good. Farfallo (Nils Gustén) had extra of a supporting position till he bought to carry out in drag as ‘Timidia’s’ singing instructor in Act III which he did with nice aplomb.
The mixture of visible overload and musical chaos typically felt an excessive amount of, till I realised that it helps the viewers perceive Sir Morosus’s hatred of loud noises. It definitely made the quieter scenes all of the extra beautiful against this. The third act particularly communicated the previous man’s desperation splendidly with the cacophony of pink that Aminta/Timidia introduced into his residence and with a powerful cascade of cash from the set symbolising how she was spending his cash like water.
Yoel Gamzou performed the Gothenburg Opera Orchestra with power but additionally sensitivity, particularly within the scenes the place Strauss’s orchestration was extra clear than regular. Gamzou writes within the programme that Strauss was above all a storyteller and that his music serves to assist and heighten the story very like movie music. Indeed, Die schweigsame Frau doesn’t have any showstopping arias or tunes that you’ll whistle in your means residence, however the music actually brings out the character’s feelings and improvement. For me probably the most stunning moments the place probably the most contemplative ones, such because the reconciliation and Sir Morosus’s realisation that he has by no means felt so alive as after the big trick performed on him. Anders Lorentzson’s smart and delicate supply of Stefan Zweig’s stunning remaining strains on a life well-lived will stick with me for a very long time.
Niklas Smith
Playing till 6 April. Tickets and extra data on the Gothenburg Opera web site (click on right here). The premiere was broadcast reside on Swedish Radio and is accessible to stream inside 30 days right here and within the SR Play app.