Richard Wagner: Tristan und Isolde, Welsh National Opera, Birmingham Hippodrome, 16 June 2012.
On this occasion the Oxford Friends of Welsh National Opera coach trip to Birmingham Hippodrome to see Tristan und Isolde went smoothly, arriving within a minute of the driver’s Satnav prediction of 16.30 for a 17.00 start. Our seats were in the centre of the Middle Circle on a level with the surtitles, enabling us to remind ourselves of the details of the dialogue without distracting from the stage. Not that the words are necessary in this music drama where all the moods, passions and emotions are conveyed by the orchestra, the singers’ voice-overs seeming like an added luxury. What drew us to this excursion was the opportunity to hear Canadian tenor Ben Heppner singing Tristan. Jay Hunter Morris, originally billed to sing the role, had been summoned as cover for Siegfried in the NY Met’s new Ring cycle and then engaged to take over for the rest of the season. This WNO production of Tristan und Isolde dates from 1993 and was seen in Oxford in a 1999 revival in which the magnificent Geoffrey Lawton made his farewell. This revival was directed by Peter Watson with the staging of the original director and designer Yannis Kokkos.
From the familiar opening evocative phrases of the orchestral Prologue, we realised we were in the safe hands of WNO’s Music Director Lothar Koenigs with the orchestra in top form, the flow of leitmotifs compelled the attention throughout. On stage, Tristan is escorting Isolde from Ireland to Cornwall to marry his uncle King Marke. Tristan and his servant Kurvenal (Phillip Joll) are separated symbolically from Isolde played by Danish dramatic soprano Ann Petersen and her Nurse Brangäne (Susan Bickley) by a gauze curtain. The voices were gloriously well matched, revealing the fierce battle of wills between Tristan and Isolde, mediated by their interchanges through their servants, culminating in Brangäne switching ‘Love’ and ‘Death’ potions as the ship reached land. Petersen’s voice came over as slightly light for the role but perhaps this was due to the indisposition which caused her to withdraw from Act 3. Most remarkable was Phillip Joll, singing better than ever – he was heard as Kurvenal in a 1979 WNO production seen in Oxford in 1980 – thirty two years ago! In the love scene in Act 2 we had to rely on the orchestra to convey the full eroticism; on stage there was little chemistry. However, Matthew Best as King Marke delivered his anguished monologue superbly. Melot, self- appointed avenger of Marke’s honour, was performed effectively by Simon Thorpe.
At the end of the long interval before Act 3 it was announced that Peterson was unable to continue without risking permanent damage to her vocal chords. The role was passed apparently seamlessly to Austrian soprano Anna-Katharina Benhke at very short notice. The first part of the act I found very disappointing: the performer has to pace Tristan’s increasing delirium caused by his infected wound, inflicted by Melot, confusing past and present and yearning for Isolde, finally tearing off his blood soaked bandages and dying as she arrives. Heppner had the vocal strength but not the stage presence to carry off this scene. Isolde’s following Liebestod was performed perfectly adequately but could not be expected to match the two recent interpretations of Deborah Voigt ‘Live from the Met in HD’ in 2008 or Nina Stemme at Glyndebourne in 2003.
This was a good but not a great performance of this music drama described by the composer as ‘an action in three acts’. The overwhelming sound of the orchestra and much fine singing made up for some inadequacies in the staging and made the journey to Birmingham worthwhile. The return coach drew into the Water Eaton Park and Ride on the stroke of midnight!
22 June 2012
On this occasion the Oxford Friends of Welsh National Opera coach trip to Birmingham Hippodrome to see Tristan und Isolde went smoothly, arriving within a minute of the driver’s Satnav prediction of 16.30 for a 17.00 start. Our seats were in the centre of the Middle Circle on a level with the surtitles, enabling us to remind ourselves of the details of the dialogue without distracting from the stage. Not that the words are necessary in this music drama where all the moods, passions and emotions are conveyed by the orchestra, the singers’ voice-overs seeming like an added luxury. What drew us to this excursion was the opportunity to hear Canadian tenor Ben Heppner singing Tristan. Jay Hunter Morris, originally billed to sing the role, had been summoned as cover for Siegfried in the NY Met’s new Ring cycle and then engaged to take over for the rest of the season. This WNO production of Tristan und Isolde dates from 1993 and was seen in Oxford in a 1999 revival in which the magnificent Geoffrey Lawton made his farewell. This revival was directed by Peter Watson with the staging of the original director and designer Yannis Kokkos.
From the familiar opening evocative phrases of the orchestral Prologue, we realised we were in the safe hands of WNO’s Music Director Lothar Koenigs with the orchestra in top form, the flow of leitmotifs compelled the attention throughout. On stage, Tristan is escorting Isolde from Ireland to Cornwall to marry his uncle King Marke. Tristan and his servant Kurvenal (Phillip Joll) are separated symbolically from Isolde played by Danish dramatic soprano Ann Petersen and her Nurse Brangäne (Susan Bickley) by a gauze curtain. The voices were gloriously well matched, revealing the fierce battle of wills between Tristan and Isolde, mediated by their interchanges through their servants, culminating in Brangäne switching ‘Love’ and ‘Death’ potions as the ship reached land. Petersen’s voice came over as slightly light for the role but perhaps this was due to the indisposition which caused her to withdraw from Act 3. Most remarkable was Phillip Joll, singing better than ever – he was heard as Kurvenal in a 1979 WNO production seen in Oxford in 1980 – thirty two years ago! In the love scene in Act 2 we had to rely on the orchestra to convey the full eroticism; on stage there was little chemistry. However, Matthew Best as King Marke delivered his anguished monologue superbly. Melot, self- appointed avenger of Marke’s honour, was performed effectively by Simon Thorpe.
At the end of the long interval before Act 3 it was announced that Peterson was unable to continue without risking permanent damage to her vocal chords. The role was passed apparently seamlessly to Austrian soprano Anna-Katharina Benhke at very short notice. The first part of the act I found very disappointing: the performer has to pace Tristan’s increasing delirium caused by his infected wound, inflicted by Melot, confusing past and present and yearning for Isolde, finally tearing off his blood soaked bandages and dying as she arrives. Heppner had the vocal strength but not the stage presence to carry off this scene. Isolde’s following Liebestod was performed perfectly adequately but could not be expected to match the two recent interpretations of Deborah Voigt ‘Live from the Met in HD’ in 2008 or Nina Stemme at Glyndebourne in 2003.
This was a good but not a great performance of this music drama described by the composer as ‘an action in three acts’. The overwhelming sound of the orchestra and much fine singing made up for some inadequacies in the staging and made the journey to Birmingham worthwhile. The return coach drew into the Water Eaton Park and Ride on the stroke of midnight!
22 June 2012