Adriane Queiroz / Rezensionen

Musically the evening was in a class by itself, superior even to the previous Festtage performances. The Staatskapelle had reached a state of grace even before the curtain had gone up, with fulsome strings and subtle woodwinds giving way to tidal swells of brass. Daniel Barenboim has always been good at drawing mysterious solemnity from the Vorspiel, but on this evening he achieved something close to perfection. The intensity of those opening moments in the dark of the theatre carried over into the first act, bringing momentum to the action without compromising the spacious tempi and ineffable majesty at the heart of Mr Barenboim’s reading. Gurnemanz’s journey through the backstory proceeded with unerring focus, and his lament for the dead swan was bolstered by a sad luminescence.

The young Achim Freyer’s design is a marvel of ingenious simplicity. The floor of the stage is white with thinly etched black lines. An area in the centre of the stage is enclosed by a square of white curtains, an image of a Seville street gently etched upon them. These curtains are opened and closed to allow access to action, which floats playfully above concrete concerns of verisimilitude. The music lesson’s harpsichord is an ingenious trompe-l'œil box; the storm is enacted with the simplest and most effective means.

El resto de personajes tienen menos importancia, pero todos ellos fueron cubiertos de manera notable. Eran Adriane Queiroz como Oenone, el bajo Peter Rose como Pluton, el tenor Michael Smallwood como Mercure y David Oštrek en la parte de Tisiphone. El trío de Parcas fue cubierto por Linard Vrielink, Arttu Kataja y Jan Martiník. Finalmente, el Grumete era Sarah Aristidou, la Cazadora era Slávka Zámečníková y la Pastora fue interpretada por Serena Sáenz Molinero.

Marlis Petersen is a versatile and engaging performer with a clean and excellent top and a secure middle voice. She was in her element as the self-centred, cold, calculating yet vulnerable diva manipulating – and being manipulated by – the men around her. It is not easy to sympathise with her character, and Petersen’s interpretation did little to give Emilia any warmth or love for others. She was dead inside almost from the beginning. She was joined by a strong ensemble of singers. Ludovit Ludha as Albert Gregor, Jan Martiník as Dr Kolenatý, and Peter Hoare as Vítek were all sonorous, articulate and dramatic. Bo Skovhus as Prus was a standout as he not only sang with power, vocal colour and nuance, but added depth to this usually callow character. All were impressive in bringing this complicated musical and theatrical work to a successful premiere.