Frühere Produktionsrezensionen
4Der Name ist Versprechen Nun also Berlin, und diesmal mit den Philharmonikern. Den Chor, musicAeterna, hat er allerdings selbst mitgebracht, wohlwissend, dass es zurzeit kaum einen besseren gibt als eben seinen eigenen. Von Anfang an zieht Teodor Currentzis das Publikum in seinen Bann. Die meisten Besucher ahnen und hoffen es wohl auch, dass dies ein «Requiem» wird, wie sie es noch nie gehört haben. Der Name «Currentzis» ist Versprechen genug: Er ist Verführer und Extremist zugleich, er ist der Paradiesvogel unter den Dirigenten, der Grieche, der in Russland für Aufsehen sorgte und sich inzwischen an die europäische Klassik-Spitze dirigiert hat.
Ihm gegenüber stehen die sanften und einfühlsamen Töne Pinkhasovichs. Besonders in der Arie des Fürsten Jelitzki schweben seine Töne förmlich durch das weite Rund der Philharmonie.
The Berlin Philharmonic orchestra, under the baton of its chief conductor, Kirill Petrenko, presented three performances of this work, first premiered in Russia in 1892, in concert form. After the great success of the rarely performed drama Mazeppa last year, Petrenko continues his pet project of presenting lesser known works by Tchaikovsky. His interpretation of Iolanta seems very restrained at first, as if he were handling the score with kid gloves. Moderate tempi, fine piano shadings, pastel timbres determine the beginning, and when the ladies of the Berliner Rundfunkchor sing a lullaby at the end of the third scene, even the very well attended hall slips into a state of bliss. Only later on does Petrenko's strategy become clear - he sets up the entire first hour of the opera as a single arc of tension, right up to the climax of the love duet, followed by an almost Hollywood style final twist. Petrenko chose a cast, which, while not all native Russians, all speak Russian at least as a second language. This fluency strongly reflects in the diction and clarity of their intonation and inate understanding of the libretto, written by the composer's brother, Modest. Lithuanian soprano Asmik Grigorian, stepping in for Sonya Yoncheva's short-term cancellation, interpreted the character with lovely innocent intensity and clarity, her slender soprano perfect for the role of a princess blind from birth who does not know what seeing the world around her is. Her subtle transformation from going from darkness to light, underscored by an apotheosis in the music, was a very special moment. The knight Vaudemont, whose love leads her to this transformation, was embodied by Armenian tenor Liparit Avetisyan with timbre languishing splendidly even in the highest heights, exuding emotional emphasis, and unabashedly making use of what is called "tenor sobs". Mika Kares, firmly in the tradition of the great Finnish basses, is Iolanta's caring father King René, expansive in his desire to protect her from the rigors of mundane reality. Baritone Igor Golovatenko as the Duke of Burgundy and originally intended groom of Iolanta, doesn't miss any opportunities to effectively present the opera's zippiest aria with gleaming steel accords. Baritone Michael Kraus gives gravitas to his role as the wise medical doctor who guides Iolanta to regain her vision. The other minor roles are excellently cast with alto Margarita Nekrasova as Iolanta's confidante standing out with an outpouring of empathy for the young woman's fate. The happy end is accented by Petrenko, the orchestra, the chorus and the soloists throwing themselves into a glorious Hosanna with such verve, that the listener cannot but also physically feel their fortissimo celebration and verve along with them. The one act opera, lasting just under 100 minutes without intermission, is warmly applauded by the audience, all of whom have been vaccinated and additionally tested on the day, complying with current pandemic regulations in Berlin.
‘All the smaller roles were well taken and characterful, particularly the resonant bass of Derek Welton as Creon and the messenger.’
