WAGNER Das Liebesverbot Teatro Real
WAGNER Das Liebesverbot Ivor Bolton, cond;
Christopher Maltman (Friedrich); Peter Lodahl (Luzio); Ilker Arcayürek
(Claudio); Manuela Uhl (Isabella); Maria Miró (Mariana); Ante Jerkunica
(Brighella); Ch & O of Teatro Real OPUS ARTE 7213 (Blu-ray: 160:00)
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Kasper Holten took on a formidable challenge in
staging Wagner’s unloved second opera in Madrid. Das Liebesverbot, a light-hearted sex comedy (at least as presented
here), was a flop at its first staging, in 1836, and although there have been
several attempts in recent decades to revive its fortunes, most have reinforced
the opinion that it deserves its obscurity. But Holten makes the most of this
light and unassuming work, with a colorful and imaginative production. Details
are added to modernize the action (there are a lot of cell phones, and Angela
Merkel makes an incongruous appearance), and while these mostly fail, the gaudy
carnival setting that Holten and designer Steffen Aarfing adopt suits the story,
and the production makes a reasonable case for the work, only rarely stretching
the drama beyond its narrow limits.
As ever, Wagner writes his own libretto, this one
based on Shakespeare’s Measure for
Measure. The setting is moved from Vienna to Palermo and the ban on love in
the original is extended to a ban on carnival festivities as well, it being the
season. Sub-plots are shorn, and we are left with a straightforward narrative: Claudio
is imprisoned and awaiting death for transgressing the eponymous ban. His
friend Luzio entreats Claudio’s sister Isabella, a nun, to plead for his life
with the governor, Friedrich. Friedrich falls for Isabella, and agrees to free
Claudio if she agrees to “spend a night with him,” as the booklet puts it.
Isabella agrees, but then tricks Friedrich into seducing his own wife, Mariana,
now disguised as Isabella. All ends well, with Isabella falling for Luzio, and
Friedrich’s tyrannical rule of Sicily brought to an end by the King of Naples
(that’s Merkel).
Holten and Aarfing exploit the carnival setting for a
garish visual profile that makes no effort to fit into any particular era. The set
is an elaborate arrangement of staircases, illuminated with neon signs for the
street scenes, but accommodating alcoves and smaller spaces for prisons and
private chambers as required. A conveyer is set up width ways across the stage,
allowing much of the discourse that would otherwise require static singers to
take place on the move, even if just walking to stay still. There are a lot of
projections onto the set, particularly for the cell phone element, with text messages
projected, always in Spanish and without translation, although it would be
difficult to get lost in this story.
The Teatro Real has assembled a strong cast, the most
notable lead Christopher Maltman as the governor Friedrich (his first Wagner
role, where could this lead?). Maltman has the ideal comic touch for this
Pasquale-like character, and certainly looks the part in his broad-rimmed
circular spectacles. Strong performances too from Peter Lodahl as Luzio and
Manuela Uhl as Isabella, who between them have the major share of the singing. The
only disappointment, vocally, is Ilker Arcayürek as the imprisoned Claudio. His
tone is unsteady and he has a habit of sliding around between the notes. The
pick of the comprimario performances is Ante Jerkunica as the police office
Brighella. Holten has a lot of fun with this character: In the courtroom scene
in the first act, Brighella takes charge before Friedrich arrives, and seems
intoxicated with the power. Then, in the finale, when Brighella arrives to pronounce
the ban on carnival, the hypocrisy is revealed by his removing his uniform to
reveal his own carnival costume, a kind of neon valkyrie, all of which Jerkunica
carries off beautifully, and with a fine bass voice too. Ivor Bolton leads a
propulsive reading of the score, the tempos brisk but supple, and the orchestra
on fine form. Some ensemble problems in the chorus are evident in the opening
scene, although they make a much stronger showing in the finale.
The video direction, by János Darvas, is heavy on
close-up, although it gives a good impression of the overall stage setting. The
Blu-ray image and audio are excellent. Subtitles are in English, French,
German, Japanese, and Korean. The staging was a co-production between the
Teatro Real, the Royal Opera, and the Teatro Colon. It reaches Buenos Aires at
the end of April 2017, though no London dates have yet been announced. Here’s
hoping that, when it does arrive, Christopher Maltman will still be aboard.
This review appears in Fanfare magazine issue 40:6.
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