When reviewing Janowski’s Parsifal with the RSB, I have written that clarity above richness of sound seemed to define the conductor’s approach to Wagner, especially if one has his recording of the Ring with the Staatskapelle Dresden in mind. Well, this evening proves that Janowski’s Wagnerian abilities are more varied than I thought. Maybe because Die Meistersinger is notoriously long and massive, the conductor might have hought that a little orchestral glamour could be helpful. And his musicians did not hang fire. The overture alone was worth the expensive ticket price – full orchestral sound without any loss of structural transparence and flexibility. Then the Rundfunkchor Berlin happened to be in top form. The evening had a promising start.
I had never seen this opera in concert version and never realized until this evening how much of a challenge it is to balance a big orchestra on stage and roles meant for lighter voices in many conversational passages, often in the middle register of singers’ voices. Janowski took the decision of not sacrificing his orchestra and allowed singers to be heard over it by a very small margin. In the end of act I, for example, instead of giving the tenor the opportunity to shine in Fanget an! , he would rather give pride of place to the sensuous ebb and flow of string sounds in a way that made me rethink the whole scene. Act II never sounded so organic, with the difficult transitions spontaneously and coherently handled. If I had to make any observation, this would regard the last scene, the “on stage” band could be a little bit subtler and more integrated with the main orchestra. I am tempted to say that the more “intimate” passages could have a bit more Innigkeit and less objectivity and forward-movement, but then I am not sure if we had this kind of cast this evening.
My first and foremost vocal interest this evening was Edith Haller’s Eva. I saw her Gutrune and Sieglinde in Bayreuth last year and found her simply outstanding. My first impression this evening was that her interpretation was too much about minauderie. Her Eva was desperately little-woman-ish, piping and pecking at notes old-Viennese style. One would have never believed she sings roles like Elsa or Sieglinde. Eventually I would start to suspect that she was simply not in good voice – some high notes were a bit sharp and often fixed and unflowing. Of course, she still has a lovely voice and had no problem piercing through the orchestra, but I will really have to hear her Eva again to say something about it. Michelle Breedt was a very charming Magdalene, supple and warm-toned. Robert Dean Smith has the right voice and personality for the role of Stolzing. He sings with exemplary legato, real feeling for the words and good taste. His high g’s and a’s could be a bit ampler and brighter, but were round and easy nonetheless. I have seen more flexible and varied Davids than Peter Sonn, but I confess I like his straight-to-the matter ways with the role. Thank God he is no tenorino, while the voice is warmer than the usual Spieltenor’s as well. Dietrich Henschel’s unfocused and often rough Beckmesser made one wonder why one would consider that Meistersinger-level. Albert Dohmen’s bass-baritone sounds too heavy and sometimes effortful in his high notes as Hans Sachs. The tone is not really noble, but the voice is large and he is able to keep clear articulation for more declamatory passages and even soften for one or two key moments. But the results were too often Wotan-like in a role where congeniality is important. Georg Zeppenfeld was an efficient Pogner, but Matti Salminen’s cameo as the Nachtwächter showed up his younger colleagues’ less classically Wagnerian voices.
If you purchased the program for last night’s performance, you should have received an insert noting changes in the cast. Christoph Strehl was replaced by Peter Sonn.
I did buy the program – but mine came without the insert. I did notice that “Cristoph Strehl” had a very unusual hairstyle, though. Thank you for the correction.
Just for the record, the other substitutions were Michael Smallwood Clemens Bieber in the role of Kunz Vogelsang and Hyung Wook Lee replacing Kouta Räsänen in the role of Hans Foltz. I found your reviews of “Die Meistersinger” and “Samson et Dalila” interesting. I was at the same performance of “Samson et Dalila” as you were. I’ll post come longer comments later. And thank you for doing this blog. Enjoyable reading!
I did miss Clemens Bieber and recognized Hyung Wook Lee. Thanks! Thanks for the kind words too!
Thanks for this review and all the others. I read them every week but rudely I forget to reply and thank you. I know how expensive it is to run out and see all these things and I owe you more than I know for the enlightenment of your experiences.
Matti Salminen as the Nachtwächter?!?!?
Hi, Perched! Thank YOU for reading. Really: my pleasure. What I’ve always wanted with this blog is to share experiences about music with people who want to know what is going on around the world. If it were not for independent blogs, many great musicians would pass unnoticed just because because marketing departments in magazines etc were not willing to give him or her an opportunity – often for the wrong reasons.
Hi, Cavalier!
Indeed! How extravagant is that?! 🙂
I only heard the first act and did not care to stay for the remainder of this debacle! The conductor obviously did not care for the drama of the piece, hence the concert form… The placement of the Meister behind the orchestra, where they were inaudible showed his limited grasp of such a venture. The first mood/tempo change in the Vorspiel almost made me laugh out loud at how little he seemed to care. I did enjoy Pogner and David, but could not have beared more of both Henschel or Dohmen. The first quite dead vocally and the other only mumbling his part out of his notes… Shame!!!!
Really, Stefan? I would agree that it was not “theatrical”, but musically transparent and beautifully balanced. On the other hand, I agree with you with the placement of singers on stage – it was problematic in many important scenes.
I am very sorry, but there was nothing theatrical to be felt and the balance between the orchestra and the singers was a true desaster! The performance appeared to be badly rehearsed and every singer sang in his own little opera….
Don’t be sorry! You’re right about the balance – I’ve concentrated on the orchestral sound, which was beautiful. I’ve found the Parsifal truly superior and I bet that Lohengrin will be better. As I said, Meistersinger is a tough one: the voices are lighter, the atmosphere should be lighter, but the orchestra is always big. Even in recordings, I would say few conductors really get it.
You are right of course! but I fail to see the point of a concert performance of this piece without a knowing conductor who can perform this masterwork in all its dramatic glory… I even found the Vorspiel very dull! The orchestral sound is luxurius but this band deserves a more engaged and engaging conductor!
Hi,
I really enjoy reading your blog. Keep your reviews coming, please!
I noticed here (http://www.rsb-online.de/content/e67/e27371/e27372/index_eng.html) that all of these Wagner concerts are being recorded for future release on cd. Good news.
I just saw San Francisco Opera’s Ring performances, the highlight of which was an incredible Brunnhilde from Nina Stemme. I see she will be singing Isolde and Elisabeth in the upcoming concerts. Hopefully they’ve got her booked for Brunnhilde too!
I’m envious and wish I could attend these performances too! I really enjoy opera in concert, strangely. Sometimes concert performances can be more dramatic than staged productions. Not always of course….
mj
Thank you, MJ. I’ve been told about the future releases of the whole Wagner opera series. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to attend the Ring performances, so it will be good to know that there are still going to be the CDs to catch up.
You’re right – sometimes in a concert performance, singers are freer to explore their own “approach” instead of dealing with a director’s impenetrable concept. Michelle DeYoung, for instance was quite mesmerizing as Kundry a while ago with Janowski. As I write, I recall a very thrilling Anja Silja in concert in Genoa as Ortrud – the singing was far from ideal, but the attitude was all there!