Dallapiccola, Il Prigioniero / De Falla: La Vida Breve:

(productions in collaboration with Opera North): GNO Orchestra and Chorus, Olympia Theater, Athens 19.11.2006 (BM)

 

Il Prigioniero - Lauri Vasa and Angelo Simos

Stefanos Lazaridis, Greek National Opera’s new artistic director, is being obliged to put up with many a gibe at present from those who feel he is out to ruin the country’s only lyric stage by bringing in expensive productions from abroad and allegedly sidelining reputed domestic artists. But there is hope that his new approach may stand a chance of prevailing against the widespread conviction here that opera is about stuffy old monarchs - or at best perhaps appealing young princesses - singing about inane concerns in a foreign language. After all, can there be a better way of convincing audiences that music theater is NOT just a pretentious, elitist (not to mention expensive) pastime than staging shows that have everything to do with the world we live in?

The sets (George Souglides) and costumes (Sue Wilmington) for Luigi Dallapiccola’s Il Prigioniero, this composer’s response to the horrors of World War II, about a man being punished for his desire escape subjugation and originally set during the time of the Spanish Inquisition, were painfully reminiscent of the photographs of American soldiers torturing Iraqi prisoners, which left the world aghast not too long ago. The prisoner, sung by amazing Estonian baritone Lauri Vasar, was striking in voice and physique (virtually a Nathan Gunn look-alike) and along with an excellent Julia Sougliakou as the mother and Angelo Simos, suitably chilling in the role of the warden, managed to make the barrage of serial 12-tone music almost bearable, though uncomfortable it was - but clearly this is not meant to be a feel-good opera.

 

Regrettably, the final scene, when the prisoner is forced to drop his trousers in anticipation of one the most gruesome kinds of torture ever conceived, was simply too shocking for some members of the audience, who chose not to stay on after intermission to see an exciting staging of Manuel De Falla’s La Vida Breve, featuring Anne-Sopie Duprel as Salud. Her diminutive figure radiated determination and passion, the many nuances of her soprano eminently suited to her part. Johan Engels set the story in a modern-day Spanish sweatshop, where she is one of the workers sewing her wealthy rival’s bridal gown. Maria Vlachopoulou did full justice to her role as the levelheaded grandmother, Dimos Flemotomos was an aptly greasy Paco, almost in spite of his very pleasant tenor and Dimitris Kassioumis was imposing as Uncle Salvaor, but it was Haris Andrianos who nearly stole the show as the slimy Latino crooner. Richard Coxon was opportunely imported from the UK along with this production, as the transvestite seamstress who becomes the object of almost even more derision than poor betrayed Salud. Bringing this off-stage voice into the core of the production was one of Chrisopher Alden’s many resourceful ideas, also including some on-stage fornication and Salud’s lengthy act of harakiri which was the finale, thus shifting the focus from jealousy and infidelity to class issues and discrimination. An enthusiastic William Lacy coaxed some outstanding playing out of the GNO orchestra, especially from the string section in the De Falla, and the company’s chorus under Nikos Vasiliou sang accurately, with flawless diction, and is clearly alive with singers who can also act.

 

La Vida Breve - Haris Andrianos

Bringing this off-stage voice into the core of the production was one of Chrisopher Alden’s many resourceful ideas, also including some on-stage fornication and Salud’s lengthy act of harakiri which was the finale, thus shifting the focus from jealousy and infidelity to class issues and discrimination. An enthusiastic William Lacy coaxed some outstanding playing out of the GNO orchestra, especially from the string section in the De Falla, and the company’s chorus under Nikos Vasiliou sang accurately, with flawless diction, and is clearly alive with singers who can also act.

 

Far from the stifling, conventional material that most people in this country associate with the concept of opera, this was an evening of two enthralling music dramas.

 

Bettina Mara

Pictures © C Stefanos 2006