Beethoven, Wolf and Strauss: Karl-Michael Ebner (tenor) Akiko Nakajima (soprano), Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Tatsuya Yabe (solo-concertmaster)  Niels Muus (Conductor) Tokyo Opera City, 23.5.2007 (LW)

 
As the first measures of Beethoven’s “Leonore” Overture No. 3 sounded, I knew I was in for a treat.  The Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra rarely disappoints, and it sang under the baton of Danish conductor Niels Muus.  He approached the piece as if it had been composed by Richard Strauss, and the result was sensual and exciting.  The canonic entries of the strings toward the end had me feeling that I was hearing Szell conducting the Cleveland.

Tokyo is fortunate to have an excess of world-class concert halls, and the acoustics in Tokyo Opera City’s concert hall are superb.  I was seated in the center of the orchestra; and the sounds were warm and immediate.

The spell was broken, however, by a series of Wolf’s orchestral songs performed by Karl-Michael Ebner.  I admit that I am not familiar with the songs, but the general impression was one of unresolved wandering.  He performed the Mörike-Lieder as well as “Wenn du zu den Blumen gehst” from the Spanish Songbook and a rousing “Der Rattenfänger” from the Goethe-Lieder.  Perhaps he was not feeling well – he looked a little wan – but he sounded forced in the higher ends of his otherwise pleasant baritone-sounding tenor voice, and the performance lacked any discernable emotional substance.  He also sang with a score.  The orchestra and conductor strove valiantly to make some sense of the songs, and I will charitably say that perhaps they require repeated hearings to become something other than pleasant but forgettable ditties.

The highlight of the evening was a performance of Strauss’ “Four Last Songs” by Akiko Nakajima.  These are among my favorite pieces, and I endured a shabby performance of them by Anna Tomowa-Sintow and the NHK Symphony in April.  So I was enraptured immediately by the singing of this ravishingly beautiful woman who clearly understood the songs’ texts, music, and emotional content.  The orchestra and conductor fed off of her artistry, and after each song I heaved a deep sigh of satisfaction.  Her “September” was sublime, and by the end of the last song, the line “…could this perhaps be death” left me shattered.  The audience went appropriately wild at the end, and it was a performance to remember.  Having heard innumerable recordings of these songs and numerous live performances – including Barbara Hendricks here in Tokyo – I felt I had just heard the definitive performance.  I cannot praise Ms Nakajima’s artistry adequately except to advise anyone who has a chance to hear her to not miss the opportunity.

The evening ended with a rousing “Der Rosenkavalier” Suite.  The orchestra and Maestro Muus were apparently in full Strauss mode because their performance was full of opulent sounds and carefully phrased gestures.  The horns were particularly strong, and the strings were lush.  The hall was filled with warmth.  I was swept along by the familiar moments from the opera – the lilting waltzes, the presentation of the silver rose duet, and the momentous trio.  Twenty minutes flew by in total engagement, and the bittersweet feeling of the music was appropriate in that I was not ready for the evening to end.  Alas.

  

Larry Wells