SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Handel, Susanna: (Concert Version) Les Arts Florissants. Conductor: William Christie. Teatro Arriaga de Bilbao. 29.10.2009 (JMI)

Cast:

Susanna: Sophie Karthäuser.
Joacim: Max Emmanuel Cencic.
First Old Man: William Burden.
Second Old Man: Alan Ewing.
Daniel: David DQ Lee.
Servant: Emmanuelle De Negri.
Chelsias: Maarten Koningsberger.
Judge: Ludovic Provost.

William Christie and Les Arts Florissants are celebrating their 30th anniversary, which also commemorates the 250^th anniversary of the death of the great composer, by taking Handel’s oratorio/opera Susanna on a European tour. The tour began with a full stage performance at Vienna’s Theater an der Wien in September, which could have easily been repeated at this concert in Bilbao, since none of the singers nor the choir members needed to use a score. Following the performance in Vienna, Mr. Christie and his musicians were at the Ambronay Festival in France and the Enescu Festival in Bucharest and after visiting the Salle Pleyel in Paris and the London Barbican (see review) they have now reached Spain, where they played in Bilbao and Valladolid.

Unfortunately, this very special event went virtually unnoticed in Bilbao, as evidenced by the fact that Teatro Arriaga was only about 40% full, a source of some embarrassment for the organizers, the Fundación Bilbao 700. The problem arose because on same day at the same time the Orquesta Sinfónica de Euskadi was giving Verdi’s Requiem in the large Palacio Euskalduna. Bilbao is not a big city and what was very clear was that there is not a sufficient audience for two major musical events at the same time. Why this lack of coordination could happen is difficult to explain because this was not the first time: in October 2006 the Fundación Bilbao 700 staged Bajazet’s Vivaldi at the same time that ABAO produced Rigoletto at Palacio Euskalduna. Obviously enough, everyone loses in situations like this, especially opera lovers and while Teatro Arriaga was half empty, the Palacio Euskalduna was completely full. The probability is that many of the people attending the Verdi would also have been at Teatro Arriaga on a different date and when programs have to be organised so far in advance, as they do these day, it is positively unbelievable that clashes like this can occur twice in such a short space of time.

Rant over. Coming back to the music, Susanna is one of the oratorios that Handel composed during his time in London s as musician and impresario, having been premiered in 1749. The classification of the work as an oratorio is somewhat arbitrary since many of Handel’s oratorios are in fact genuine operas. This work is based on the apochryphal story of the Susanna and the Elders and though it is not Handel’s best oratorio/opera it contains many beautiful pages for the soloists and chorus. 

William Christie and Les Arts Florissants are of course a genuine reference for Baroque music and their interpretations often reach magnificent dimensions. This concert performance was everything that we might expect from such prestigious group of musicians: William Christie is much more than a conductor, he’s a true musician who makes music himself along with his performers. Music making of the highest quality was on show here with many truly spectacular moments of emotion. This choir and orchestra are surely among the very best in the world in this genre. Hearty congratulations are due to Mr. Christie and Les Arts Florissants for this beautiful musical evening as well as many apologies for the low numbers in the audience.

The vocal team was exceptionally well balanced and perfectly suited to the demands of this opera/oratorio. The protagonist Susana was Belgian soprano Sophie Karthäuser, who was excellent. She has a very pleasant voice, rather small in size, but offers a great deal of musicality and expressiveness. The Croatian countertenor Max Emmanuel Cencic interpreted her husband Joacim and proved that he is becoming on of the most important singers in this repertoire. His voice is also not large, but it is much more beautiful than those of many other counter tenors. The corrupt Elders werr very well covered by tenor William Burden and bass Alan Ewing, particularly Mr. Burden and the Canadian countertenor David QL Lee provided an outstanding interpretation of Daniel. His voice is larger than Cencic’s, and its timbre is not quite so beautiful but he is more than comfortable in the many passages calling for agility and he is an excellent actor. The lesser roles were also sung more than satisfactorily by Martin Koningsberger as Chelsias, father, Emmanuelle De Negri, as her servant and by Ludovic Provost, a member of the chorus, who made a good Judge.

Those of the public who were there enjoyed the concert hugely and dedicated a very warm reception to all the artists. A great success and bad news for Bilbao’s international reputation all at once.

José M Irurzun

Picture © E. Moreno Esquibel