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Strauss, Salome: Soloists, Orchestre National du Capitole, Conductor: Pinchas Steinberg. Théâtre du Capitole de Toulouse. 19.5.2009 (JMI)

New Production.
Stage Director: Pet Halmen.
Sets, Costumes and Lighting: Pet Halmen.

Cast:
Salome: Camilla Nylund.
Jochanaan: Morten Frank Larsen.
Herodes: Thomas Moser.
Herodias: Doris Soffel.
Narraboth. Martin Mühle.
Herodias' Page: Silvia de la Muela.

Morten Frank Larsen (Jochanaan) and Camilla Nylund (Salome)
 

Nicolas Joel offered a new production of Salome as his farewell to Toulouse. Pet Halmen completes the picture as one of those directors whose works are full of original and personal visions. Remember his oneiric and Fellinian vision – once offered in this same theatre - of Fenelon’s Faust, or his last production of Aida in Berlin, presented in a Museum. 

Halmen presents an absolutely depraved Herodian family and court, with a Salomé who is hardly a teenager, dressed in childish costumes and accompanied by a pink diary where she takes notes of her new experiences. The production is very beautiful with a great cistern in the centre of the stage, which is an elevated cylinder. A huge moon at the back looms over the proceedings. Nobody seems to be normal in this production, however, it works … at least until we get to the Dance of the Seven Veils. Herodes is a sexual maniac, as Salome discovers when she removes his cloak revealing his women’s underwear. Herodías is accompanied by her slaves. Sometimes they are dogs (almost naked girls) and others, ephebes, that serve as her throne. Jochanaan is the traditional prophet, except in his clothes, reduced to white underwear and showing a painted “Messiah” at his breast. Narraboth and Herodias’s Page are Punks, as are the soldiers, with helms crowned by colourful crests. The Jews appear in modern black suits and bowler hats; they consult the Scriptures on their PCs. Such strange visions immediately attract and hold the interest of the spectator.

As mentioned above the production works very well until the famous Dance which is to me the weakest part of the whole production. In fact there is no dance as such unless we count the dancing that Salome does with the Jews and Herodes himself. From the cistern rises a huge transparent penis, within which is the Prophet. Salome opens her legs towards Jochanaan and the Jews – now already in underpants – remove her pink panties and slip. The scene is rather short on eroticism and long on dubious taste, since the guards also undress and begin to masturbate. It’s pure Calixto Bieito.

The production is original and very beautiful, but I believe that Mr. Halmen has gone too far in the key scene. Sets, costumes and excellent lighting are all Halmen’s work. It could have been a magnificent Salome with a more erotic dance – something more suggestive and less blatant.

Pinchas Steinberg has a very special relationship with the Capitole, where he regularly conducts the German repertoire. He has chalked up some magnificent interpretations there over the years. This Salome has been no exception. His performance is full of determination and strength crucially supported by the Orchestre du Capitole with which he seems to enjoy a wonderful communion. The first hour of this Salome had never seemed so short to me. This must be due to a great extent to Mr. Steinberg. For me his less outstanding moments came in the Dance of the Veils and the scene of Salomé with the head of the Baptist. It was as if he was not enjoying what he had in front of him. This magnificent conductor is a real asset to Toulouse and I hope that Joel’s departure to Paris does not also signal a farewell to Steinberg. 

The protagonist Salome was the Finnish soprano Camilla Nylund. She is very familiar with the character from numerous appearances in the main opera houses. She is more of a lyric soprano than a dramatic which is the way I prefer my Salomés. She is an exceptional interpreter, surrendering body and soul to the exigencies of the production and living the character with huge intensity. She is bright in the upper range, but rather short in the middle and the bottom realms, which could be noticed in the final scene. In a bigger house her voice would have had more projection problems. 

Danish baritone Morten Frank Larsen was a young and good-looking Jochanaan, showing a sound and pleasant voice, although he is too light for the character. He is quite interesting in the right repertoire. Thomas Moser was a Herodes of a more commanding voice than we usually hear in this role, but he has his usual problems in the high notes and is not an outstanding actor. Doris Soffel was an important Herodías in all senses. Her voice is still quite powerful and she is an outstanding interpreter.

In the secondary roles I should mention the tenor Martin Mühle, who offered a very good voice as Narraboth. Silvia de la Muela was a mediocre Herodias's Page, almost inaudible at times. The Jews, Nazarenes and Soldiers were magnificently cast without exception.

Full house again. Big success for both Camilla Nylund and Pinchas Steinberg. Larsen, Soffel and Mühle also much applauded.

José  M  Irurzun

Picture  © David Herrero

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