SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Weill,  The Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny: Soloists, Orquestra Simf�nica de Madrid. Conductor: Pablo Heras Casado, Teatro Real de Madrid. 30.9 and 1.10.2010. (JMI)

 

Direction: Oll� , Carlus Padrissa (La Fura del Baus)

Sets: Alfons Flores

Costumes: Lluc Castells

Lighting: Urs Sch�nebaum

Production Picture � Javier del Real

Much to my surprise, the artistic management of the Teatro Real decided to perform Kurt Weill�s Mahagonny in the English translation, because it might be easier for Spanish ears to follow than the original German. This opera premiered in Leipzig in 1930 (in German) and for its performances in the US Bertolt Brecht�s libretto was translated into English. To use now this translation in Spain and for the above mentioned reason might be a compliment to the public, but it actually makes as little sense as offering Carmen or Lohengrin in Italian, as used to be the case early in 20^th century. I guess that the true reason has to be different.

Mahagonny comes for the first time to Teatro Real, although it is not its premiere in Spain or even in Madrid. To my knowledge the Spanish premiere took place in Barcelona's Liceu in 1971, and Madrid offered it in the summer of 3 years ago.

This could be considered the first opera that Gerard Mortier has managed himself as the new artistic director in Madrid, since both Onegin and Montezuma were performed by visiting companies. This is a new production by La Fura dels Baus, with stage direction by Alex Oll� and Carlus Padrissa. La Fura�s work is interesting and they stress�and even complement�the satirical and critical feeling toward capitalism from the part of Bert Brecht and Kurt Weill. They present the opera in a huge garbage dump with three real mountains of waste and garbage on stage. As a symbol it seems most adequate, social inequalities (the fugitives are hidden in the piles) are part of the message of this opera.

I have strong reservations about the appropriateness of the trash heaps� continuous presence on stage though, because they leave only a tiny space for the action and Mahagonny is more an illusion than anything real. The best part of the production is the stage direction, which handles soloists, chorus, and extras excellently. I loved the scene of Jim�s trial, which takes place in a kind of circus, with the judge (Begbick) and the defence lawyer (Fatty) dressed as clowns, while the prosecutor (Moses) is dressed as a lion-tamer. Excellent also the boxing match (here it�s chess-boxing) and the chorus�s scene with the prostitutes.

The evening�s best performance was turned in by conductor Pablo Heras Casado. He was outstanding from beginning to end and all that at 32. He is one of Mortier�s bets to cover the lack of permanent music direction in the theatre and I must say that it looks like a winner. It is evident that Pablo Heras enjoys this music and he knows how to transmit his conviction to the orchestra, which offered an excellent performance. The chorus, under Andres M�spero, has become an outstanding group, and its performance was another highlight.

Jim Mahoney, or Jim MacIntyre, was portrayed by German tenor Michael K�nig, appropriate, but with a certain lack of personality both as singer and actor during the first two acts. He was at his best during the jail scene that opens Act III. British tenor Christopher Ventris also played the role and his timbre is more attractive than his colleague�s. However, he had serious problems with the high tessitura of the score.

Measha Brueggergosman was a highly interesting Jenny Smith (Jenny Hill in the original German version). She is perfectly suited to this music, an excellent singer and a wonderful actress. Her only problem is that her voice is rather small, but that did not keep her from getting the most enthusiastic reception from the crowd. Polish soprano Elzbieta Szmytka was the second cast�s Jenny and she too offered a good performance, with her light soprano voice.

Remarkable also was the performance�vocally and dramatically�of Jane Henschel in the role of Leocadia Begbick and Donald Kaasch was a well suited Fatty. The third fugitive was Sir Willard White as Trinity Moses who still retains his vocal poise. Among the Alaska guys Steven Humes was quite good as Wolf Joe. I also liked John Easterlin, who doubled as Jack O'Brien and Toby Higgins.

Altogether a fine performance of an opera that turns out not to be a box office draw, as the empty seats of the Teatro Real intimated.

Jos� M Irurzun