Minkowski’s sparkling Belle Hélène arrives afresh on DVD
from Arthaus. The production has become something of a legend
since it was premiered but it still has the power to delight and
enthral.
The production’s power comes
from the way so many different elements, which could have clashed
horribly, come together to create a perfect ensemble piece.
Minkowski, for example, shines in this music. He was already
well known as an interpreter of the Baroque before he took on
this production, but his love of the “authentic” is perhaps
the key to the zing which he brings to the music here. The pacing
is sharp and foot-tapping, with a vibrant drive to the music
which never drags but sparkles throughout. Similarly, his orchestra
take to this music like ducks to water, and the frequent solo
contributions are played lovingly. They take the music as seriously
as it demands without ever losing touch with the comedy.
Laurent Pelly is surely the
hottest director on the French scene today. His productions
do not always make integrated sense: why, for example, is the
setting for Helen’s bedroom in Act 2 also the site of an archaeological
excavation? But we forgive him all the anachronisms for the
sheer sense of fun which pervades his work. His central idea
is that the Helen is a 21st century housewife, bored
and sexually starved, who falls asleep and dreams of being the
most beautiful woman in the world. The whole opera takes place
as her dream. This works particularly well in Act 1, though
the concept seems to fade as the opera progresses and there
is no return to the “real” world at the end. It’s also a neat
way of explaining away Felicity Lott’s rather advanced age for
playing Helen of Sparta! Pelly mingles the authentic with
the aggressively modern: the chorus appear in classical robes
as the priests of Jupiter, then reappear as tourists on a Greek
cruise, before stripping off to their swim gear for the beaches
of Nauplia at the end. During the dream sequence of Act 2 a
flock of sheep appear on stage to be counted. It’s all thoroughly
absurd, but perfectly in keeping with Offenbach’s intentions in sending up not just the mythological story but the
government of his time.
The best thing about this DVD,
however, is the performances of the central role. At the heart
of everything is Dame Felicity Lott’s Helen who anchors the
whole production. She looks marvellous in the array of costumes
she is given and as well as singing she acts brilliantly. Her
body language conveys her crushing suburban boredom in the Prologue,
while she becomes the girlish coquette when she meets Paris for the first time. Her singing
also conveys every emotion needed for this character. She leads
a surprisingly moving address to Adonis in Act 1, and convinces
in her plea for “more love”. Her invocation to Venus in Act
2 is coy and winning, while her dream sequence is delightfully
tongue-in-cheek. She is as close to perfection in this role
as one could hope to see or hear and we should be grateful to
the Châtelet for preserving her performance. Next to her is
the seductive Yann Beuron as Paris. His light, smooth tenor is
just right for this young seducer and his acting is just as
convincing, even when he is wrapped in a towel! His Mount Ida aria in Act 1 is beautifully mellifluous. François Le Roux’s Calchas
is authoritative when he needs to be, but bad tempered and petulant
when called for, as in Act 3 when someone suggest calling for
another priest. The kings have glorious comic turns, led by
Laurent Naouri’s Agamemnon who enjoys camping it up in the spirit
of the production. What a treat to have Michel Sénéchal’s Menelaus
too. He fits easily into the role of the irritable bourgeois
husband who is petulant, tetchy and protective, but he never
loses sight of the comedy at the heart of the piece.
This is a great production of
a tremendously fun piece: it sits worthily alongside Laurent
Pelly’s other Offenbach productions and should be savoured
by any fan of the composer.
Simon
Thompson
Other MusicWeb International reviews of this
production:
Frank
Cadenhead
Terry
Barfoot
Göran
Forsling
Frank
Cadenhead
Arthur
Baker
Arthur
Baker
Helen, Queen
of Sparta: Dame Felicity Lott (soprano)
[127:00
(opera); 26:00 (interviews)] 
