Pyotr Il’yich TCHAIKOVSKY (1840-1893)
Iolanta - Opera in one act Op. 69 [124:42]
Igor STRAVINSKY (1882-1971)
Perséphone - Mélodrame in three acts [56:05]
Iolanta: Iolanta - Ekaterina Scherbachenko (soprano); Vaudémont
- Pavel Cernoch (tenor); King René - Dmitry Ulianov (bass); Ibn-Hakia
- Willard White (bass); Robert - Alexej Markov (baritone); Bertrand - Pavel
Kudinov; Alméric - Vasily Efimov; Marta - Ekaterina Semenchuk; Brigitta
- Irina Churilova; Laura - Letitia Singleton
Perséphone: Emolpe - Paul Groves (tenor); Perséphone
- Dominique Blanc (actress)
Dancers from Amrita Performing Arts, Cambodia
Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro Real de Madrid/Teodor Currentizis
Peter Sellars (stage director); Georges Tsypin (stage designer)
rec. live, Teatro Real de Madrid, 21, 24 January 2012
subtitles in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian
Audio - Dolby digital and Dolby digital 5.1; NTSC; all regions
TEATRO REAL TR97011 DVD [187:00]
Iolanta and Perséphone are amongst their composers’
best works but both have been comparatively neglected. It is good to have
them linked here. The former was first performed in 1892 as half of a splendid
and generous double bill with The Nutcracker. It has been revived in
that form in recent years by Opera North and I have vivid and fond memories
of that version. It does make for a long evening but the sheer richness and
variety of invention in both works makes it very worthwhile. Iolanta
is particularly noteworthy for the subtlety of its scoring and, despite what
is said by some critics, its memorable writing. It is extraordinary that it
is rarely so performed, at least in Britain. The singing in the present performance
is admirable throughout, with idiomatic Russian singing but without the apparent
wobble which can put off some non-Russian listeners. Match this with full-blooded
playing from the Teatro Real orchestra. The production by Peter Sellars is
generally clear although sometimes confused by a bizarre choice of camera
angle or subject. I found the scenery, such as it is, merely confusing and
uninteresting. It concerned me that there was no feeling of a place cut off
from the rest of the world, in which the main male characters apart from the
King are invited or uninvited visitors. Overall I found myself looking back
with regret to the several more conventional productions that I have seen
- including the first British performance which took place as late as 1968.
One real oddity - unjustified liberty one might argue - is the inclusion just
before the end of an unaccompanied Cherubic Hymn by Tchaikovsky. This is not
mentioned in the booklet and as far as I am aware does not appear in any score
of the opera nor was its inclusion sanctioned by the composer. Whilst it is
unquestionably a beautiful piece and very fervently sung when included here
it has a fatally delaying effect on what should be the climax of the opera.
Although Perséphone was intended for the stage it is more often
heard in the concert hall - when it is heard at all. It was commissioned by
the dancer Ida Rubinstein, who spoke Gide’s text as well as danced,
and is a work of transparent beauty and delicacy. Musically this is well realised,
with Teodor Currentzis again showing his ability to inspire subtle phrasing
and balance from the orchestra. A separate group of dancers representing the
main characters is added, all from Cambodia and using the traditional Cambodian
style of dance which Pol Pot had attempted wholly to eradicate from that country.
Its subtlety and stylised manner suits this work very well and Peter Sellars
has matched the underlying character of the work much better than is the case
with Iolanta.
This is a generous coupling of two masterpieces and although I have serious
reservations about the production of Iolanta I still enjoyed and was
moved by this performance; even more so by that of Perséphone.
It would have been helpful to have included proper historical notes and a
synopsis for each in addition to the producer’s interesting but not
wholly helpful comments. A bonus feature comprises simply an unchallenged
statement of the producer’s views. Despite this there is plenty here
to enjoy, relish even, and rival versions, especially of the Stravinsky, are
not thick on the ground.
John Sheppard
Plenty here to enjoy, relish even.
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