Munich — There is certainly a more enjoyable way to start an opera festival than the miserable and haunted “Die Teufel of Rudan” in Krzysztof Penderecki.
Still, it was, Held the annual summer festival of the Bavarian State Opera Last Monday. Last year’s opener Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde” starred in what the local press described as a “dream pair” of Jonas Kaufmann and Anja Harteros, and felt like a distant memory.
But that was another time at this opera house. It was then run by beloved leader Nikolaus Bachler, who resigned after “Tristan,” and was succeeded by Serge Dorney, who is conducted by conductor Vladimir Jurowski.
Their tenure is already in shape and there are all signs of the future. The company gave the first presentation of Shostakovich’s “nose”. Next season, there are plans for Prokofiev’s huge “War and Peace” and Brett Dean’s recent “Hamlet”. Even more daring is the rare “Rudan Devil” with a non-uniform track record that Yurovsky has worked with with the passion needed to reach today’s audience.
“In the history of music since’Orpheo’,” Dhoni said in an interview last fall, “There are about 50,000 to 60,000 titles and something like 80 is played. Keeping it in a vibrant art form. To-to prevent the opera from becoming a mausoleum-we must spread it. “
In that spirit, join the 1969 work “The Devils of Loudun,” which is easier to appreciate than love. It’s not its musical language, and it’s not the most avant-garde product of the time, but it gives a generous glimpse into the horror and potential of humanity over a two-hour period on its subject. Not surprisingly, the Bavarian State Opera wasn’t full on Monday. And performance wasn’t without quite a few strikes. (Judge for yourself: it’s Streaming on the company website For next month. )
But Penderecki’s opera is the kind of art we risk and avoid.
He adopted a riblet from the book of the same name by Aldous Huxley. This is a discourse non-fiction novel about the downfall of the 17th century priest, André Grandier. There is a study of transcendence, mob domination, and political opportunism as the Akumaharai and Grandier executions are at stake.
Huxley’s book was adopted as a play by John Whiting in the 1960s and, more notably, as Ken Russell’s play in the 1971 movie The Devils. The German translation of the stage production by Erich Fried is the basis of Penderecki’s text, further bending the material towards the “Crucible” parable, creating a Grandier martyr, oppressing and conspiracy of his tragedy. Subtly tied to violence, like his country, Poland, of totalitarianism in the 20th century.
Penderecki, a horror poet of classical music, tells his story in horror film material. (It’s not surprising that his score appeared in David Lynch’s movies and classic soundtracks such as “The Exorcist” and “The Shining.”) The alert crescendo stimulates the nerves of panic. So are the occasional hazy portamento, jerky pizzicato, or the eerie luster of the strings. He uses huge orchestras and choruses, but he develops them carefully and is not guided by more dramatic momentum than the sacred and profane atmosphere. This is an opera that nods to the tradition of motets and makes jokes about music.
There are still many riblets that resonate. We have seen all over the world, face-to-face or online, the destructive powers of mobs and how to use fear as a weapon for political convenience. In an interview with the programbook, Simon Stone, who directed “The Devil of Loudan,” said that the entrance to his opera was the vision of the female body as a subject of male anxiety.
Controlling their bodies is complicated in opera. Jeanne of Priores, who fantasizes about Grandier, is rejected by him and later accuses him of dealing with the devil. She gathers her fellow nuns and pretends to be a collective hysteria. This is a performance that Stone treats as a form of protest. Whether by coincidence or a quick response to the overthrow of the Roe v. Wade case by the US Supreme Court last week, he put his underwear and bare breasts on “patriarchal abortion” and “our body.” It is decorated with words of emotional activity such as “abortion”.
But power ultimately rests on men. Jeanne’s Akumaharai is equivalent to her rape, with a hose sticking from behind her at some point. Her campaign against Grandier makes a tragic sacrifice. In particular, it will be a tool for others who have already attempted to destroy him.
In this work, Loudon is firmly in the present.It’s also a bob cousins spinning unit set (a now tired metaphor in Stone production), reminiscent of Tadao Ando’s powerful spares. Church of Light In Japan, however, sacrifices have distorted it into a sort of chilly austerity.
In an interview earlier this year, Stone stated that his priority in 20th century and contemporary opera was to make them available to a casual audience. He achieved it with the “devil” and rarely deviated from the written words, with a free touch, covered here with its horror, graphic sensuality, and here during the execution of Grandier. Paint that emphasizes the parade of endless rushing in agony, delivered with a whip.
Stone’s surrealistic staging requires a skilled singer as an actor. And in Munich, he has a fearless, fascinating ensemble. Missing on Monday was his Grandier, Wolfgangkoch, who tested positive for the coronavirus on the day of the dress rehearsal. Instead, Jordan Shanahan sang from the pits and Robert Doll imitated and spoke on stage, both split into compelling roles.
The cast was led by the soprano Ausrine Stundyte, who played Jeanne, smoothly switching between breathtaking spoken language and long singing voices, distorting her voice when owned. Even from the balcony, her eyes saw a complex blend of worries, pain, and guilt.
The opera had so many major roles and soloist roles that it could hardly be put on stage during the curtain call. But there was something outstanding. Kevin Connors as Adam, Johann Kupfer as Manuri, a dark and comical planner who takes advantage of the situation of Jeanne. Danae Contra as Philip, a young woman pregnant with Grandier. Wolfgang Ablinger Sparhacke, the malicious agent of Cardinal Richelieu.
And the nun, whether in prayer or possession, throws himself out as a unit in a gentle harmony and atonal cry. Stone ends the opera with Jeanne and her colleagues in the chapel, not the image of Grandier. Order seems to be restored, but not peaceful, as they are immersed in a climax vortex of ghostly sounds.
The music was as long as the horror of the opera and didn’t give up until Monday when Yurovsky raised his hand in the pits. After all, he ruled all night. He was the one who brought the opera to the stage and conducted it with rigorous dedication and expertise. His gestures on the podium were not only directional but also characteristic. Score measurements did not deviate as being unconsidered.
If this is the enthusiasm that Yurovsky plans to bring to the entire new repertoire of the Bavarian State Opera, Munich has a thrilling and sometimes terrifying future.
Laudan’s Devil
Until July 7th at the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. staatsoper.de..
