Photograph: Sergi Panizo
Earlier than bringing her much-anticipated Isolde to the Met subsequent month, Lise Davidsen has been getting her ft moist with the function on the Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona this month in a brand new manufacturing carried out by Susanna Mälkki. I bought an opportunity to see final Monday’s efficiency, the third of the run.
From her first entrance, the overwhelming impression was of the unimaginable vocal safety Davidsen was in a position to convey in Isolde’s most demanding passages in Act I. It’s delightfully surprising to listen to this music, so intertwined with the hassle it requires to execute (which has its personal pleasures, thoughts you) delivered with such a uncommon diploma of freedom and command. That (seemingly) informal energy was married to the deep and rounded high quality in her sound that maintained consistency below the best stress situations. Passages just like the climax of Isolde’s Curse unfolded in a stream of lush, alabaster sound.
Act II added some hotter colours to the palette, Davidsen delivering a brooding sensuality within the preliminary scene with Brangäne. The extra intimate materials with Tristan within the duet supplied alternatives to point out off some heart-stopping results in softer passages — musicality additionally evident in additional expansive materials — her sound weaving out and in of the orchestral texture at full tilt. The Liebestod, following some positive pathos in Tristan’s loss of life scene, was a pure showcase for beautiful sound, Davidsen expertly sticking the piano touchdown on the ultimate “Lust.”
There have been issues nonetheless in course of, too. Davidsen leaned exhausting into Isolde’s bitter and extra cynical features in Act I, however didn’t appear fully satisfied, and was nonetheless determining find out how to incorporate the route right into a unified stage presence. (Admittedly a few of this route was misguided, like some aggressively cutesy “ready for my man” bits early in Act II.)
Musically and dramatically, the Narrative part in Act I didn’t join as a coherent complete, with decrease mendacity preliminary sections missing coloration and route relative to the later fireworks. (I’ve seen chatter with extra common claims of a missing center register for the half however this didn’t seem to be a difficulty all through the evening to me.) The tip of Act I used to be a lot stronger as an prolonged set piece, Davidsen delivering lengthy sustained strains for a simmering buildup of stress within the confrontation with Tristan.
Regardless of some staggering wall of sound moments, the enterprise finish of the love duet fizzled a bit, no matter sorcery sopranos make use of to create an depth gradient in these relentless closing bars not but obvious right here. Although the manufacturing deserves some blame for defusing this second as nicely, because the lovers have been using reverse ends of a dinky wanting rotating platform that interrupted their try to wrap issues up with some very intrusive creaking.
It will likely be attention-grabbing to listen to how these parts evolve below completely different route and with extra reps below her belt as she arrives in New York, however suffice it to say it is a deeply compelling union of voice and function. The best way Isolde’s flights of scorn and ecstasy sit so naturally in Davidsen’s voice appears to loosen the constraints of the character and develop its potentialities.
Whereas Davidsen was the headline right here, it appears improper to deal with Tristan und Isolde as merely a star automobile and this manufacturing had different virtues as nicely. Susanna Mälkki’s positive hand within the pit let Wagner’s rating breathe and meander exterior the bar strains with out ever seeming ponderous. Climaxes in each the prelude and elsewhere had an exciting managed violence, accentuated by Mälkki’s style for showcasing Wagner’s crunchier orchestral results.
Photograph: Sergi Panizo
Clay Hilley’s brash, penetrating sound was well-matched to Tristan’s first-Act braggadocio but in addition able to a satisfying musicality in additional lyric passages. Act II’s calls for for softer and extra sustained singing have been a more durable scene, with some rockiness that fared particularly poorly in opposition to absolutely the luxurious sounds being produced by his associate. He was quickly again in his wheelhouse, although, credibly enduring the punishments of Act III to appreciate Tristan’s frenzy.
Mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Gubanova introduced a clarion sound and weird depth to Brangäne, whereas Brindley Sherratt’s wealthy baritone was a positive automobile for each Marke’s despondency and self-pitying anger. Particular shoutout to tenor Roger Padullés for actually promoting Melot as a complete sniveling weasel.
This new manufacturing for Barcelona, directed by Barbara Lluch with units and lighting by Urs Schonbaum, took an appropriately bleak if barely nameless minimalist strategy, with easy however robust photos like a monolithic wall that closed throughout the love duet and opened to disclose the King’s forces. Just a few directorial touches (a phantom Isolde’s mom lurking round Act I, the aforementioned platform fiasco) diluted the main focus however for probably the most half this was a lean tackle the opera that prioritized the singers and drama.
Alex Baker
Alex Baker lives in Washington, DC, the place he enjoys attending a wide range of classical music occasions. After faculty in New York he began attending the Met frequently and running a blog about his experiences at wellsung.blogspot.com. Present singers he would journey for embrace Christine Goerke and Karita Mattila, whereas historic favorites embrace Tatiana Troyanos and Astrid Varnay.
