Scottish Opera, 18/02/2020
Adams : Nixon in China
The Chorus of Nixon in China
The Orchestra of Scottish Opera
Joana Carneiro
Opera doesn't tend to deal much with real people, in the sense of non-fictional characters. There's a scattering of kings and queens, but most are several centuries distant, and as a concept (even in countries with a monarchy) almost borders on the fairy-tale. So when the subject of John Adams's first opera was announced there was quite a stir. The events and people depicted in Nixon in China were very real, the occasion evoked had taken place only fifteen years previously, and it was therefore still very much in common memory. After a slightly uncertain reception, and a period in the doldrums during the '90s, Nixon in China has secured its place in the repertoire and is an acknowledged modern classic, but staging it now, almost fifty years after the Nixon/Mao meeting that inspired it, is - or should be - a different proposition from staging it thirty-odd years ago.
Productions in the UK have been dominated by Peter Sellars's original staging, which was very literal. The cast was carefully made-up to look as much like the actual people as possible, the scenes were faithful copies of existing photographs taken at the time. Even the Act 2 ballet, choreographed by Mark Morris, was a remarkably accurate, if very abbreviated pastiche of the actual ballet attended by the Nixons in Peking. When Scottish Opera announced a new production, directed by John Fulljames, it was an intriguing thought as to whether Fulljames would be able to start moving it from the factual into the dimension of the mythical which is where Adams intended it to go in the first place. Then end result is both yes and no.
The setting is certainly much less literal; we're in the stacks of a document storage warehouse, tall racks of storage boxes able to be slid around and across the stage provide the basic framework, and considerable use is made of the rotating platform of the stage. Yet something of the literal remains too; Mao's private library, where the actual meeting took place, is introduced inside a giant wooden crate, but when this is opened up, the setting is just as seen on the press photographs of the time. Furthermore, the stage is constantly illustrated with projections of photographs and documents of the event, or of the people concerned at various stages of their lives and careers, or of the two countries, China and the USA, and their people at the time. So there's no getting away from the historical context. When you then introduce, in the title role, a performer who more closely resembles the 44th President than the 37th, there's a moment of disconnection that requires a bit more adjustment than is really desirable.
However, there were many good ideas too; the white cloth held taut by the chorus seated in a circle, on which patterns were projected, for the dinner table at the end of the first act was a very effective image. John Ross's choreography for the Act 2 ballet began a little vaguely, but then came together very persuasively. Like Morris, he very clearly evoked the original ballet, but with an outright and very amusing parody. He also provided choreography for part of Act 3, which was extremely successful, and the half-dozen dancers were excellent. Act 3 as a whole was particularly striking with, instead of the bedroom(s) stipulated in the original libretto, the bare stacks again, with the giant cube rotating slowly in the centre, constantly changing images projected onto its faces. The effect was subtly hypnotic, which was perfect for that last, gently surreal act. The first scene of Act 2 - Pat Nixon's tour of various locations - was also handled with considerable ingenuity, and there was a well-judged dose of humour throughout.
Musically, the first thing that struck me was the clarity of the chorus. Nixon in China is very much a true opera, clearly descended from 19th Century models, with distinct arias, ensembles and a prominent choral requirement. The chorus, much called upon even when not singing, to help with the staging, was clear and crisp and completely intelligible at all times. which was a delight to hear. Of the principals, the ladies came out with the honours; Julia Sporsén a warm-voiced, open Pat Nixon, and Hye-Youn Lee delivered both a steely-bright "I am the wife of Mao Tse-tung" to conclude Act 2, yet something much more tender and wistful in Act 3. I found both Eric Greene (Nixon) and Mark Le Brocq (Mao) dramatically good, but vocally a little taxed by their roles, the voices disappearing momentarily now and again, and the passages into and out of falsetto, which both have, were not easily negotiated. Nicholas Lester, on the other hand, was a fine Chou En-lai, all steady, grave diplomacy until the weariness of the last act sets in and the sadness of the character emerges.
Portuguese conductor Joana Carneiro led richly-hued, wind-heavy Scottish Opera Orchestra with ever-increasing success through the evening. I felt the beginning was a little stolid, even the arrival of the plane, and the second scene, the meeting in the library, is particularly difficult to put across, it's long, very wordy and very static. The start of the next act, though, saw a considerable relaxation in her, and a gain in fluidity in the orchestra, and the last act, which is certainly the most beautiful of the three, was all subtle seduction and serene nostalgia, to bring the evening to a quiet, thoughtful conclusion.
[Next : 20th February]
The Chorus of Nixon in China
The Orchestra of Scottish Opera
Joana Carneiro
Opera doesn't tend to deal much with real people, in the sense of non-fictional characters. There's a scattering of kings and queens, but most are several centuries distant, and as a concept (even in countries with a monarchy) almost borders on the fairy-tale. So when the subject of John Adams's first opera was announced there was quite a stir. The events and people depicted in Nixon in China were very real, the occasion evoked had taken place only fifteen years previously, and it was therefore still very much in common memory. After a slightly uncertain reception, and a period in the doldrums during the '90s, Nixon in China has secured its place in the repertoire and is an acknowledged modern classic, but staging it now, almost fifty years after the Nixon/Mao meeting that inspired it, is - or should be - a different proposition from staging it thirty-odd years ago.
Productions in the UK have been dominated by Peter Sellars's original staging, which was very literal. The cast was carefully made-up to look as much like the actual people as possible, the scenes were faithful copies of existing photographs taken at the time. Even the Act 2 ballet, choreographed by Mark Morris, was a remarkably accurate, if very abbreviated pastiche of the actual ballet attended by the Nixons in Peking. When Scottish Opera announced a new production, directed by John Fulljames, it was an intriguing thought as to whether Fulljames would be able to start moving it from the factual into the dimension of the mythical which is where Adams intended it to go in the first place. Then end result is both yes and no.
The setting is certainly much less literal; we're in the stacks of a document storage warehouse, tall racks of storage boxes able to be slid around and across the stage provide the basic framework, and considerable use is made of the rotating platform of the stage. Yet something of the literal remains too; Mao's private library, where the actual meeting took place, is introduced inside a giant wooden crate, but when this is opened up, the setting is just as seen on the press photographs of the time. Furthermore, the stage is constantly illustrated with projections of photographs and documents of the event, or of the people concerned at various stages of their lives and careers, or of the two countries, China and the USA, and their people at the time. So there's no getting away from the historical context. When you then introduce, in the title role, a performer who more closely resembles the 44th President than the 37th, there's a moment of disconnection that requires a bit more adjustment than is really desirable.
However, there were many good ideas too; the white cloth held taut by the chorus seated in a circle, on which patterns were projected, for the dinner table at the end of the first act was a very effective image. John Ross's choreography for the Act 2 ballet began a little vaguely, but then came together very persuasively. Like Morris, he very clearly evoked the original ballet, but with an outright and very amusing parody. He also provided choreography for part of Act 3, which was extremely successful, and the half-dozen dancers were excellent. Act 3 as a whole was particularly striking with, instead of the bedroom(s) stipulated in the original libretto, the bare stacks again, with the giant cube rotating slowly in the centre, constantly changing images projected onto its faces. The effect was subtly hypnotic, which was perfect for that last, gently surreal act. The first scene of Act 2 - Pat Nixon's tour of various locations - was also handled with considerable ingenuity, and there was a well-judged dose of humour throughout.
Musically, the first thing that struck me was the clarity of the chorus. Nixon in China is very much a true opera, clearly descended from 19th Century models, with distinct arias, ensembles and a prominent choral requirement. The chorus, much called upon even when not singing, to help with the staging, was clear and crisp and completely intelligible at all times. which was a delight to hear. Of the principals, the ladies came out with the honours; Julia Sporsén a warm-voiced, open Pat Nixon, and Hye-Youn Lee delivered both a steely-bright "I am the wife of Mao Tse-tung" to conclude Act 2, yet something much more tender and wistful in Act 3. I found both Eric Greene (Nixon) and Mark Le Brocq (Mao) dramatically good, but vocally a little taxed by their roles, the voices disappearing momentarily now and again, and the passages into and out of falsetto, which both have, were not easily negotiated. Nicholas Lester, on the other hand, was a fine Chou En-lai, all steady, grave diplomacy until the weariness of the last act sets in and the sadness of the character emerges.
 |
| L to R : Eric Greene (Nixon), Nicholas Lester (Chou En-lai) and Julia Sporsén (Pat Nixon) Nixon in China, Act 1, Scottish Opera (© James Glossop, 2020) |
Portuguese conductor Joana Carneiro led richly-hued, wind-heavy Scottish Opera Orchestra with ever-increasing success through the evening. I felt the beginning was a little stolid, even the arrival of the plane, and the second scene, the meeting in the library, is particularly difficult to put across, it's long, very wordy and very static. The start of the next act, though, saw a considerable relaxation in her, and a gain in fluidity in the orchestra, and the last act, which is certainly the most beautiful of the three, was all subtle seduction and serene nostalgia, to bring the evening to a quiet, thoughtful conclusion.
[Next : 20th February]