Vienna State Opera (live stream), 17/04/2022
Strauss : Der Rosenkavalier
Vienna State Opera Orchestra
Philippe Jordan
I can think of few more appealing ways to spend an Easter Sunday (early) evening than watching a good performance of Der Rosenkavalier, and the moment Philippe Jordan struck up with the Vienna State Opera Orchestra, it was clear that it was indeed going to be a good performance. While there may be a few minor issues here and there, as long as the orchestra has its heart and soul in the game, then it takes a lot to derail this opera, and Jordan evidently had things well under control. The playing was near-immaculate, beautifully paced, totally responsive to mood, a joy from start to finish.
Otto Schenk's production is an ultra-traditional one, but the streaming does it no favours. I don't know how long it's been in place in Vienna - over 30 years, at least - but the decors are frankly looking rather tired, and some of the costumes are too. What was really interesting about this production, however, was the Baron Ochs. Günther Grossböick is one of the world's leading proponents of the role, for audibly excellent reasons, with a rich, rolling timbre, outstanding diction and a clear relish for the part - the end of Act 2 was an absolute delight.
However, one is used to seeing Ochs as a boorish, overweight slob, not to put too fine a point on it, and that was far from the case here. This Ochs is a well turned-out, handsome, confident man, entitled, arrogant and appallingly cavalier towards women, but not devoid of grace, nor of a genuine appreciation of the finer things in life. I think this is the first time I've ever seen an Ochs actually enjoying the Italian Tenor's aria, before he gets into the quarrel with the lawyer. Yes, he's thirty years older than his fiancée, but such was the way of the world (and still is in some places). When Strauss began work on this opera, he wanted to call it Ochs, and with this kind of reading, it's clear to see why.
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| Günther Grossböick (Ochs) and Louise Alder (Sophie) Der Rosenkavalier, Act 2 (© Vienna State Opera, 2022) |
Of the three female leads, Christina Bock was quite a clear-voiced Octavian, to the point that I wondered if she's really a mezzo. In her Act 1 interactions with the Marschallin, Maria Bengtsson seemed to have the darker timbre at times. This made Bock seem a little too feminine for the part, not enough adolescent young man, although her Mariandel, in consequence, was a treat, and she does have very good dynamic control, with nicely judged 'hairpins'. Bengtsson has a smooth, creamy, even timbre well suited to the Marschallin, reminding me a little of Renee Fleming, though she didn't quite draw me in during the first act. She brought more nuances to the last act, including a surprising degree of open anger, which was a refreshing take. Louise Alder, on the other hand, was well nigh perfect as Sophie all the way through, lovely cristalline, soaring voice fresh as cool water, youthful, bright and eager.
Nobody really stood out amongst the secondary roles, although all were soundly cast. Thomas Ebenstein did not make much of a mark vocally as Valzacchi, though he looked perfect, while Ulrike Helzel's Annina finally came into her own at the end of Act 2, with a fruity, insinuating tone. Josh Lovell was a good Italian Tenor, if not perhaps quite as Italianate as might be wished. Adrian Eröd was Faninal, sung well enough, but not really inhabited, I felt, although as my last Faninal was Johannes Martin Kränzle I'm maybe being a bit hard on Eröd. Kränzle is a very hard act to follow.
At the end of the evening, though, it was Grossböick and Jordan who truly made the performance, bringing a serviceable but dingy production vividly to life.
[Next : 22nd or 23rd April]