Festival d'Aix-en-Provence, 17/07/2022

Monteverdi : L'incoronazione di Poppea

Capella Mediterranea

Leonardo García Alarcón

The Théâtre du Jeu de Paume in Aix-en-Provence is a tiny, 18th Century Italian-style theatre in the heart of the town, with its most recent restoration dating from 2000 (with air-conditioning, which was the blessing you may imagine!).  In this setting, you kind of feel that you should be seeing Poppea in period costume and decors, to go with the cadre, but Ted Huffman's production looks rather more like something I might see at Glasgow's Citizens' Theatre, an almost bare stage, some tables and chairs sitting around, a large alcove at the rear with a full-length bench, and dress was modern.  The production as a whole came across as more theatre than opera, which works perfectly well for this particular piece.  Poppea, at 380 years of age, remains one of the most modern, actual operas in the repertory, with its frank, unsparing depiction of a collection of characters who, for the main, have little to recommend them.  To say it has aged well is a wild understatement, and it invites a realistic, contemporary setting and direction of actors, which is what it got from Huffman.  The only thing I still don't quite get is the bi-coloured cigarette hanging in mid-air, but it never became an issue.

Jacquelyn Stucker (Poppea) and Jake Arditti (Nerone)
L'incoronazione di Poppea - final scene
Festival International Lyrique d'Aix-en-Provence (© Ruth Waltz 2022)

Perhaps the strongest indication of this was the choice of Jake Arditti for Nerone.  The role was written for a castrato, it's customary nowadays for a mezzo-soprano to sing it, making it a travesty role.  In earlier periods of its rediscovery, in the last century, tenors were not unusual, that's how I first saw it, but it's clear that Huffman wanted a male actor, while remaining as close as possible to the original vocal type, hence Arditti, who is a counter-tenor.  The only slight issue with this choice was the contrast with Ottone, always sung by a counter-tenor.  The two characters only come face-to-face once, near the end, but it made for a stronger presence of that particular vocal type than one usually hears in this opera.  Fortunately, Arditti and Paul-Antoine Bénos-Djian (Ottone) have quite different vocal characteristics, the former is more 'soprano' and the latter more 'mezzo' in the colour of the voice.  What was startling, however, was how close Arditti's voice seemed to that of soprano Jacquelyn Stucker's, singing Poppea.  There were moments in their duos where, if I didn't know the piece, it could have been difficult to know which of the two was singing, which was a very striking effect, creating an additional layer of complicity between them.  Stucker was excellent, sensual without being vampish, confident of her charms, and her hold over Nerone.

There wasn't a weak link in all the cast, though, all young singers at the start of their careers, all more than promising.  Of all the characters, the one I have the most difficulty 'sympathising' with, and Bénos-Djian wasn't the performer to change my mind.  He wasn't helped by Huffman deliberately making him look rather ridiculous in baby pink shorts and jacket! However, the rest were fresh and direct.  Miles Mykkanen doubled-up as Arnalta and Nutrice, spicy and humorous, and also taking over the small part of Damigella (indicated as Famigliare I here) to create a rather weirdly provocative duet with the pert but lovelorn Valletto of Julie Roset.  As Arnalta, she looked disconcertingly like La Castafiore, and came across very much as a cougar, but the Lullaby was beautifully delivered.  Roset was also singing Amore, crystal clear, bright, sharp and ruthless.  Alex Rosen was a good Seneca, with a fine, deep bass, though maybe not quite the degree of authority the character needs.  Most impressive, though, was Fleur Barron as Ottavia, a rich, luscious mezzo voice verging on the contralto, reactive to every inflexion of the forsaken Empress's emotions.  

I haven't seen a Poppea with a 'period' instrument orchestra since the first time, which was the famous Harnoncourt/Ponnelle Zurich production, and that was 45 years ago.  Things have moved on since then.  The most interesting, but also the most disturbing aspect of the Capella Mediterranea's approach is that the very small band appeared to be composed almost entirely of continuo instruments - keyboards, theorbo, viola da gamba - period cellos, approximately - with just a couple of violins and wind instruments.  It put the focus very firmly on the singers, the sound from the pit seemed almost improvisatory, as if there was no written score at all, simply a bass line that could be elaborated as the fancy takes the players.  It's a bit unsettling, especially at first, because there's a kind of blurring effect, but the ear adjusts, and then it's like a piece of fine embroidery, full of subtle colours and textures.  Alarcón's energy is tremendously communicative, you're aware of his driving force, but he's capable of creating great stillness - Arnalta's Lullaby, the final duet - as well.  

This was a vibrant, vivid interpretation of an extraordinary, evergreen work, with a cast of young singers all of whom bear watching for the future.

[Next : 18th July]