First of all let me just say that even when I go to a performance some time after the premier, as in this case, I make a point of trying to avoid formal reviews and blogs, lest they cloud my judgement in some way. Twitter however is almost impossible to avoid and there were some fairly vociferous reactions on my timeline including hints of dire goings-on at the finale. This notwithstanding, I was suitably intrigued and if nothing else, it would be a chance to catch up with the glorious music of Mozart, who can withstand most, of not all of any directorial shenanigans.
While the overture is still playing, the curtain opens on a fairly bland facade of a house, somewhat reminiscent of the set of Kasper Holten's previous directorial outing here, Eugene Onegin. Given my reaction to that production, I wasn't entirely encouraged but things soon picked up as the highly vaunted light show sprang into life. Soon dozens of names had been artfully inscribed on the grey background, testament to the Don's many conquests. I thought the visual aspects of the production were very good and in the most part effective. Splashes of colour at the appropriate moments worked well and the visual effects were stunning in places. But....and its a big but...I'm not entirely sure that the visual effects didn't overshadow or overwhelm the singers at times. While the so-called 'Champagne Aria' was visually stunning (if a little vertigo-inducing) I do wonder if the applause was for the singer or the effect?
And not only did we have the constant changes of lighting but also the ever-whirling cuboid set. Its a wonder that none of the singers got lost or emerged from the wrong door. While this was quite effective to begin with, the novelty wore off and towards the end I was just wishing the singers would all stand still for a minute instead of constantly whirling or going upstairs and down. So on the whole I enjoyed the visuals (including the gorgeous costumes) but felt that perhaps less is more.
So much for the visuals.
The story you would think is a fairly straightforward one - after all the subtitle to Don Giovanni is Il dissoluto punito - The rake punished. However no modern day director worth his salt can resist tweaking the story to fit a concept and sure enough here our Don is less of a vicious if charming rapist, murderer and seducer...more of a middle-aged rake having a mid-life crisis. He bounces from woman to woman and none put up even the most token resistance....all fall to his charms including Donna Anna, who right from the start has enjoyed her fling with the charming Don and then finds herself lying to all and sundry about the nature of their relationship, crying rape and then calling for revenge for her father's death. Donna Elvira and Zerlina barely come off much better in this production, with Zerlina portrayed as a girl on the make and willing to throw over her husband on her wedding day, and Elvira moping about constantly believing she can change the Don's wicked ways.
The Don himself is just a man having a bad day - although given that he at least gets to have sex a couple of times in this production (at least suggested) then he does okay. Oh and he also murders Donna Anna's father but that seems less of a problem in this production. My problem with the concept (apart from the treatment of women) is that if the Don is not the hell-bent dissolute who murders and deceives...then who is he? And what is the point of the Commendatore reappearing to extract justice if in fact he doesn't? Or at least he didn't seem to - hard to tell with the fudged ending.
To be honest, I'm not as up in arms as some about the abbreviated ending as some appear to be. Given what had gone one beforehand then it actually fit with the directors concept. From what I can gather the Don doesn't get dragged down to hell but is left in some sort of limbo while the rest of the cast sing from the orchestra pit. Go figure.
I thought the musical values were very high indeed and for me this (and the music of Mozart) was the saving grace. Mariusz Kwiecien was on form as the eponymous Don, his voice robust and he cut a lithe and athletic figure. I much preferred him here than when I saw him as Posa in Don Carlo. He was well matched in his Leporello here played by Alex Esposito and the two singers struck up a beleivable partnership, less master and servant, more equal partners in crime. Antonio Poli had the unenviable task of making Don Ottavio interesting or sympathetic...and failed. Not his fault and his voice was pleasant and mostly up to the task that Mozart set him. But I have yet to see a production of Don Giovanni where the Ottatvio is anything more than a dramatic cipher.
Malin Bystrom as Donna Anna was a revelation for me. Her voice was agile, creamy and yet with plenty of dramatic heft when required. Veronique Gens as Elvira was similarly impressive if not quite in the same league - although Elvira has less vocal 'fireworks' than Anna. Her characterisation of Elvira was dignified and restrained. Elizabeth Watts and Dawid Kimberg as Zerlina and Masetto were fine but not outstanding.
Final verdict? I didn't exactly hate the production but found some of the concepts a bit questionable. The physical production and light show were novel but perhaps a little less would be easier on the eye. On a side note I do wonder if the full effects of this production will come out well on DVD - which I presume will be on the way?
It's a tricky one, this. Much to enjoy and provoke thoughts in this production, but some confusion too. My own thoughts:
ReplyDeleteScrawling the names on the wall during the overture is quite a nice gag but it doesn't always fit the music. It only works as a joke if you know the story and does slightly undermine the Catalogue Aria. But as a joke, it has very little to go once you "get it": the names could have been written in sexual positions, or made into threesomes/orgies. Maybe even, as Mariusz suggested in an interview, throw in a couple of male names?
I thought some of the projections were great: the black blood/rain, the Champagne vortex and I'd love to know how they were created on a revolving set with so little distortion. Where were they projected from? I've no idea why crows were needed during Elvira's aria.
As for the characterisation, the opening chase with Giovanni/Anna, was more like a sex game. How long had they been seeing each other? Did Anna think this was something serious? Is that why she made up a rape story, because she had now seen Elvira and been told of Zerlina, and wanted to use Ottavio to get revenge on Giovanni? In any case, it didn't stop her returning to Giovanni. Does she stop Ottavio shooting Giovanni because of misplaced love/lust? Is Non mi dir a further lie from someone in too deep? At first viewing I was confused by Anna's motivation, thinking that she was using the Don to get out of marrying Ottavio and possibly getting rid of her overbearing father. On second viewing, I was a little more convinced, but some things still did not add up.
Regarding Ottavio, I was reminded of Hamlet, visited by a dead father and made to swear revenge that does not come easy to him. Poli's youth and "awkwardness" made me think that Ottavio was another character in events beyond his control. His costume, like a waiter/bellboy, did little to mature him or make him more convincing, and during Il mio tesoro, he rocked from side to side, maybe as a singer's quirk, or maybe to suggest nerves, instability or being like a baby.
For the Don himself, I was reminded of Stuart in the UK drama Queer as Folk, who lives for sex and every night sees him with a new man (or two), before casting them aside: "I've had you", he says, to one of his partners who comes back for more. And then, he experiences rejection and re-evaluates his life. Here, Giovanni faces similar failure and a similar turning point. Without sex, what is left for him? Death? Or nothing. A void. (I was also reminded of Mitchell the vampire in TV's Being Human, who sets himself on a course of terrible, but sympathetic self-destruction.) I found this idea worked really well: the Commendatore, Heaven and Hell, are "supernatural" and "mythical". They are not part of the Don's real world. So the ending finds him in limbo. Nowhere. With nowhere to go. The voices of the sextet come from somewhere "other". Does the Commendatore exist, or is he just a figment of the Don's imagination? Possibly the latter as he wanders around throughout the opera, the Don even sensing him at one point. Leporello's tears in the supper scene are tears of sadness at watching his friend self-destruct.
One final thought: Kwiecien was astounding.
Great comments and I think this is the sort of production that certainly gets people thinking even if ultimately it doesn't quite all add up. It's certainly open to a variety of interpretations and that can only be a good thing - I think Don Giovanni (like Carmen) can be terribly difficult to bring off as a character but Kwecien did a fantastic job and threw himself wholeheartedly into the task.
ReplyDeleteI'm still not totally convinced by the ending and I wonder what people seeing this for the first time make of it.