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| Ten Years of Transformation at the Latvian National Opera Orests Silabriedis | |
| DIRECTOR HERMANIS, INTENDANT BĒRZIŅŠ, COMPOSER KALSONS, AND THE YELLOW BOOTS
Back in December 1995, many did not appreciate the music of Jānis Mediņš' excellent opera Uguns un nakts ("Fire and Night"), and even less so the provocative directing of Alvis Hermanis. Looking back now, it seems that this production - the first after the major renovation project - represented the brightest possible laser beam in Latvia's cultural scene, penetrating the bones and flesh of our society, a kind of vivisection, audacious and even dazzling, one that sowed a poisoned seed (in the best sense of the term) in the destiny of our restored opera house, as if to say: you'll not have an easy time of it, but you'll never go unnoticed.
In the mid-1990s, the Latvian National Opera experienced a crisis in artistic terms and in terms of its self-image. Life beyond the walls of the opera house, then under repair, and the country's newly-won independence, created conditions that left the opera without several of its leading soloists and placed it in the bewilderingly novel web of capitalist relations. On the other hand, the opera house itself enjoyed a major facelift, and now the time had come to think about content. The first to think was the cultural management specialist Ivars Bērziņš: his brief seven-month stretch as intendant brought the premieres of two works significant from the point of view of repertoire policy. On 10 February 1996, the curtain rose on Romualds Kalsons' opera Pazudušais dēls ("The Prodigal Son"), an idea spawned back in the 1960s, when the creative partnership between Kalsons and poet Ojārs Vācietis was only just developing. Thirty years later, the libretto begun by Vācietis was completed by Jānis Streičs, and the composer could bring to completion this outstanding masterpiece. Nowadays, there's no point discussing why it didn't attract a large audience, even with such low-priced tickets. I'd like to emphasise that, quite apart from all subjective likes or dislikes, the opera is a very good one, and perception of it may have been hampered by the proper and traditional, but inexpressive directing. Just listen to the recording of this opera, produced by Zigrīda Krīgere, who has bravely nurtured so many opera CDs, and you'll be surprised at the expressiveness, the depth of feeling and masterful structure of the work. A second new production was Richard Wagner's opera "Der fliegende Holländer", about which we are fond of saying that the waves of the stormy sea inspired the composer when he was fleeing from his Riga creditors. Of course, the opera actually has nothing to do with Riga, but the work befits our stage, because "Der fliegende Holländer" was actually the first production of the Latvian National Opera (then the Soviet Latvian Opera), on 23 January 1919. Unfortunately, the mid-1996 production was not a success - mainly due to the failings of Dutch director Grey Veredon and Spanish scenographer Josē Katxua. We still remember today those bright yellow seamen's boots and the billowing trouser-shaped balloon that marked the opera's finale. DIRECTOR ŽAGARS AND COMPOSER RINKEVIČIUS The second phase in the life of the renewed opera house began on 6 November 1996, when Andrejs Žagars became the opera's director - a vivid, gifted and choleric figure, under whose leadership the Latvian National Opera has formed a bond with its audiences, played to full houses, broadened the horizon of financial backing, and set a firm course in the direction of expressly production-oriented theatre. It is perhaps very important in this regard that, having become the director of the opera, Andrejs Žagars continued to avidly grasp new impressions in the world of opera all across Europe, giving his attention to those productions that are attractive, first and foremost, as stage spectacles. It has been rumoured that this is a trend already on the way out in Europe, and that we're just belatedly mimicking the rest, but this is simply not true: it's a question of the path chosen by each particular company. Our opera made its choice, earned the sympathies of its audience and became a prestigious form of art, so much so that the cream of society makes its way to the White House on Aspazijas Boulevard, even if opera as such makes them sick. In 1996, composer Arturs Maskats became the opera's artistic director, and the post of principal conductor was assumed by that Lithuanian beloved in Latvia, Gintaras Rinkevičius. It must be said from the start that we already knew Rinkevičius as a very energetic and capable symphony orchestra conductor, but his experience in the field of opera was not very remarkable, and so, as regards questions of balance between music and voice, Rinkevičius never became an authority. However, there were undeniable interpretive successes: let us remember the aristocratic dignity of the Slave Chorus in Verdi's "Nabucco", the nervously expressive image of Strauss' "Salome" and the excellent CD recording of Tschaikovsky's opera "Eugene Onegin". GOOD, NOT SO GOOD, BAD In my view, the National Opera's orientation towards the stage aspects of opera really took off with Verdi's "Aida", which may be regarded as a production dedicated to artist Ilmārs Blumbergs. Even before that, Guntis Gailītis created an excellent "Nabucco", while Pēteris Krilovs was somewhat less successful with "Lucia di Lammermoor". "Aida" still fascinates us with the back-and-forth play of the colourful walls, although the director was left with only enough space for separate mise-en-scenes. Among other major successes about which there is in my view little room for doubt, we may list: "Alcina", created by Berlin opera director Kristina Wuss; the colourfully ironic "Eugene Onegin", directed by Viesturs Kairišs; the "The Bird Opera", drawn in the wonderful colours of Kristīne Jurjāne; the dusty and loose "Carmen", taken over from the Stockholm Folkoperan, but much more convincing in its Riga version than in the Swedish original; Britten's somewhat terrifying "The Turn of the Screw", borrowed from the Czechs; the clever version of "Tosca" by Dmitri Bertman, director of the Moscow Helikon Opera Theatre; the scenographically flat, but emotionally unforgettable, powerful "Jenůfa"; Andrejs Žagars' powerful production of "The Queen of Spades" and Indra Roga's kitsch Handel opera "Acis and Galatea". We may include in the next category productions that were "debatable", but undeniably vivid: "Don Carlos", which unfortunately had such a short life; Kristina Wuss' "Don Juan", with its gallantly macabre games; Gintaras Varnas' ragtag but laconic "Salome" and his shining golden "Un ballo in maschera"; Baņuta Rubess' ritual "Orpheus and Eurydice"; Blumbergs' and Kairišs' "Die Zauberflöte", drowning in its own ideas; the American-teenager "Cosi fan tutte"; the deliberately static monuments "Der fliegende Holländer" and "The Demon", created by the opera's director, and Ilona Breģe's conceptual opera "Living Water". Musicals and productions for children constitute a special aspect of the opera's activities during the past decade. The success of Zigmars Liepiņš' rock operas (or musicals) Parīzes Dievmātes katedrāle ("Notre Dame de Paris") and No rozes un asinīm ("Of Rose and Blood") may be put down to successful marketing, to Liepiņš' talent as a melody-maker and to the moving, romantic story. As regards productions for children, alongside the "Bird Opera", we should also note two productions in the New Hall: Britten's opera "Noye's Fludde" and Ravel's L'Enfant et les sortilèges, directed by conductor Andris Veismanis. The rich scenery created by the set and costume designer Agne Goiževska, abounding in bright accents, in my view helps to bring opera closer to the perception of children unacquainted with classical music. For Christmas 2005, the people responsible for children's productions promise Menotti's "Amahl and the Night Visitors". The New Hall, with its not very inspiring acoustics, has nevertheless managed to emerge as a favourable venue for innovative projects. Thus, those who came to see, for example, the production of Wolfgang Rihm's "Jakob Lenz", initiated by the Goethe Institute, the joint production by Baņuta Rubess, Nik Gotham and Kaspars Putniņš, "Fruit of the Earth/Fruit of the Sky", will know that the New Hall is a place for experiments. We can only hope to see such productions more often. We may end this enumeration with the conclusion that, although it's not a matter of abject failures, nevertheless, the fact that the above list of productions did not include the pinkish, Callas-esque "Il barbiere di Siviglia", nor Strauss' "Die Fledermaus", which in its original form was such an incomprehensible pastiche, shows that we have a full spectrum of success and failure. And this is understandable: the Latvian National Opera revels in experimentation, and this naturally leads both to stumbles and to a host of outstanding successes resulting from dedicated efforts, such as we saw in the 2004/2005 season, when in the space of four months we could witness four unforgettable, or at least significant, productions: the operas "Jenůfa", "The Queen of Spades", "Living Water" and "Acis and Galatea". THEY SING AND ACT We may agree that from the point of view of the muse of the theatre, the activities of the Latvian National Opera are at least worthy of attention, and from time to time are even very delightful. True, not always has this flight of artistic fancy been adequately matched to the company's vocal resources. Only recently has the situation become more hopeful along with another change of generations. However, there is one significant quality that the Latvian National Opera has not lost and holds in great esteem: it's outstanding ensemble. Latvia has very few solo stars, and so arias and duets are not always of superlative quality, but as regards trios and larger ensembles, we generally witness perfect unity. Of great importance in this regard is also the harmonious performance of the choir, developed with great success by Andris Veismanis. Until the arrival of Andris Nelsons, the opera's orchestra was an artistically unstable body, so that one could expect some objectionable sound from this quarter at any moment. I'm afraid to overrate the contribution made by one individual, so I'll say that, along with Nelsons, a major contribution to sprucing up the orchestra has also been made by the two guest conductors from Poland - Zbigniew Graca and Tadeusz Wojciechowski. And finally, a few words about the singers. During this period, we have seen the development into opera singers, in the true sense of the term, of Sonora Vaice (a voice transformed and stabilised beyond recognition, in addition to her inimitable charisma as a dramatic actress) and Krišjānis Norvelis (the broadest dramatic spectrum, from vivid comedy to profound tragedy, and excellent interpretation of a variety of different styles). Recently, they have been joined by Kristīne Opolais and Alexander Antonenko, whose performance in "The Queen of Spades" is an exhilarating experience, and this, of course, is not the only such production. Kristīne Gailīte and Viesturs Jansons are on a less brilliant, but promising road: they are sometimes found wanting in stage charm (in my view, they both show themselves most convincingly as soloists in major oratorical works), however, there's no doubt that their acting still has potential for development. It's a shame that Ieva Kepe, unforgettable in "Turandot" and "Salome", is now suffering serious health problems. Several years ago, Andžella Goba surprised us with a most promising debut in "Eugene Onegin", and is currently in excellent vocal and acting form, as she showed when playing Kostelnicka in "Jenůfa": let us wait and see what her next role will be. "Jenufa" has likewise become a mark of new quality for Dita Kalniņa, presently going through a period of vocal transformation. During this last season, Kristīne Zadovska's vocal performance has appeared pleasantly stable, something that I consider will guarantee her rapid and significant development. Among the unchanging values, we should certainly mention Samson Izjumov. The most promising debutants of recent years include Maija Kova¬evska (whose studies with Mirella Freni in Italy are gradually bearing fruit), Jānis Apeinis (a little more flexibility and less of his self-image in the characters he portrays, and we'll have a very good baritone), Ilona Bagele (a superbly toned, smooth voice, and fine acting talent), Sergejs Jēgers (slightly mannered, lacking in content, but with a vivid countertenor voice) and Jānis Kurševs (wanting in vocal stability, but overflowing with unexpected performing talent). And then we have the "emigre Latvians": Inga Kalna, Inese Galante (her Aida was outstanding in terms of untraditional gentleness and strength) and Egils Siliņš (best remembered for his "Dutchman"). Neither have we lost hope of once again seeing Elīna Garanča, who has just now entered the top echelons of opera society. If the opera administration is able to demonstrate a favourable and far-sighted attitude to planning the workload of the singers and defining their range of roles, then the opera might hope to develop from a fine ensemble company into a company close to perfection, where all the different components are sufficiently stable in musical terms to permit it to play around with the most audacious ideas in the world of dramatic theatre. And, what's more: I attach great importance to the youthful features of the soloists we see in our White House. Views to the contrary notwithstanding, the present author concurs with the idea that opera should generally be played by young people. (I'm not talking about the parts that can only be sung by a soloist who has reached a degree of vocal maturity.) The phenomenon of Kārlis Zariņš, this living tenor legend, is a unique case. THE VOLCANO Ilmārs Blumbergs has won a competition for the opera's new logo. The elegantly flexible triangle does give something of an impression of showing a mole that's exploded in its burrow, having sung an overly high note (particularly in the black-and-white version), but we do know that it's actually a volcano. Certainly, the new logo does correspond ideally to Andrejs Žagars' temperament. In my view, it is clear that this period of leadership by Žagars we associate in particular with the image of this unusual personality - with his daring to be provocative, vital, public and dazzling. If we are to believe the rumours about the present opera director's future plans with another opera company in Europe, it'll be interesting to see who takes over the reins of our White House. But, most likely, this won't be happening this year or the next. Now we're looking forward to "Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District", "Le nozze di Figaro" and, above all else, of course, "Der Ring des Nibelungen". We certainly won't be bored. | |
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