Post by joem on Jun 4, 2022 0:35:28 GMT
New production of Saint-Saens masterpiece on the well-known biblical theme conducted by Antonio Pappano and starring Elina Garanca and SeokJong Baek as Dalila and Samson.
Visually impressive production from the very opening curtain with vast blocks of colour - reds and yellows - washing the stage, peopled by small figures, followed by a sequence straight out of Eisenstein, merging Ivan the Terrible and Battleship Potemkin, a series of blindingly white steps where we first see Samson bewailing the fate of the Israelites and then urging them to rebel against their Philistine overlords. The Philistines themselves look like some nightmarish Tonton Macoute inhabiting a time between the Book of Judges and a modern dystopia.
It is in many ways an oddly-constructed opera. The first two acts stretch out at length, the third is almost an afterthought and practically half of this is the effective, but wordless, Bacchanalae so there need to be plenty of visual stimuli - and there are. A giant, and very colourful, statue of the Philistine god Dagon is wheeled in, with symbols of gaming such as chips and a putative fruit machine; with the chorus in varied costumes and Garanca dressed in a glittering costume complete with headdress, somewhat like Lana Turner (but more modestly) in the old epic "The Prodigal". There is certainly plenty to look at before Samson brings the house down.
No doubt the production has been shaped around Garanca who is in fine voice and has been described elsewhere as "imperious". She is a stern and dominating Dalila but she is also persuasive when she needs to be. SeokJong Baek was a late replacement, due to the unavailability of Nicky Spence, but he makes the most of this by having a decent stab at the role. His voice is confident and strong, holding the top notes well and, if he is better at the poignant rather than the puissant aspects of the role, he delivers a decent acting performance. I feel the director keeps the two leads too distant when they first appear on stage, it is difficult to portray love and attraction from the far ends of the sizeable ROH stage and that at times Garanca's physicality threatens to overwhelm her besotted lover who has to show more of his fabled strength in the love scenes - even if he eventually succumbs.
The ROH chorus was in splendid voice and also acted and danced very effectively - this must be one of the best operas for a chorus, plenty to do as well as sing and taking on the role of collective protagonists at times.
A very good production which I predict will be revived over the years.
Visually impressive production from the very opening curtain with vast blocks of colour - reds and yellows - washing the stage, peopled by small figures, followed by a sequence straight out of Eisenstein, merging Ivan the Terrible and Battleship Potemkin, a series of blindingly white steps where we first see Samson bewailing the fate of the Israelites and then urging them to rebel against their Philistine overlords. The Philistines themselves look like some nightmarish Tonton Macoute inhabiting a time between the Book of Judges and a modern dystopia.
It is in many ways an oddly-constructed opera. The first two acts stretch out at length, the third is almost an afterthought and practically half of this is the effective, but wordless, Bacchanalae so there need to be plenty of visual stimuli - and there are. A giant, and very colourful, statue of the Philistine god Dagon is wheeled in, with symbols of gaming such as chips and a putative fruit machine; with the chorus in varied costumes and Garanca dressed in a glittering costume complete with headdress, somewhat like Lana Turner (but more modestly) in the old epic "The Prodigal". There is certainly plenty to look at before Samson brings the house down.
No doubt the production has been shaped around Garanca who is in fine voice and has been described elsewhere as "imperious". She is a stern and dominating Dalila but she is also persuasive when she needs to be. SeokJong Baek was a late replacement, due to the unavailability of Nicky Spence, but he makes the most of this by having a decent stab at the role. His voice is confident and strong, holding the top notes well and, if he is better at the poignant rather than the puissant aspects of the role, he delivers a decent acting performance. I feel the director keeps the two leads too distant when they first appear on stage, it is difficult to portray love and attraction from the far ends of the sizeable ROH stage and that at times Garanca's physicality threatens to overwhelm her besotted lover who has to show more of his fabled strength in the love scenes - even if he eventually succumbs.
The ROH chorus was in splendid voice and also acted and danced very effectively - this must be one of the best operas for a chorus, plenty to do as well as sing and taking on the role of collective protagonists at times.
A very good production which I predict will be revived over the years.
