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Odyssey Opera's Superb Rienzi Wagneriana Autumn 2013 Volume 10, Number 3 It is an attribute of the poet to be more seasoned in his inner perception of the world than in his conscious abstract knowledge. — Richard Wagner From the President In This Issue The bicentennial year has almost ended. Nevertheless, the celebrations ■■ From the continue as we organize more special events for the winter and spring. We President 1 began celebrating in the fall of 2012 with Cori Ellison, Asher Fisch, and ■■ Wagnerian Fireworks Jane Eaglen, and will continue through the spring of 2014. Wagner’s 200th Launch Odyssey anniversary, deservedly, is taking a full two years. Opera 2 On September 14 we all enjoyed a wonderful celebration of the Boston ■■ Odyssey Opera’s Wagner Society’s 10th anniversary. It was gratifying to see so many happy Superb Rienzi 3 members and to mingle in the convivial social atmosphere. It’s not often that we ■■ A Visually Stunning get together just for fun. Adding spice to the celebration was William Berger’s Ring Cycle at La intelligent and well thought out presentation titled “Producing Wagner on Scala 4 Stage: Beyond the Traditional and the Avant-Garde.” ■■ The Ring in the In late September and October we had a fruitful collaboration with Boston “Bayreuth of University’s College of Fine Arts. Professor Deborah Burton spearheaded six America” 6 events in close succession, including a concert, a presentation by Met Opera ■■ Delightful Meeting chorus master Donald Palumbo and Met Opera commentator William Berger, with Heldentenor two talks by Wagner’s great-grandson Gottfried Wagner (the second one Stuart Skelton 9 with Saul Lilienstein and Ron Della Chiesa), a round-table discussion by BU ■■ “Time Here Becomes professors (including Deborah Burton), and a screening of Hilan Warshaw’s Space”: Parsifal in Wagner’s Jews. What a month that was! Leipzig 10 We have more interesting events in store for you in the near future. On ■■ Upcoming February 22 composer Tony Schemmer will present his irreverent and hilarious Events 11 take on Wagner’s art. On March 8 William Fregosi, the stage designer, director, and librettist who gave our very first talk in January 2004, will return after ten years to introduce “What the Composer Intended: Producing Wagner on Stage.” And on April 5 the marvelous speaker Saul Lilienstein will present “Wagner and Brahms: Rivalries and Common Ground,” with piano. For those Continued on back page REVIEW Augmenting the onstage orchestra were two brass bands placed at the rear of the balcony, with two sets Wagnerian Fireworks of snare drums located at the front of the balcony. The Launch Odyssey Opera surround-sound effect of this arrangement enhanced the visceral, emotional impact of the music, which Rienzi, concert performance by Odyssey Opera, was thrilling. Here was an early example of Wagner September 15, 2013, Jordan Hall; Rienzi: Kristian trying to create an altered state of consciousness in Benedikt; Irene: Elisabete Matos; Adriano Colonna: the listener; musical repetition and auditory overload, Margaret Jane Wray; Kardinal Orvieto: Kristopher with their insistent forte dynamics, resulted in a musi- Irmiter; Paolo Orsini: David Kravitz; Stefano cal hypnosis. (Of course, Wagner also achieved this Colonna: Stephen Salters; Baroncelli; Ethan Bremner; state with his more mature and compact scene-change Cecco del Vecchio: Robert Honeysucker; Messenger music in Act 3 of Parsifal.) of Peace: Christina English; Herald: Frank Kelley; I single out the brass players for their excellent conductor Gil Rose; chorus master: Harris Ipock; work. They had an immense amount of music to play. Odyssey Opera Orchestra and Chorus; Lorelei The only drawback of the orchestra was its loudness. Ensemble There are moments when massive amounts of sound On September 15, 2013, Odyssey Opera exploded on are appropriate, but overall there was a need for more Boston’s operatic firmament with the city’s first per- varied dynamics, even in so bombastic an opera as formance of Wagner’s early opera Rienzi. Jordan Hall’s Rienzi. walls reverberated with the music of almost 200 play- The title role was sung by the Lithuanian tenor ers and singers, who gave their heart and soul to the Kristian Benedikt. This is a difficult and long role with excesses of Wagner’s French-style grand opera. a great deal of forceful declarative singing. I found Written with the hope of financial success and an Benedikt’s sound disappointing. He seemed to push eventual production in Paris, Rienzi was first per- his vocal production to the back of his throat. This formed in 1842 at the Dresden Court Theater and technique resulted in a somewhat muffled sound. Yet was the most popular of Wagner’s works during his “Rienzi’s Prayer” (Allmacht’ger Vater) in Act 5 was lifetime. sung with an open and forward sound. Gil Rose, conductor and artistic director of Odys- The unforgiving role of Irene was performed by sey Opera, presented this work in its premiere version, soprano Elisabete Matos. This role needs to be sung which lasts almost four and a half hours. Wagner himself above the orchestra and chorus much of the time, had made cuts for its 1842 premiere, whittling it down which took its toll on Matos’s voice, rendering it from almost six hours. The opera’s length and grandios- screechy at times. ity are a sure indication of where Wagner intended to go Wagner reserved the most exciting solo music for eventually. Unfortunately, the complete manuscript of the trouser role of Adriano, and Margaret Jane Wray this opera is missing. It was in Hitler’s possession until made the most of this. This mezzo-soprano is endowed the end of World War II and then was lost. with a big dramatic voice and sang with conviction and From the beginning of the overture, it was obvious involvement. Ms. Wray used her whole body to give that this concert would be a great event. The perform- expression to the character’s various emotional states. ers were well prepared, and Gil Rose had full com- There were moments when the music required her to mand of the score. Wagner, influenced by Beethoven’s push her voice, but it never became unpleasant. style of orchestration, highlighted all the sections of the Baritone David Kravitz threw himself both vocally orchestra in this overture. Under Rose’s direction, each and histrionically (as much as a concert performance instrumental group dazzled with its glorious sound. allows) into the role of Paolo Orsini, and Stephen Salt- The musicians played with excellent tone, compelling ers took the role of his compatriot, Stefano Colonna, rhythmic drive, and melodic momentum throughout. with his full and beautiful sound. Kristopher Irmiter’s Especially amazing was Act 3, the “battle music.” strong voice lent authority and gravitas to the role of – 2 – Kardinal Orvieto. Baroncelli and Cecco del Vecchio, REVIEW two characters who voice the desires and disappoint- ments of the Roman populace, were intensely sung Odyssey Opera’s Superb by tenor Ethan Bremner and baritone Robert Honey- Rienzi sucker. Mezzo-soprano Christina English performed After a year of mourning the demise of Opera Bos- the part of the Messenger of Peace with a lovely liquid ton—an inventive and daring company with high voice that displayed a beautiful sense of legato and musical standards and a fascinating repertory—the city purity of tone. In the small role of the Herald, tenor celebrated its “revival” when Odyssey Opera presented Frank Kelley commanded the attention of the audience the Boston premiere of Wagner’s Rienzi in concert with his firm delivery. at the acoustically magnificent Jordan Hall. Opera I give a special commendation to the outstand- Boston’s music director, Gil Rose, established the new ing work of the chorus. Whether singly or in divided company and decided to place it before the public with groups, they were responsive, in tune, and exciting. a splash—and nothing operatic makes quite the splash Chorus Master Harris Ipock deserves praise for his of a well-cast and gorgeously played Rienzi. excellent work. Added to this chorus was the fabulous This edition was the one used at the opera’s world singing of the women in the Lorelei Ensemble. Their premiere in Dresden, which observed Wagner’s own purity of tone and perfect intonation were highlights of cuts, without any of the “new” material that has come this performance. to light in recent decades. Given Rose’s taut, exciting I have one suggestion to make: when unfamiliar conducting, it’s time to put aside fears of this opera’s operas are presented in concert form and there are “impossible” length. Any audience that can sit through extended moments of instrumental music—interludes, Tristan, Götterdämmerung, or Meistersinger should eas- recessionals, processionals, marches, dances, and so ily make it through the extra fifteen minutes or so of on—it would help audience members if the subtitle Rienzi. And the rewards are considerable. screens were used to explain the purpose of these When played and sung as well as we heard it on pieces, thus placing the music in context. Sunday, September 15, Rienzi holds the audience’s Despite the weaknesses of parts of this opera (espe- attention through its great massed choral scenes. cially the overuse of musical sequences), Rienzi has its This is grateful, if demanding, vocal writing, with an moments of glory. Odyssey Opera deserves praise for absorbing plot of the rise and fall of a people’s hero who expanding Boston’s operatic horizon with this blazing succumbs to his own success, becoming an enemy of performance. his countrymen, who in the end destroy him. Lithua- — David J. Collins nian tenor Kristian Benedikt brought a medium-weight budding heldentenor to the role.
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