FINANCIAL TIMES MONDAY SEPTEMBER 24 2012 ★ 15 ARTS

OPERA La traviata Eastwood Park Theatre, Glasgow Seduction behind layers of obstruction ★★★★☆ Andrew Clark Juliette Binoche in Strindberg; NY Philharmonic launches its new season; ‘La traviata’ tours Scotland The first Scottish performance of La traviata was in 1857, just four years THEATRE after the premiere in Venice. During Mademoiselle Julie its visit to Glasgow, the Grand Barbican, London Italian Opera Company was ★★★☆☆ denounced by the Kirk for subjecting the populace to “immoralities”. How Ian Shuttleworth times have changed. The middle-class audience in Giffnock, the Glasgow suburb where Scottish Opera began What is it about Miss Julie that its latest tour, did not raise an makes directors so keen to rebuild eyebrow at the sight of Violetta in the fourth wall when staging it? In black bra and suspenders. Nor could Katie Mitchell’s deconstruction for they feel aggrieved by the the Berlin Schaubühne in 2010, skimpiness of the cast-list – just Strindberg’s events could only eight singers and a pianist – because reliably be watched over a video this Traviata had more soul than link; now Frédéric Fisbach’s version, many a performance with chorus first seen at last year’s Avignon and orchestra. Festival, places things behind a glass Over the next two months the wall, sometimes two. production will be seen by 25 Surprisingly, Fisbach maintains (in communities from Newton Stewart to a programme-essay dialogue with Shetland. Scottish Opera says 90 per himself) that what he is doing is cent of the country’s population will opening up the play. While it is true be within a 30-minute drive of one of that he completes the picture by Barriers: Juliette its performances, but it’s worth a putting a (locally cast) chorus Binoche in much longer drive. The director- upstage as the servants of Julie’s ‘Mademoiselle designer team of Annilese father’s household, revelling away on Julie’; below, Elin Miskimmon and Nicky Shaw have Midsummer’s Eve, and also that the Pritchard in turned La traviata into a critique of glass is gradually pushed aside, I Scottish Opera’s the commoditisation of women, found it immensely irksome and ‘La traviata’ drawing parallels between the anti-theatrical to be watching the Christophe Raynaud 19th-century Parisian courtesan and crucial section of Julie and Jean’s de Lage today’s catwalk model. The overture Mark Hamilton mutual seduction through two layers is accompanied by a mime of a of obstruction – three if you count woman being auctioned to the the dancers. Juliette Binoche and Nicolas On Thursday, however, the stressed speed and bravado where highest bidder while the Act Two Even when the principals are Bouchaud are, of course, talented orchestra offered a more serious, others – older others, in most cases – party scene finds Violetta in the finally and unambiguously in the actors, the pair of them. However, more conventional event heralded as strive for nobility and grandeur. Still, middle of a photo-shoot for lingerie. same space as the audience, their a 46-year-old actor playing Jean the “Season Opening”. The label may the Norwegian virtuoso made a Alfredo is a fashion photographer – voices remain partially miked up (who refers to himself as a young have been disconcerting but, thank persuasive argument for Beethoven and son of the manse. No wonder (slightly too tinnily in the case of man) opposite a Miss Julie two years Gilbert and goodness, the concert as muscular hero rather than subtle the romance goes pear-shaped. Bénédicte Cerutti’s Kristin), his senior but playing a wild-child was not. poet, and he did sigh with Resourceful decor and lighting, militating against the intimacy that sorely taxed my suspension of The quasi-festivities began with a introspective ardour in the Largo. including silhouette and false was one of Strindberg’s major disbelief. Philharmonic premiere, György Gilbert and the orchestra served as perspective, expand the imaginative dramatic aims. Nor are matters Kurtág’s . . . quasi una fantasia ..., consistently worthy partners. scope of the stage – all on a helped by the insertion of several www.barbican.org.uk completed in 1988. The Hungarian Then they turned, with astonishing shoestring budget. The acting is moderately lengthy blackouts; just composer has packed all manner of flair, to the savagery of Le Sacre du superb; the singing is pretty good, because the play cannot logically otherworldly pointillism into 11 printemps (1913). First ventured too. Elin Pritchard’s Violetta hits her unfold in real time, that is no reason CLASSICAL MUSIC minutes of deceptively simple locally in 1925 – under none less than notes fearlessly, packs a punch at not to stage the action as NY Philharmonic/ conversation. A piquant chamber Wilhelm Furtwängler – the score “Love Me, Alfredo” (Edmund continuously as written. ensemble is spread throughout the retains much of its historic shock- Tracey’s English translation) and Where Fisbach scores is in the Gilbert/Andsnes hall, with only the conductor, flanked appeal. Several subscribers walked raises goose-bumps in the finale; personal dynamic between the Avery Fisher Hall, New York by piano and timpani, onstage to face out after the “Dance of the Earth”. like Robyn Lyn Evans’s blithe central duo, as the power ebbs and ★★★★★ the audience and distant players. Gilbert paid masterly attention to and boyish Alfredo, she knows flows between them. At various Martin Bernheimer Tensions fall and rise, in that order, Stravinsky’s cataclysmic climaxes, how to sing naturally and moments, even unexpectedly late in as intricately calibrated mini-themes jagged rhythms, thumping match words to vocal line. the 100-minute play, there are bounce and echo in spatial compulsions and hysterical dynamics David Stephenson’s Germont relaxed, bantering episodes rather ARTS When is an opening not an opening? exploration. Taut and delicate, the without slighting thematic focus or deserves his cabaletta, and than the more usual sense that every The Philharmonic promises a “Gala piece flatters both effect and affect. dramatic transition in the process. Susannah Wapshott directs single line has portent. When Jean ONLINE Opening” on September 27. Alan Leif Ove Andsnes, who manned His trusty ensemble made the massive from the piano with such feeling urges Julie to go off to a new life For more reviews Gilbert conducts, Itzhak Perlman Kurtág’s keyboard and even made challenge sound easy, even natural. for Verdian style that she really with him, she begins her and features, as fiddles, tickets cost double the downward scales sound mysterious, It was, in all, an auspicious ought to be conducting a preparations by putting her knickers well as videos and normal rate, and bonbons, including returned for Beethoven’s Third Piano opening. Or, as the case might be, mainstage production. This felt back on beneath her golden podcasts, go to the theme from Schindler’s List, are Concerto (a vehicle for Yefim pre-opening. like one. sequinned dress; Jean himself www.ft.com/arts sandwiched between Respighi’s Bronfman only four months ago). favours a leather jacket. greatest hits. Impetuosity personified, Andsnes www.newyorkphilharmonic.org www.scottishopera.org.uk

Infinite possibilities in black

VISUAL ARTS Fine balance: Robert Motherwell: Prints ‘Untitled’ (1978), by Robert from the Artist’s Studio Motherwell Bernard Jacobson Gallery, London Jackie Wullschlager

“I belong to a family of black painters and earth colour painters in masses, which would include Manet and Goya and Matisse.” No other mid-century American artist would have defined himself in such European terms; no other so sensuously continued the language of Parisian modernism in an abstract idiom. That textural richness and immediacy was also carried over to Motherwell’s prints, especially those made in his studio. A substantial group of these rarely seen works, made in small editions, is the subject of this wonderful, varied show. Motherwell bought his own etching and lithography press for his studio in Greenwich, Connecticut, in 1973. too, is the modulation in tone by III” has a remnant of a figure in Making prints here, surrounded by which black-and-white compositions movement. And occasionally there his paintings and collages, allowed a such as “Los Angeles Sun” or “Glass are bursts of brilliant colour – black fruitful exchange between media as Garden” breathe light and openness, ruins against an orange glow in “La well as an opportunity to experiment while others – “The Cavern”, say – Casa de la Mancha”; the bright red with different paper. Black are dense and claustrophobic. “Seaside Studio”. All achieve terrific dominates and many pieces recall Figurative elements are never far expressiveness with economy of the painterly velvety strokes and away: flat monochromes are means and an intimate tone – masses of his “Spanish Elegy” variations on Motherwell’s “Open” evoking what Motherwell called “the canvases: “Elegy Fragment”, series, with pared-down lines world of feeling where art “Bloomsday”, “Wanderers”. “Lorca”, suggesting the classic modernist originates”. made in 1991, the final year of motif of the open window or door – Motherwell’s life, is a fine balance of “Grey Open with White Paint”, To October 6, violence and grace. Extraordinary, “Slate Grey Pintura” – while “Dance www.jacobsongallery.com

DANCE The succeeding Classical Symphony saucily in its music, given with San Francisco Ballet is set to eponymous Prokofiev by the almost tangible delight by its cast. former Bolshoi dancer Yury And then the rot set in. Raku, also Sadler’s Wells, London Possokhov. It is buoyant, playfully by Possokhov, is altogether too ★★★☆☆ snook-cocking, despatched with verve Japanese for its own good – or ours. Clement Crisp by a cast led by the splendid Hansuke Every cliché of oriental tragedy is Yamamoto and Maria Kochetkova, invoked: armed soldiery, a wedding and the choreography sits happily, replete with extravagant frockery, his This third programme by the San departure and inexplicable death, her Francisco Ballet was, unhappily, all-too-elaborate mopping and something of a dégringolade, albeit mowing, architectural mayhem, ashes first impressions of the evening made applied as dandruffy token of grief. for the broadest of grins. Curtain up Choral wailing, yet. As a revealed a brightly patterned compendium of clichés the piece had backdrop and nine chaps in no less a weird fascination. As a ballet it jolly leotards embarking on Mark was a non-starter. Morris’s commentary on male The closing Within a Golden Hour dancers, Beaux. From the pit – where is, in effect, Christopher Wheeldon’s the orchestral playing under Martin guide to his craft: How to Make West has been uniformly pleasing Choreography. With an anaemic score throughout this visit – Martinu (bloodless Ezio Bosso and a few scores for harpsichord. dismal pages from Vivaldi), Wheeldon The men danced. Danced with no offers a well-mannered response to little subtlety. Danced without whizz- music, showing how dance can sit bang bravura or needing to play at happily on its score, how movement being the physical supermen that can be stated, developed, got decently male dancers indeed are. Morris, so off stage, made to seem fresh. It is stylish in his observations, so Gradus ad Parnassum, polished and absolutely inside his music, shows skilled and efficient as can be, but men dancing together. Et voilà tout! hardly a Wheeldon ballet. And the There are emotional passages, and women’s costumes are frightful. we learn about men as dancers. A Men as dancers: Vito Mazzeo in Mark small treasure. Morris’s ‘Beaux’ Erik Tomasson www.sfballet.org

SEPTEMBER 24 2012 Section:Features Time: 23/9/2012 - 17:59 User: jacklinj Page Name: ART USA, Part,Page,Edition: EUR, 15, 1