Ariadne auf Naxos: the Oppora Review

"E. Julius" (soonerfrommi) 02/06/2015 at 19:20 • Filed to: Operalopnik

3

10

Tonight I had the pleasure of viewing this wonderful opera at Opéra Bastille here in Paris. A classic from Richard Strauss which originally premiered in 1912, the opera received a substantial revision in 1916 after it was decided it would be too difficult to continue to stage it after a play as it originally premiered. To accommodate this, a new prologue was written, effectively becoming the first act of what was originally a single act divertissement. An opera in this musical style covering these themes was a bit outside of my previous viewing experience, so I didn't know what to expect. I ended up being pleasantly surprised.

This review is probably a bit long for some. If you do give up on it half way through, I encourage you to at least skip to the little summary section at the end. Enjoy!

Special thanks to: My citroen won't start, ttyymmnn, and RockThrillz89. Y'all better read the whole thing, mmm'kay?

( Full disclosure: Opéra national de Paris wanted me to see this opera so bad, they texted me yesterday to let me know I could buy a 140€ ticket for 30€)

Exterior: 8/10

Once I got inside, I was impressed with Opéra Bastille. The inside is very bright with lots of windows and excellent lighting. It's not brand new, and it doesn't scream opulence, but the use of handsome wood accents throughout and warm diffuse lighting instead created a space that was just subtly nice. Bars, toilets, and coat checks were well placed, and all seating was easily accessible. One point is lost for the super sketch metro exit right beneath the building. Another point lost for not possessing the "wow" factor of a more traditional opera house, such as Bastille's older sister, Palais Garnier.

Interior: 10/10

The auditorium itself was quite stunning. Very tall ceilings, with all the functional components attractively designed. No ugly lighting fixtures or black cables detracting from the beauty. Even the seats looked nice, and they were exceptionally comfortable. The screen for the supertitles was a bit high from my seat, but I prefer to just do my homework on the plot beforehand and concentrate on the stage and the music. I didn't go into the upper balconies (we had killer seats—10th row), but it appeared as if sight lines would be adequate from everywhere. This is a huge area in which modern theaters trump the traditional opera house. At Palais Garnier, 50% of the seats—and none under 90€ without a deal—don't even offer a full view of the stage. A major disappointment and something to consider if you're looking to attend.

Staging: 7/10

This one really surprised me. The set and costume design reflected a modern (or at least late 20th century) time period, which I usually find annoying. In this case, however, it was exceedingly well done. The prologue takes place in the house of "the richest man in Vienna", and by god they made that stage look like one of the nicest houses I've ever seen. Very minimalist and contemporary, with soaring windows reaching thirty feet up to a modernist coffered ceiling. A ceiling . I have NEVER seen a stage set with a ceiling, but it was fucking awesome. A wonderful snow effect really set off the whole thing.

The second act gracefully repurposed this set, although it didn't fit the show as well as the set in the first act. The inclusion of the cars on the stage (as I described in my !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! ) was cool, especially for a car guy like me. The costumes were average, with some high points in Zerbinetta's entourage and some low points for the nymphs in act two. Points lost here from the inferior execution of the second act and the middling costumes.

Acting: 8/10

All but the greatest of the great among opera performers are singers first, actors second. That being said, Paris certainly attracts some talent, so the acting was more than adequate. I thought the tenor playing Bacchus was unnecessarily cold, but generally everybody seemed to enjoy their role and played it well. The roles of Zerbinetta and her entourage were played quite well, and the energy on stage was always high when they were involved. This is one area where second rate opera companies (sorry Detroit) tend to lose major points.

Singing: 8/10

Quality. I was very impressed with closeness of the nymphs' harmony in act two. Ariadne and Bacchus completely delivered, with only two tiny little forays (both Ariadne) into the "blasty" zone, i.e. the voice overpowered the space. Zerbinetta did an impressive job on the coloratura sections, especially the extended part with no orchestral accompaniment. That takes some god damned focus. She did get a little warbly a couple times, but it's a difficult part to sing.

Plot & Theme: 9/10

The plot is essentially this: an aristocrat hires a very serious opera company to perform in his home for a party (high art), and a lighthearted comedy troupe to perform after them (low art). Due to some unexpected delays and the aristocrat's orders, the two are forced to combine their acts into a single performance. Think Adam Sandler and Rob Schneider hanging out in The King's Speech . This sets the stage for the theme, which is essentially exploring the relationship of high art and low art with each other and the audience.

Due the unique nature of this opera's birth, this plot is a bit funky, at least compared to its predecessors. The first act serves to set up the second act as an opera within an opera since the second act was written first, meaning that an entire cast of fairly major characters is only on stage for half the show. I actually thought this was nice, as it allowed the audience to hear more vocalists really shine in standout roles.

As far as the theme is concerned, I thought it was thought provoking and exceedingly well done. The meta elements of the plot allowed the show to really go full force without ever drifting into camp (almost de rigueur for pre–modern operas; see Susan Sontag's "Notes on Camp"). The opera clearly illustrates that high art and low art both serve unique roles, and that a world or a life with only one of them would be woefully incomplete. Excellent job here.

Orchestra: 9/10

Bravo. The orchestra here was great, making full use of the dynamic range to effortlessly switch between accompanying the singers and coming front and center when it was their time to shine. The connection between the stage and the pit was tight, with even small movements coordinated with the score. My only complaint is that I found it extremely difficult/impossible to hear the harmonium called for in the score. I'm not sure if this is because their balance was off or if they weren't using one, but either way that's points off.

Music: 16/20

I really enjoyed Strauss' work here. I've never seen one of his operas, or really any from this period, so I didn't know what to expect. Boy did it deliver. Strauss' use of the tonal palette was excellent, with some interesting combinations of instruments lending sounds you would never hear in something from the 19th century. I really enjoyed the moments where the orchestra built up that wonderful, swelling operatic grandeur (something I've always loved about Puccini). There wasn't really a single passage that absolutely blew me away, but it was consistently enjoyable to a very high degree. I definitely whistled something inspired by the performance my entire way home—always a good sign.

The vocal score was also quite good. According to my research, critics commonly hold that while Ariadne isn't the best of Strauss' operas, it's still widely performed because the main roles are so beloved by performers. It definitely seemed like they were enjoying it, and the juxtaposition of a more lighthearted sound with the serious sound made for a great range in performances. One bonus point for the inclusion of the celeste in the score, just because those things are super cool. Really the only reason I didn't rate this higher is because this isn't one of "legendary" operas. Great music though, I've been listening to it all night.

Acoustics: 9.5/10

Phenomenal. From where I was sitting I could hear every detail in the score and the performances. There were no sound distorting reflections, and whether the ensemble was playing in hushed tones or fortissimo the space let the music speak for itself. The only reason I'm not giving this a 10/10 is that I've heard there are superior auditoriums out there, although I've never been to one.

Total: 84.5/100
Should I see this opera: Yes!
Even if I've never seen an opera: YES
But opera is pretentious and boring: no it's not. You can wear jeans if you like (although for me getting dressed up is part of the fun), and lots of them are just as full of sex, drugs, twists, and murder as any movie.
But I don't speak German/French/Italian: No problem. Any modern opera house will project a translation above the stage to help you follow along.
Will this make a fun date: probably.

Note: no photos are mine

For Sweden > E. Julius 02/06/2015 at 19:26

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I've got an idea let's build a really ugly opera house

E. Julius > For Sweden 02/06/2015 at 19:27

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Haha it was nicer on the inside/in person.

RockThrillz89 > E. Julius 02/06/2015 at 19:40

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That was an awesome review. Really well written. And I did read the whole thing by the way. Really enjoyable; you should do this more often. It's obvious you really enjoy it and that you know what you're talking about. You definitely went over my head a couple times [I used to play in the orchestra when I was in school and college].

I need to find a good company that's reasonably close to me. And more importantly, someone to go with.

Dammit now you have me really wanting to go to a play or to the symphony or (preferably), an opera.

E. Julius > RockThrillz89 02/06/2015 at 19:47

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Thanks! Hopefully you'll find something near you. Sometimes it hurts in the wallet, but if you're really looking for someone to go with most people won't turn down a free ticket, and I've gotten a couple people hooked by just convincing them to go to one. Barring that, I'll always be down to go in Oklahoma or the metro Detroit area! What instrument did you play???

RockThrillz89 > E. Julius 02/06/2015 at 19:53

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See, being in the Carolinas, company pickings are very slim. Closest one to me would probably be in Charlotte, NC, which is still a couple hour drive. They are doing Marriage of Figaro at the end of the month, but for some reason on a Monday and Tuesday night. I make that trip during tax season. Oh well, April 15 is only a couple months away, then I'll try again.

That is a good point. Pretty crazy what people will be down for when it's free (as my dad jokes: "my mother should have named me Jimmy, because I'll take anything you gimme).

I played viola. Such an awesome but underrepresented instrument. Violins and cellos get all the glory.

E. Julius > RockThrillz89 02/06/2015 at 19:59

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Trombone player over here, I know what you're talking about. You might have heard this one before: the difference between violin and viola players isn't the size of their instruments, it's the size of their heads.

Applies equally to trumpet players haha.

If you're not close to a major city, you might want to try looking at university music departments. My school has an opera performance program and they do one each semester. Not quite the same, but in my experience at least they're almost fully staged and cost you much less.

RockThrillz89 > E. Julius 02/06/2015 at 20:09

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I've heard a good many, but I don't recall that one. But it is a good one. I can't remember any of the good ones that I used to know.

Trust me, when I moved to my current town, I was absolutely floored there was a theatre troop here. South Carolina doesn't really invest much in the performing arts. I'll check the local colleges though, that is a good idea.

I'll keep looking though. But Charlotte seems like my best bet. Atlanta might have something, but that is a good 5 hour drive at best.

By the way, about half way through your review, I decided to queue up this opera on the streaming service. Enjoyable to listen to, thats for sure.

E. Julius > RockThrillz89 02/06/2015 at 20:13

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Maybe Clemson? Anyways, best of luck. Glad you're enjoying the opera though!

ttyymmnn > E. Julius 03/03/2015 at 08:10

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After all this time, and after encouraging you to write it, I finally read your review. Brilliant!

The orchestra here was great, making full use of the dynamic range to effortlessly switch between accompanying the singers and coming front and center when it was their time to shine.

Having played in the pit for a number of operas, I can attest that, unless you're playing Mozart, coordination with the stage can be quite difficult, and that's where a good conductor and sensitive orchestra is a must.

Thanks again for the review. I enjoyed that.

E. Julius > ttyymmnn 03/03/2015 at 08:42

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I'm glad you enjoyed it! I tried to focus more on the experience and less on the abstracted opera malarky one might read in The New Yorker . Interesting to get a musician's perspective as well. The orchestra I played with in high school accompanied a few soloists doing concertos, but the soloists always managed to pick stuff without trombone parts so I never got to join in the fun haha.