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| Renee Fleming (seated) & Elina Garanca in Met's "Rosenkavalier" (photo: Metropolitan Opera) |
Der
Rosenkavalier is often, as it
should be, all about Richard (Strauss, that is) and his composing and
orchestrating; but this production by the Metropolitan Opera, is all
about Renee (Fleming, that is) in her final performance at the Met in
this role that has become so identified with her acting and
vocalizing. There was a moment at the end of Act I when Fleming as
the Marschallin wistfully took one last long look at her surroundings
that cannot have failed to echo her audience's feelings. Though she
has essayed some twenty-two roles in her Met career, this was in many
ways her signature. With its nuances of the bittersweet passage of
time, her bemused smiling through tears, and her attentive detailed
knowledge of her character (just watch her contemplate the veins in
her hands), this was a moment to cherish.
The story is updated to Vienna 1911, which carries with
it a good deal of meaning not envisioned or intended by librettist
Hugo Von Hofmannsthal, or Strauss himself for that matter, with the
presence of military characters in pre-World War I garb. The “aging”
(32!) Marschallin having an affair with the young count Octavian
(Elina Garanca), is visited by her country cousin Baron Ochs (Gunther
Groissbock) who is engaged to marry the youthful Sophie (Erin
Morley). Octavian has assumed the dress of a peasant “maid” to
protect the Marschallin's reputation, leading Ochs to flirt with
“her”. Many visitors come and go, including an Italian singer
(Matthew Polenzani). The Marschallin, seeing the inevitable
handwriting on the wall, arranges for Octavian and Sophie to meet by
having Octavian go to the home of Sophie's father Faninal (Marcus
Bruck) to present Sophie with a silver engagement rose; and as she
had hoped, the two fall instantly in love. Sophie is appalled at
Ochs' rudeness and an argument ensues in which Ochs is slightly
wounded (at least in his pride). To teach Ochs a lesson, Octavian
arranges for Ochs to receive a letter suggesting a rendezvous with
the Marschallin's “maid”. All hell breaks loose at the
rendezvous site (in the original text an inn), until the Marschallin
arrives to inform Ochs it was all a “farce”. Admitting defeat,
he leaves and Octavian and Sophie are united, leaving the Marschallin
to wonder how she lost her lover so suddenly.
Sensitively conducted by Sebastian Weigle, with a mixed
bag of Stage Direction by Robert Carsen and Set Design by Paul
Steinberg (where with WWII encroaching, numerous military characters,
and a palace for Faninal that resembled munitions storage, were a bit
too creepy for comfort). The use of enhanced perspective with three
sets of doors in Act I was, however, lovely; not so, the bordello
scene (!) in Act III. The Costume Design by Brigitte Reiffenstuel
was outstanding and the Lighting by Robert Carsen and Peter Van Praet
was expertly executed. But it is of course the singing in a Strauss
opera that best serves the composer, and this cast was superlative,
from the glorious singing of Garanca (also an excellent farceuse)
and Morley to the atypically virile Groissbock and the hysterically
funny Polenzani (Carlo Bergonzi, may you rest in peace). Fleming was
transcendent, nowhere as much as in the final glorious trio by the
three principals.
This was a performance to rank amongst the most
memorable by the Met, in this or any other season.
The Fathom Events Met Opera rebroadcast will be shown on Weds. May 17 at a theater near you.
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