domingo, 20 de fevereiro de 2011

Fidelio - Opernhaus Zürich - 16 Fevereiro 2011

(review in english below)

Podemos dizer que Fidelio é a melhor ópera de Beethoven. É claro que só escreveu esta, logo teria que ser invariavelmente a sua melhor, mas a minha frase prende-se com o quão fantástica é a obra em si, com árias e coros que marcaram a história da música e que a tornaram numa das mais acessíveis óperas do repertório.

Resumidamente, a história gira à volta de Leonora, esposa de um prisioneiro, que se mascara de homem – Fidelio - trabalhando na prisão onde o marido se encontra, esperando oportunidade de o salvar. Acaba por consegui-lo, o mau da fita é afastado, os outros prisioneiros são amnistiados e tudo acaba em festa.



Esta produção da Ópera de Zurique data de 2008. É uma encenação clássica, de extremo bom gosto, sem invenções desnecessárias, tudo em favor da música e do drama. Gostei particularmente do jogo de sombras durante o quarteto do 1º acto, em que Rocco e Marzelina se abraçam a dada altura no centro, com Fidelio aparecendo em grande e Jaquino em pequeno, como que transparecendo o que se canta, em que Rocco destina a filha a Fidelio (sem saber que é Leonora); e também a forma audaz e forte com que Leonora mostra a Pizarro que é a mulher de Florestan: abre o casaco como que mostrando o que de mais sensual e característico distingue a mulher do homem...



O leque de intérpretes foi de excelência!

Ricarda Merbeth foi Leonora e que Leonora. Em excelente forma vocal, agudos seguros e doces, muito lírica, encarnando muito bem a personagem nos seus actos e movimentos em palco.



Alfred Muff é um baixo-barítono de qualidade invejável. Pelo que me parece tem feito carreira essencialmente em Zurique, o que é pena. O timbre é perfeito, forte vocalmente, desenvolto em palco e na idade certa para o papel.



Sandra Trattnigg foi uma surpresa extremamente agradável como Marzelina. Que voz tão cristalina e lírica! Excepcional!



Christoph Strehl foi um Jaquino apaixonante, conseguindo um ar inocente e infantil procurando o amor de Marzelina. Do ponto de vista vocal, é um cantor que frequentemente não é estável nas interpretações, parecendo mutar o timbre, por vezes com falta de projecção de voz e quando a faz parece sair em esforço. Mas esteve muito bem aqui.



O quarteto do primeiro acto, com estes intérpretes, foi de uma beleza inconfundível. Sincronia, expressividade e emoção como nunca ouvi antes.

Michael Konig como Florestan têm um papel curto mas mesmo assim cumpriu com qualidade. O seu “Gott” inicial saiu um pouco desafinado mas encaminhou. Não me fez particular diferença porque estava com ar tão credível de prisioneiro em sofrimento, que esse deslize se enquadrava muito bem com o componente dramático e cénico.



O elo mais fraco, na minha opinião, foi o Don Pizarro de Laurent Naouri. Revelou aspecto pouco convincente para o maléfico Don Pizarro, magro e esguio, ainda por cima vestido com um fato e chapéu brancos que achei pouco eficazes cenicamente. A Leonora de Ricarda Merbeth, se quisesse, derruba-lo-ia apenas com um estalo. A voz é instável em termos de timbre, facilmente ultrapassada pela força da orquestra, e a pronuncia alemã foi por vezes incorrecta. Ouviu-se mas não esteve à altura dos outros nem do papel em si (talhado para barítonos como Falk Struckman...).



Martin Gantner foi Don Fernando. Já muito falei sobre este cantor em entradas anteriores. É excelente e aqui, embora em papel menor, demonstrou a sua qualidade vocal e interpretativa ao mais alto nível.



O Coro foi excelente!



A direcção de Daniele Gatti foi exemplar, forte, segura, com dinâmica e andamento perfeitos. O som da orquestra é simplesmente sublime! Quase que ouso classificá-la como das melhores das casas de Ópera da Europa.




Fidelio - Opernhaus Zürich - 16 February 2011
We can say that the best Beethoven’s opera is Fidelio. I know he just wrote this one, and so invariably this has to be his best, but what I intend to say is how fantastic this work is, with arias and choruses that have marked the history of music and that made it one of the most accessible operas of the repertoire.

Briefly, the story revolves around Leonora, wife of a prisoner, who masquerades as a man - Fidelio - working in the prison where her husband is, waiting for the opportunity to save him. She ends up saving him, the bad guy is put aside, the other prisoners are pardoned and all ends in celebration.



This Zurich Opera production dates from 2008. It's a classic scenario of good taste, without unnecessary inventions, all in favor of music and drama. I particularly liked the play of shadows during the quartet of the 1st act, in which Rocco and Marzelina hug at some point in the center with Fidelio appearing in large and Jaquino on small, like showing up just as they sing, in which Rocco intended to give away his daughter to Fidelio (without knowing that “he” is Leonora); and also how brave and strongly Leonora shows Pizarro she is the wife of Florestan, opening his coat showing what the most sensual and characteristic distinguishes women from men .. .



The group of performers was excellent!

Ricarda Merbeth was Leonora and what a Leonora. In excellent vocal form, sweet and secure high pitch notes, very lyrical, in complete accordance with the role in her actions and movements on stage.



Alfred Muff is a bass-baritone of enviable quality. It seems to have made a career mainly in Zurich, which is a pity. The tone is perfect, vocally strong, nimble on stage and at the right age for the role.



Sandra Trattnigg was an extremely pleasant surprise as Marzelina. What a voice, so clear and lyrical! Outstanding!



Christoph Strehl was a passionate Jaquino, achieving a perfect innocent and childish look searching for Marzelina’s love. He is a singer who is often not stable in the interpretations, seeming to mute the tone, sometimes with lack of voice projection and when he does, it comes with visible effort. But he did very well here.



The first act quartet, with these singers, was of stellar beauty!

Michael Konig as Florestan, despite his small part, gave a very good performance with above average quality. His "Gott" came out a little out of tune but he managed perfection from that point on. He was looking so credible as a prisoner in suffering, that this slide fited in nicely with the dramatic and scenic component.



The weakest link in my opinion, was the Don Pizarro of Laurent Naouri. He revealed unconvincing aspects as the evil Don Pizarro - slim and slender, and with a white suit and hat that I found very ineffective. The Leonora of Ricarda Merbeth, if she wanted to, would kill him with a slap in the cheek. The voice is unstable, easily overcome by the orchestra, and the German pronunciation was sometimes incorrect. He did his role but failed to match the other singers and the role itself (this role was done for baritones like Falk Struckman ...).



Martin Gantner was Don Fernando. I have said much about this singer in previous entries. He is great and here, although in lesser role, demonstrated his vocal and interpretation quality, at the highest level.



The Chorus was superb!



The direction of Daniele Gatti was exemplary, strong, safe, perfect dynamic and tempo. The sound coming out of the orchestra is simply sublime! I almost dare to classify it as one of the best orchestras in opera houses in Europe.

5 comentários:

  1. Caro wagner_fanatic,
    Vejo que assistiu a mais uma excelente récita. Novamente com fotografias óptimas.
    Eu nunca esquecerei o Fidelio que vi de Zurique (onde ouvi Kaufmann pela primeira vez) onde toda a concepção do espectáculo foi marcante e inesquecível.

    ResponderEliminar
  2. Wonderful pictures!
    Indeed, Zürich opera house is one of the best in Europe.

    Beethoven composed his only opera during his grave life crisis. At that time he realised that he was becoming deaf and decided to kill himself in Heiligenstadt. However he was a man of strong will. He changed his mind, came back to Vienna and finished Fidelio.

    As this opera was premiered in 1805, Beethoven faced another problem: On account of Napoleon's invasion the audience who could afford the expensive tickets had already run away from Vienna. The theater was partly fulled with Beethoven's friends and french soldiers. The premiered was a flop. They said Fidelio was too heavy. Beethoven rewrote it 3 times, but had to wait many years for the success.

    1822 Wilhelmine Schröder-Devrient who later became Wagner's muse took the main role in Fidelio and earned great success. Beethoven, aged 52, saw her performance, but he could hear nothing. For me he was the greatest composer in music history.

    ResponderEliminar
  3. :) good morning dear Fanatico...
    I have a question :
    his name is '' Leyr Rocha de Carvalho ''... or... '' Rocha de Carvalho ''..? ...

    thanks Fanatico.. and I want healthy and cheerful a day for you...

    ResponderEliminar
  4. Dear lotus-eater,

    Thank you. Beethoven is one of my favourite composers also, and Fidelio one of my favourite operas.

    His strong personality is felt in his works. Despite his deafness, I thing Beethoven could "hear" his Fidelio, maybe not with the voice of Schröder-Devrient...

    You gave us the reason why there are more than one ouverture for this opera :) Thanks.

    Soon I will be reviewing Tannhauser...

    Best wishes.

    ResponderEliminar
  5. Beethoven was not an opera composer. Mozart's brother-in-law, named, I guess, Herr Mayer, was a famous singer at that time and took a role in Fidelio. He said:" My brother-in-law had never composed like this! In many parts it is not able to sing."

    After the premiere Beethoven's friends persuaded him to rewrite some parts of Fidelio and he did.
    You see, Beethoven was not a genius like Mozart. He did fight for every single note.

    Beethoven was an idol of many composers such as Schubert, Brahms, Weber, and Wagner. When Wagner was a music student, he copied the symphonies of Beethoven a lot in oder to learn the structure of the composition.

    Look forward to your review of Tannhäuser.

    ResponderEliminar