(Review in english below)
A encenação de Lukas Hemleb não é nada de especial em termos de cenário. Um ambiente
escavado numa rocha, com a imagem de um cavaleiro e alguns buracos, um bloco de
gelo que aparece quando o Lohengrin aparece no primeiro acto, mantém no segundo
com uma imagem de corpo no interior e que se está à espera que dali saia o
irmão de Elsa no final da ópera mas assim não acontece, deixando o Lohengrin um
estátua de uma figura disforme em bronze. Não percebi a ideia. O que achei
excelente foi a direção de actores. Tudo tem sentido, tudo flui em termos
teatrais e em cada personagem e nada é inconsequente. São as tais encenações
emocionalmente apaixonantes.
A Orquestra do Teatro Real está muito boa em Wagner mas não escapou a
5 fífias dos metais, felizmente em alturas menos relevantes. O que foi de
desmaiar foi o final do segundo acto: excelente a todos os níveis, o primeiro
acorde do órgão espectacular com os graves a reverberar por todo o teatro como
eu nunca tinha sentido. Era acima de tudo o órgão a brilhar naquela altura e,
num instrumento que deve ter só 4 acordes nesta obra e nesta passagem, o homem
falha-me as notas do 2o acorde!!! Como é possível!!! Ficou horrível mas lá
acertou no final e sempre acabou tudo como escrito. Para lembrar para sempre.
A direção de Hartmut Haenchen foi segura e experiente e, na minha opinião, acho que
podia ter desacelerado mais na marcha da Elsa no 2o acto. Teria ficado ainda
mais bonito.
Os cantores:
Duas estrelas brilharam e que foram Christopher Ventris e Thomas Johannes Meier. Ventris fez um Lohengrin fantástico, com uma estabilidade e segurança vocal do início ao fim, com um tom menos angelical e límpido que o Klaus Florian Vogt, mas com aquele toque baritonal que eu prefiro nestes papéis. Deu para ver o quão difícil este papel é em termos vocais e, embora não parecesse em esforço, acredito que não possa cantar muitas vezes este papel sob pena de estragar a voz (e não sei como esta vai ficar quando terminarem as récitas). Deu-nos um Lohengrin muito humano, com muito contacto físico com Elsa, e não o habitual cavaleiro meio sem demonstrar sentimentos e muito distante na pose meio militar. Isto claro, é também da própria encenação. É um Lohengrin que ama, que sofre e passa isso para quem vê e ouve.
Duas estrelas brilharam e que foram Christopher Ventris e Thomas Johannes Meier. Ventris fez um Lohengrin fantástico, com uma estabilidade e segurança vocal do início ao fim, com um tom menos angelical e límpido que o Klaus Florian Vogt, mas com aquele toque baritonal que eu prefiro nestes papéis. Deu para ver o quão difícil este papel é em termos vocais e, embora não parecesse em esforço, acredito que não possa cantar muitas vezes este papel sob pena de estragar a voz (e não sei como esta vai ficar quando terminarem as récitas). Deu-nos um Lohengrin muito humano, com muito contacto físico com Elsa, e não o habitual cavaleiro meio sem demonstrar sentimentos e muito distante na pose meio militar. Isto claro, é também da própria encenação. É um Lohengrin que ama, que sofre e passa isso para quem vê e ouve.
Thomas Johannes Meier (Friedrich von Telramund)
soberbo vocalmente e na interpretação simplesmente espectacular e sem nada a
apontar de negativo. Um actor exímio aliado a uma voz perfeita.
O rei Heinrich foi Franz Hawlata, Gosto de Reis com mais profundidade vocal que este e no início estava com um vibrato irritante mas que se perdeu progressivamente. Cenicamente muito bem.
O arauto (Anders Larsson) foi o mais fraco dos homens, com timbre não muito bonito e sem força requerida.
Nas mulheres dois problemas: Deborah Polaski bem na malvadez de
Ortrud mas, se bem no registo médio e baixo, os agudos soam estridentes e onde
se perde qualidade vocal.
Catherine Nagelstad
esteve talvez melhor no terceiro acto isto porque foi neste que melhor
conseguiu "DesBrunnhildizar" a sua interpretação. Não a achei capaz
de colocar a inocência de Elsa na voz não obstante ter cenicamente estado
excelente. Acho que cantar Wagner tem um rumo e, depois de se cantar várias
vezes a Brunnhilde ou a Isolda, por exemplo, já não se pode voltar a
personagens mais inocentes como a Elsa, a Elisabeth, a Senta. Consegue-se
cantar, claro, mas o efeito de credibilidade vocal não vai com muita
probabilidade lá estar. O resultado foi alguma rudeza de timbre que só no
terceiro acto me pareceu ser ultrapassada.
Texto de
wagner_fanatic.
Lohengrin, Teatro
Real, Madrid, April 2014
The staging by Lukas Hemleb is nothing special in terms of scenery. An environment excavated in the rock, with the image of a knight and a few holes, a block of ice that appears when Lohengrin appears in the first act, remains in second with an image of the body on the inside and who is waiting to get out of there the brother of Elsa at the end of the opera, that does not happen. Lohengrin leaves one statue of a shapeless figure in bronze. I did not understand the idea. However, what was excellent was the direction of singers. Everything makes sense, everything flows in theatrical terms and in each character and nothing is inconsequential. It was one of those emotionally enthralling performances.
The Orchestra of the Teatro Real is very good in Wagner but could not escape 5 failures in the metals, fortunately in less relevant parts. What was terrible was the end of the second act: excellent at all levels, the first chord of the great organ with bass to reverberate throughout the theater as I had never felt. It was, above all, the shining of an instrument at that momen,t and an instrument that should have only 4 chords in this work. But in this passage the player fails the second chord notes! How is it possible!!! It was awful but there at the end it finished as it is written. To remember forever.
The musical direction by Hartmut Haenchen was strong and experienced and, in my opinion, I think he could have slowed more the march of Elsa in the second act. It would have been even more beautiful
The staging by Lukas Hemleb is nothing special in terms of scenery. An environment excavated in the rock, with the image of a knight and a few holes, a block of ice that appears when Lohengrin appears in the first act, remains in second with an image of the body on the inside and who is waiting to get out of there the brother of Elsa at the end of the opera, that does not happen. Lohengrin leaves one statue of a shapeless figure in bronze. I did not understand the idea. However, what was excellent was the direction of singers. Everything makes sense, everything flows in theatrical terms and in each character and nothing is inconsequential. It was one of those emotionally enthralling performances.
The Orchestra of the Teatro Real is very good in Wagner but could not escape 5 failures in the metals, fortunately in less relevant parts. What was terrible was the end of the second act: excellent at all levels, the first chord of the great organ with bass to reverberate throughout the theater as I had never felt. It was, above all, the shining of an instrument at that momen,t and an instrument that should have only 4 chords in this work. But in this passage the player fails the second chord notes! How is it possible!!! It was awful but there at the end it finished as it is written. To remember forever.
The musical direction by Hartmut Haenchen was strong and experienced and, in my opinion, I think he could have slowed more the march of Elsa in the second act. It would have been even more beautiful
The singers :
Two stars shone, and were Christopher Ventris and Thomas Johannes Meier . Ventris did a fantastic Lohengrin, with a vocal stability and security from start to finish, with a less angelic and limpid tone than Klaus Florian Vogt, but with that baritonal touch I prefer in these roles. I could see how difficult this role is vocally and, although this seems to work, I believe that he can not sing this role often, with the risk of damaging his voice (and I do not know how this will sound after the performances). He played a very human Lohengrin, with much physical contact with Elsa, and not the usual knight without showing feelings and far away from the military attitude. This is also due to the staging itself. Lohengrin is a loving, suffering being and he passes it to anyone who sees and hears him.
Thomas Johannes Meier (Friedrich von Telramund) was vocally superb and simply had a spectacular performance. An excellent actor combined with a perfect voice.
Two stars shone, and were Christopher Ventris and Thomas Johannes Meier . Ventris did a fantastic Lohengrin, with a vocal stability and security from start to finish, with a less angelic and limpid tone than Klaus Florian Vogt, but with that baritonal touch I prefer in these roles. I could see how difficult this role is vocally and, although this seems to work, I believe that he can not sing this role often, with the risk of damaging his voice (and I do not know how this will sound after the performances). He played a very human Lohengrin, with much physical contact with Elsa, and not the usual knight without showing feelings and far away from the military attitude. This is also due to the staging itself. Lohengrin is a loving, suffering being and he passes it to anyone who sees and hears him.
Thomas Johannes Meier (Friedrich von Telramund) was vocally superb and simply had a spectacular performance. An excellent actor combined with a perfect voice.
King Heinrich was Franz Hawlata. I like kings with more vocal
depth and in the beginning he had an annoying vibrato that was gradually lost.
Very well on stage.
The Herald (Anders Larsson) was the weakest of men, with a not very beautiful timbre and without the required strength.
In women two problems: Deborah Polaski was well as the wicked Ortrud but, although well in the middle and low registers, the top notes were shrill and vocal quality was lost.
Catherine Nagelstad was perhaps better in the third act because it was in this act that she could sing away from Brunhilde stile in her interpretation . She was not able to put the innocence of Elsa's voice notwithstanding scenically have been excellent. I think singing Wagner has a course and, after singing several times Brunnhilde or Isolde, for example, one can no longer return to more innocent characters like Elsa, Elisabeth or Senta. It is possible to sing, of course, but the effect of vocal credibility will very likely not be there. The result was some harshness of tone that only in the third act seemed to be overcome.
The Herald (Anders Larsson) was the weakest of men, with a not very beautiful timbre and without the required strength.
In women two problems: Deborah Polaski was well as the wicked Ortrud but, although well in the middle and low registers, the top notes were shrill and vocal quality was lost.
Catherine Nagelstad was perhaps better in the third act because it was in this act that she could sing away from Brunhilde stile in her interpretation . She was not able to put the innocence of Elsa's voice notwithstanding scenically have been excellent. I think singing Wagner has a course and, after singing several times Brunnhilde or Isolde, for example, one can no longer return to more innocent characters like Elsa, Elisabeth or Senta. It is possible to sing, of course, but the effect of vocal credibility will very likely not be there. The result was some harshness of tone that only in the third act seemed to be overcome.
Review by
wagner_fanatic.
