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| OPERA NEWS, September 2002
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| JOCHEN BREIHOLZ |
La Damnation de Faust, Dresden Music Festival, 2 June 2002
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La Damnation de Faust
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Those who believe that outstanding opera singers
and stage personalities are extinct were taught a lesson at a concert
performance of Berlioz's La Damnation de Faust at this year's Dresden Music
Festival (June 2). José van Dam treated every word and note of
Méphistophélès as a precious gem; he shaped and colored phrases so knowingly
and insightfully that it seemed he and not Berlioz had written them. The
experience came close to operatic bliss. Not a single note betrayed the fact
that this grand seigneur of bass-baritones is now in the fifth decade of his
career. (He made his debut in 1961 in Paris.)
Despite van Dam's artistry, when Susan Graham entered, she immediately
commanded the stage, seemingly without effort. It was impossible to take
one's eyes off her, even before she had sung a note. Her body language, her
dreamy facial expression, her whole bearing already seemed the essence of
Marguerite. Her first words ("Que l'air est étouffant!") soared like a
fragile, deliciously light breeze, as if emerging from the character's
innocent yet troubled mind. With all its gorgeous simplicity, the line
seemed at the same time overshadowed by dark foreboding. Similarly, with a
delicate yet firm "Folie!" she dismissed her dream of a happy future with
Faust. Throughout, it felt as if Graham actually lived her music; easily
floating her voice on seemingly endless breath, the mezzo sang in a natural,
unpretentious manner while at the same time artfully disclosing profound
meaning in every word. No other singer comes to mind who could equal Graham
in her Fach these days. Not unexpectedly, she transformed "D'amour l'ardente
flamme" into a drama within the drama. It was a strikingly intense rendering
and the evening's highpoint, meticulously developed from the slow opening
soaked in dark gold to the hastened, breathless, delirious ending.
Her Faust, German tenor Jonas Kaufmann, was not quite on this level. He is
handsome and a good actor, but vocally he never approached the heights of
Graham's and van Dam's interpretations. His piano phrases, particularly in
the upper register, were shaky and pinched, and top notes sounded flat and
lusterless. As Brander, Henry Waddington had plenty of stamina, if not sheer
beauty of tone. The Chorus of the Théâtre de la Monnaie sang marvelously,
and, under the baton of Antonio Pappano, the Orchestre Symphonique de la
Monnaie played brillantly, providing a shimmering backdrop for the soloists.
(The assembled forces went on to perform a staged version of this work at
the Monnaie in June; our review will appear soon.) |
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