Alive and Well
Comic operas in Berlin,
reviewed by GIUSEPPE PENNISI
I spent a few days in Berlin and had the opportunity to hear and see two
premieres -- ie new productions -- of two very different comic operas: Mozart's Così fan tutte and Verdi's Falstaff. The choice was not based on mere chance. Every night the three main Berlin opera houses (and a few minor establishments)
offer a large selection to pick from. As I had seen Così at the Summer Salzburg Festival [New Directions, 31 August 2013] and Falstaff in Ravenna [Brilliant Ideas, 24 November 2013] and at La Scala [New Tricks?, 19 January 2013], I thought it would be interesting to compare the new Berlin
productions of the two operas with other recent new productions now travelling
in several European countries.
I saw and heard Così
at the Komische Oper on 15 November 2013, a lovely baroque auditorium enclosed within a modernistic cube
built when that part of Berlin was in the Deutsche Democratic Republic. The theatre seats nearly 1,200. It was the third performance of a production programmed until early June 2014 (with three casts alternating in the
main roles). An interesting feature is that nearly one third of the audience was young. Music education is alive and well in Germany (and neighboring countries), but also the
Komische Oper has the reputation for innovative and often quite 'trespassing'
productions spiced with explicit sex.
Tom Erik Lie as Don Alfonso, Dominik Köninger as Guglielmo and extras in
Mozart's Così fan tutte at Komische Oper Berlin. Photo © 2013 Monika
Rittershaus. Click on the image for higher resolution
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Così -- as well as Falstaff --
are presented in modern attire and today's setting. Così's plot develops in the studio of a designer
specializing in the restoration of eighteenth century French paintings (mostly portraits). The main
setting is a loft with large windows -- painters require light -- and an inside balcony. Projections help
with the many paintings shown. Alvis Hermanis is responsible for the stage direction; the sets are signed by Uta Gruber-Ballehr and the costumes by Eva Dessecker. There is a moment of
explicit sex -- a trademark of the Komische Oper.
From left to right: Tom Erik Lie as Don Alfonso, Theresa Kronthaler as
Dorabella and Dominik Köninger as Guglielmo in Mozart's Così fan tutte at
Komische Oper Berlin. Photo © 2013 Monika Rittershaus. Click on the image for
higher resolution
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Don Alfonso (Tom Erik Lie)
is the head of the office; he is in his early forties. Fiordiligi (Nicole
Chevalier), Dorabella (Theresa Kronthaler), Gugliemo (Günter Papendell) and
Ferrando (Aleš Briscein), are his assistants, engaged (as prescribed in the libretto) in multiple betrayals. Mirka Wagner is Despina. They are all young and attractive; the two couples seem to be in
their late thirties -- a perfect group for love and sex play. In the office, the language spoken and sung is German (with Da Ponte's text in rhythmic translation) but the original Italian prevails during the long 'disguise' sequences. Henrik Nánási has the baton. The orchestra is quite small, as in Mozart's
times. The voices are good but not exceptional: yet Nicole
Chevalier is an outstanding Fiordiligi. The audience had fun and
applauded warmly.
From left to right: Nicole Chevalier as Fiordiligi and Theresa Kronthaler as
Dorabella in Mozart's Così fan tutte at Komische Oper Berlin. Photo © 2013
Monika Rittershaus. Click on the image for higher resolution
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Deutsche Oper Berlin's Falstaff
is also set in modern times. It starts in the Milan retirement home for musicians, funded by Verdi's estate, as
prescribed in the composer's last will. A similar idea had inspired other
directors -- eg Damiano Michieletto in the recent Salzburg production. However, in Christof Loy's
staging, as the plot evolves the singers become (or believe they become) younger. In
short, music makes you young or makes you believe that you are young.
A scene from Verdi's Falstaff at Deutsche Oper Berlin. Photo © 2013 Hans Jörg
Michel. Click on the image for higher resolution
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The sets were extremely
simple; a few props, some projections and at the beginning a short black and white film. The music-making was of very high quality, but with a flaw: almost all the singers
(except Joel Prieto) had problems with Italian diction. In the pit, Donald Runnicles read the polyphony and classical forms (eg the final 'fugue') of Verdi's last masterpiece carefully.
Barbara Haveman as Alice Ford (left) and Noel Bouley as Sir John Falstaff in
Verdi's Falstaff at Deutsche Oper Berlin. Photo © 2013 Hans Jörg Michel.
Click on the image for higher resolution
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The voices of Noel Bouley
(Falstaff) and Michael Nagy (Ford), both Verdian baritones (as prescribed by
the composer), not a bass and a baritone as now prevailing in many
productions, were quite interesting. The ladies (Barbara Haveman as Alice Ford, Elena
Tsallagova as Nannetta, Jana Kurucová as Meg Page and Dana Beth Miller as
Mistress Quickly) were excellent. On 17 November 2013, a sold out opening
night, there was much open stage applause and accolades at the end.
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