France Competition d’Aix-en-Provence [4] – Gluck, Iphigénie en Aulide and Iphigénie en Tauride: Soloists, Le Choeur d’Astrée (refrain director: Richard Wilberforce), Le Live performance d’Astrée, Emmanuelle Haïm (conductor). Grand Théâtre de Provence, Aix-en-Provence, 11.7.2024 (MB)
Manufacturing:
Director, Set designs – Dmitri Tcherniakov
Costumes – Elena Zaytseva
Lighting – Gleb Filtschinsky
Dramaturgy – Tatiana Werestchagina
Forged:
Iphigénie – Corinne Winters
Agamemnon – Russell Braun
Clytemnestre – Véronique Gens
Achille – Alasdair Kent
Calchas – Nicolas Cavallier
Diane – Soula Parassidis
Patrocle – Lukáš Zeman
Arcas / Minister / Scythian – Tomasz Kumięga
Oreste – Florian Sempey
Pylade – Stanislas de Barbeyrac
Thoas – Alexandre Duhamel
Priestess – Laura Jarrell
It’s not daily one has alternative to see Iphigénie en Aulide, not to mention in tandem with Iphigénie en Tauride. Even I, fervent Gluckian that I be, had by no means seen the previous staged. That is, after all, simply what a significant competition ought to be doing: one thing that can’t readily be replicated in a home season. Enlisting Dmitri Tcherniakov, certainly one of at this time’s most sought-after opera administrators, underlined the Competition d’Aix-en-Provence’s intent. It was, by any requirements, a memorable event, even when Tcherniakov’s manufacturing proved slightly extra easy, even typical – I can’t think about why some booed the primary opera – than one may need hoped for, and the interval devices of Emmanuelle Haïm’s Live performance d’Astrée usually lacked the dramatic dedication both of the extra vibrant interval ensembles (akin to Raphaël Pichon’s Pygmalion the next night) or of recent orchestras.
Tcherniakov’s Paris Troyens (overview right here) was a landmark staging, its twin presentation of warfare and therapeutic aftermath within the two elements of Berlioz’s opera solid a strong, provocative spell that has but to recede. Right here, in a dramatic œuvre of nice significance to Berlioz and Wagner, the uncharitable may say there was slightly an excessive amount of retreading of floor, if in near-reverse, warfare naturally coming second and introduced as such on the shut of Iphigénie en Aulide, the curtain starkly asserting ‘GUERRE’. To be honest, although, the Tcherniakov therapeutic flip, which after his fitful Ring appeared to many people to have run its course, is barely hinted at within the group of refugees amongst whom Iphigénie (en Tauride) stays behind. Trauma itself stands rightly, strongly within the foreground, from the second drama’s announcement of casualties over a era of warfare (‘une vingtaine d’années plus tard’, we’re knowledgeable as we re-enter the theatre after the only real, dinner interval). Oreste’s shellshock is horrifying all through, rendering his emergent friendship – maybe on this situation, it may be not more than that – with Pylade a needed, if extremely restricted, solace.
Tcherniakov, as normal, supplies his personal set design, a constructing define that may serve, each intact and never, for a variety of dramatic functions — and to my thoughts did so very properly. (It probably depended the place one was within the theatre, however I heard complaints opposite to my expertise, however undoubtedly real, from each visible and acoustic standpoints.) At any charge, the distinction on one degree between the 2 dramas registers strongly, the ambiguities of sacrifice readily obvious on the shut of Aulide. Iphigénie has been rescued for now, however at what price, each private (marriage) and societal (impending warfare)? A very good few of those that had been initially blissful, or at the very least compliant, to cooperate in her sacrifice should certainly want that they had gone by with it. The wrestle of Achille and his males to beat Agamemnon and his path is properly dealt with: one of the convincing combat scenes I’ve seen on the operatic stage. Few are the opera productions at this time, or so it feels, that escape foolish dancing, neither associated to the music nor clever set in (non-musical) counterpoint to it. This, alas, proved no exception, however most of us are wearily accustomed to the follow by now; at the very least it’s at a marriage, which one may say is a pure dwelling to mad dancing. It stays a pity, although, that the expressive, dramatic function performed by dance in a lot eighteenth-century opera, particularly that we could broadly contemplate to be French, as soon as once more goes ignored.
The query of the deus ex machina, acquainted to Wagner, who wrote a revised ending of his personal (surprisingly adopted by Riccardo Muti at La Scala), is muddied, however that’s most likely the purpose. Having Diane communicate by the sacrificed Iphigénie – seen at first, in Agamemnon’s creativeness – permits Iphigénie herself, in double, to witness that horror, in addition to compound worry instilled amidst the equally consecrated nuptials regarding Agamenon’s voyage. The scene is recalled on the finish of Tauride, a properly ambiguous shut into which we will most likely learn what we’ll, although it will be troublesome to really feel wildly optimistic, given what we’ve seen. There are occasions when subverting or, extra usually, merely disregarding the lieito tremendous irritates, at greatest, however that is higher thought by and with out narrowing insistence.
Haïm’s route had its moments. The vigour of the Scythian choruses specifically evoked a correctly barbaric, brutally war-torn environment from percussion and the wonderful refrain alike. On the whole, although, even for individuals who discover it simpler to take such ‘whiteness’ of strings than I do, the emotional vary was restricted, belying Gluck’s standing as a grasp musical dramatist. Purely orchestral actions usually appeared merely fairly or, worse, fey, reasonably than performing as bearers and drivers of the drama. Dance music thereby doubly suffered, given Tcherniakov’s parallel lack of curiosity. Intonation, furthermore, was variable, even given common retuning. The viewers, nonetheless, greeted Haïm with rapturous applause.
Corinne Winters’s efficiency would have drastically impressed, had it solely been in one of many operas. Hers was a musicodramatic achievement of excessive order, no mere ‘feat’. As properly acted because it was sung, one may learn virtually as a lot into her diversified facial expressions as her vocal palette. Right here was a survivor in each sense. From a powerful solid, Véronique Gens as a glamorous but intensely human (and humane) Clytemnestre, Alasdair Kent’s Achille, cocky vainness matching but not exceeding his valour, Florian Sempey’s resolute but extremely traumatised Oreste, and Stanislas de Barbeyrac’s heart-rendingly stunning efficiency of Pylade stood out for me. This, although, was an Iphigénie solid in depth; I recall no weak hyperlinks. No matter my reservations, its reminiscence can even probably endure.
Mark Berry
