Small baroque orchestra of fifteen or so including harp, theorbo and harpsichord continuo instruments. The theorbo was particularly outstanding and it seemed I could hear every note, which surprised me. Could they be amplifying? The musicians, by the way were Les Musiciens du Prince--Monaco, a still-living instance of aristocratic patronage!
It often seems to happen when I see an opera in Europe: the staging was just amazing. There was a large partition about halfway back from the front of the stage. It was on a turntable so from time to time it rotated. The partition was acoustically transparent as one aria was sung from behind it. It was like a scrim in that you could see the figures behind it in ghostly outline. It was also like a mirror in that you could see reflections of the characters in front of it! And all this was controlled by how the stage was lit. Lots of other amazing things. At the end of Act II a whole ghostly forest was lowered onto the stage from above.
I foolishly didn't study the plot of the opera before so I was mightily confused throughout. Also, the program had notes only in German. It also didn't help that the role of Ruggiero, a knight, was sung by a countertenor and the role of Bradamante, Ruggiero's bethrothed, was sung by a soprano, but disguised as her brother, Ricciardo. There are various other lovers and lost children. I really enjoyed the staging and the music and the singing was marvellously agile. Excellent production. But I gave out after two one-hour acts and limped home. After all, I have another concert tonight: the Wiener Philharmoniker.
Oh, my favorite bit from the program was the job title of one Thomas Meier, listed as Hochgeshwindigkeitskamera--Aufnamen which means, I think, "high-speed camera operator."
On the way to the opera I passed by the Hotel Sacher Salzburg where I plan to indulge in some Sachertorte before I leave.
Just outside the hall is a little booth selling champagne:
Yes, life is tough at the Salzburg Festival. Mind you, the locals are very fierce in the line up for the refreshments at intermission. I was elbowed out of the way twice trying to get an orange juice.
4 comments:
Ah, perfido!, as Signore Rossi, Haym, and Rolli have characters in Handel's operas exclaim. Ha. One can only enjoy so much, after all. Were the surtitles not in operation? perhaps not for a dress rehearsal. Were Bartoli, Jaroussky, Piau and Hammerström all there to sing, though?
Actually, from scenes 7 or 8 on to the end of Act II is the high point of the opera: Ah! mio cor!, E' un folle, Verdi prati, Ah! Ruggiero crudel... Ombre pallide, lo so, mi udite..... Alcina discards her magic staff at the end of that: what my heart desires flees, how can this magic rod restore him to me? it has no real power at all, and I despise it, throw it down.
Did the production of Act II end with the ballo des songes, the danse macabre of the phantasms or ghosts created by Alcina? because of course her magic does go that far, to the creation of such nonsense.
Reading up, Mme Bartoli was involved in establishing Les Musiciens du Prince, somehow.
Yes, the surtitles were in operation, and they certainly helped. But it would have helped more to read a summary of the plot beforehand. Yes, the dances were performed by ghostly figures behind the scrim--very effective, as was the descent of the ghostly forest. Nice music from Handel as well, charming, effective tunes. Good production as I said.
Later today I will put up my review of the Vienna Philharmonic from last night.
Orange juice! What's with that?
In Madrid I usually went for a cava and once here I had a sekt, but for some reason Salzburg makes me thirsty and I find an orange juice hits the spot!
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