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| Alexander Krasnov (Jochanaan) - Lise Lindstom (Salome) |
Conductor:
Johannes Fritzsch – Director: Gale Edwards
Choreographer:
Kelly Abbey -Set Design: Brian Thomson
Costume
Designer: Julie Lynch - Lighting Design – John Rayment
Presented by
Opera Australia – Joan Sutherland Theatre
Sydney Opera
House – 6th to 26th March 2019.
Reviewed by
Bill Stephens
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| Jacqueline Dark (Herodias) - Lise Lindstom (Salome) |
It may be
114 years old but the Richard Strauss opera, Salome, has lost none of its ability to shock and unsettle, particularly
as presented here in Gale Edwards extraordinarily visceral production. Brian
Thomson’s setting, brilliantly lit by John Rayment, has a curtain of animal
carcases forming the backdrop for a
lavish banquet hosted by Herod (Andreas Conrad) and his wife Herodias
(Jacqueline Dark. Their daughter Salome (Lise Lindstrom) is obviously bored by
the banquet, until attracted by the calls of the prophet, John the Baptist,
known as Jochanaan, (Alexander Krasnov), imprisoned in a nearby cistern,
condemning her licentious mother Herodias and proclaiming the eminent arrival
of the Messiah.
As Salome
becomes more and more fixated on the idea of seeing Jochanaan, a young guard
Narraboth (Paul O’Neill) who is secretly in love with Salome, tries to warn her
off.
Used to
getting her own way, Salome seduces Narraboth into disregarding Herod’s orders
and opening the cistern. When Jochanaan emerges Salome immediately tries to
seduce him, but he repulses her advances, telling her to seek out Christ and
beg redemption. Realising the hopelessness of his own situation, Narraboth
commits suicide, unnoticed by Salome, who is distraught by Jochanaan’s
rejection.
Having
noticed her absence from the banquet, Herod comes looking for Salome, who has
now become obsessed with the idea of kissing Jochanaan’s lips. When Herod implores
Salome to come back to the banquet and dance for him, she refuses, until he
offers her “anything” if she will dance. Salome seizes the opportunity to
avenge herself on Jochanaan and agrees to dance for Herod, and having danced, when
Herod asked her name her reward, she asks for the head of Jochanaan.
Lise
Lindstrom gives a truly remarkable performance as Salome. A true dramatic
soprano, on stage for almost the entire opera, her presence is magnetic and
compelling, her sense of stillness as affecting as her singing. She dominates
the stage seemingly effortlessly as she negotiates the complexities of the
Strauss score, both her voice and diction ravishingly clear and controlled
throughout.
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| Sophie Holloway (Dancer) - Andreas Conrad (Herod) |
She moves so
gracefully that you feel she could have performed the famous dance had she
chosen. However, Edwards’ concept of having the veils represented by episodes
illustrating different aspects of seduction provides a diverting sequence. Full
marks to choreographer Kelly Abbey and dancers, Emma Goh, Eloise Harpas, Sophie
Holloway and Alexis Strumolo for their imaginative realisation of this concept.
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| Lise Lindstom (Salome) |
Lindstrom’s
Salome is used to being indulged, getting her own way, being refused nothing. Therefore,
when her lustful advances are rejected by Jochanaan, it tips her over the edge
into madness. Lindstrom’s depiction of this decline is riveting, especially in
her marathon 20 minute solo during which she appears to masturbate with the
bloodied head of Jochanaan.
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| Alexander Krasnov (Jochanaan) |
Although he
has relatively little onstage time, Alexander Krasnov as Jochanaan, in his
first appearance with Opera Australia, makes a big impression. His rich
stentorian baritone separates his from all the other voices on stage, which
together with his commanding stage presence brings plausibility to Salome’s
depraved responses.
Andreas
Conrad also gives a compelling performance as the lustful Herod willing to
trade away half his kingdom for a few minutes of vicarious pleasure with his
step-daughter, while Jacqueline Dark, looks and sounds magnificent, as his
conniving, licentious wife, Herodias.
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| Andreas Conrad (Herod) Benjamin Rasheed, Virgilio Marino, Thomas Dalton, Andrew Moran, Brad Cooper |
Both Paul
O’Neill as the unfortunate young guard, Narraboth, and Sian Pendry as Page,
sing superbly and infuse their roles with dignity and pathos, while the
excellent voices and stage presence of Virgilio Marino, Brad Cooper, Benjamin
Rasheed, Thomas Dalton and Andrew Moran as the five Jews, and David Parkin and
Christopher Hillier as the Nazarenes, contribute greatly to the overall success
of the production.
Masterful
playing by the Opera Australia Orchestra, under the baton of Johannes Fritzsch,
who took care that Strauss’ various leitmotifs were clearly delineated, and
that the moments of unsettling dissonant
achieved their desired effect, insured a thrilling performance that will live
long in the memories of those lucky enough to have experienced it.
Photos: Prudence Upton
