"Alceste" in the Madhouse in Music & Vision 16 luglio

'Alceste' in the Madhouse
GIUSEPPE PENNISI files his last report
from the 2010 Aix-en-Provence Festival

I must start by emphasizing that I consider Christopher Loy to be one of the best metteurs en scène in today's world market. With his training in history, philosophy and Italian philology, and his unassuming gentle manners, he is also one of the most pleasant stage directors to talk to. He has a long list of excellent productions in his résumé; few mention a true masterpiece -- his staging of Richard Strauss' Arabella in Frankfurt in 2009. Thus, there is nothing personal if, based on the 8 July 2010 performance in Aix-en-Provence, I say that his direction of Christoph Willibald Gluck's Alceste was wrong from A to Z, and risked jeopardizing the excellent musical work by Ivor Bolton and the Freiburger Barockorchester, by the English Voices chorus, and by the principals -- Véronique Gens, Joseph Kaiser, Andrew Schroeder and Thomas Oliemans.
Alceste is not an ordinary opera. Others (eg Haendel in Admeto) had dealt with Euripides' tragedy about conjugal love defeating death. But Gluck (and his librettist Calzabigi) made it a reform still influencing modern musical theatre. The poetic of the reform is clearly set out in Alceste's foreword (to the libretto and score) as written by Gluck and Calzabigi: 'The intention is to purify music from all the abuses which have crept into Italian opera through the vanity of the singers and the excessive compliance of the composers ... We tried, therefore, to bring musicians back to the real task of serving the poetry, by intensifying the expression of emotion and the appeal of every situation, without interrupting the plot or weakening it by unnecessary ornamentation'.
Alceste is often named as an opera 'without action'. This pretext gives stage directors the opportunity of filling it up with that 'unnecessary ornamentation' Gluck and Calzabigi wanted to keep away. This is the trap Loy falls into: his production tries to be innovative but it is rather senseless. We will see the reaction of the quite conservative audience of the Wiener Staatsoper (which co-produces it, along with the Royal Danish Opera) where it is expected to become standard repertory.
Alceste has little action, but a lot of tensions (among the Royal couple, between them and the general populace, the High Priests, and the Gods). Gluck wrote music of great nobility, starting from the magnificent overture 'to prepare the spectators for the plot and, so to speak, to present its content'. The most important single piece is Alceste's great aria Divinité du Stinx which closes the first Act. But the concept of musical numbers itself is overtaken by Gluck's composing recitative sliding into arias, duets and concertato. Alceste opens the way to Spontini, Berlioz and Wagner. This is clearly shown in the dramatic recitative scenes of the oracle and in Alceste's declaration that she had dedicated herself to her own death: they are exceptionally impressive (dramatically, not only musically) and the chorus plays an important part in both of them. The dramatic tension relaxes at the end in order to prepare the conventional 'happy ending'. Hercules' scene is neither dramatically nor musically satisfactory.

A scene from Act I of 'Alceste' at Aix-en-Provence. Photo © 2010 Pascal Victor / Artcomart
In Loy's production, there are two good points: the intention (but not well implemented) of showing the difference between the Royal couple and all the others, and the attempt to deal with irony in Hercules' scene. However, most probably to provide 'a lot of action', the plot is set in a madhouse or asylum, the chorus is a bunch of disheveled and most likely mentally retarded children, the High Priest is a tough clergyman beating them with a sadistic look, Hercules a happy-go-lucky traveler. And the Royal couple? Of course, they stick out from that madding crowd, but, curiously, not enough. Finally, the scene in Hell; it is meant to be terrifying but that Hell looks like Disneyland or Legoland. In short, Christopher Loy will be wise to make several adjustments before the production gets to the Staatsoper. In Denmark, the audience likes way-out staging. And this is weird enough.

Véronique Gens and Joseph Kaiser in Act II of 'Alceste' at Aix-en-Provence. Photo © 2010 Pascal Victor / Artcomart
The musical part, on the other hand, is superb, confirming Véronique Gens as the best French soprano assoluto around. She spans the very high to the rather low tonalities easily, has a sensual legato and a magnificent sì natural. I listened to Joseph Kaiser in Salzburg in 2007 (Lenski in Onegin); he has clear timbre, a large volume and a tender fraseggio. Their Act II scene and duet is a piece of anthology and a reference for future singers. Andrew Schroeder is a sufficiently nasty Priest and Thomas Oliemans a carefree Hercules.

Véronique Gens in Act III of 'Alceste' at Aix-en-Provence. Photo © 2010 Pascal Victor / Artcomart
A special mention should be made of the English Voices chorus directed by Tim Brown -- able to sing so well in spite of what Loy asked them to do -- as well as the sound of the Freiburger Barockorchester under the baton of Ivor Bolton. In short, a performance for the ears but not for the eyes.
Copyright © 20 July 2010 Giuseppe Pennisi,
Rome, Italy

ALCESTE
CHRISTOPH WILLIBALD GLUCK
AIX-EN-PROVENCE
FRANCE
GERMANY
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