In the opera world, productions come and go. Those that receive audience and critical accolades are revived time and again, and they are even loaned to other houses. Those that are ho hum or a downright dud? Well, these are relegated to the operatic dustbin. Among the productions at the Canadian Opera Company, the double bill of Bluebeard’s Castle by Béla Bartók and Erwartung by Arnold Schönberg is a shining success story.
This production, now 33 years old, marked the first venture into opera directing by renowned Canadian stage director Robert Lepage. It premiered in 1993 to glowing reviews and was subsequently revived in 1995, 2001 and 2015. One could even say it put the COC on the international operatic map, as the company took it on tour to great success in New York, Edinburgh and Hong Kong. François Racine, the current revival director, is entirely faithful to Lepage’s original.
I had been following its success story from the beginning, attending the premiere and every revival in Toronto since. I vividly recall being blown away, in 1993, by its musical and dramatic power. As an audience member seeing it for the fifth time, I can honestly say its hold remains absolute and undiminished.
Both Bartók and Schönberg are 20th-century works – Bluebeard premiered in 1918 and Erwartung in 1924. These two operas are among the very best examples of 20th-century atonal compositions. The drama of both also reflects the strong influence of Freudian psychology on the arts at the time, where composers and writers explore the hidden psychological meanings of behaviour.
Given that both stories deal with existential angst and heart’s obsession, pairing them together in an evening’s presentation makes sense. It also means an unrelentingly disturbing two hours for the audience. Michael Levine’s ingenious unit set is used for both works – two walls that widen to form the staging area, a slanted floor, plus openings on both walls and the stage floor – these design features serve the drama well.
Photo Credit: Michael Cooper
Anna Gabler sings The Woman in Erwartung at the COC
The stage effect is made more powerful by Robert Thomson’s ingenious lighting. In the Bartók opera, the use of light to suggest the seven doors on the left wall and the light from their keyholes projected on the right wall are dramatically very effective. When the three former wives rise up from the stage floor, their wedding gowns all red and bloodied, I heard a gasp from someone sitting near me. To be sure, this piece has an abundance of shock value for those new to it – it can still send a chill down my spine as someone who saw the COC premiere and every revival. One of my favourite moments is the opening of the fifth door, the grandeur of the orchestral sound at that moment is breath-taking.
I don’t mean to neglect Erwartung, which is an equally powerful work, although musically it’s more astringent and generally a harder nut to crack. I admit it does not hold the same allure for me as Bluebeard’s Castle. The staging here is equally terrific – the tree branches and the figure popping out horizontally from the right wall is an unexpected thrill. The straitjacket that The Woman wears, plus the presence of a man in a white coat and a note pad suggesting the scene is a psychiatric ward with a doctor and a patient are highly effective touches to say the least.
On the musical side of things, it was equally brilliant. Kudos to Christian Van Horn (Bluebeard) and Karen Cargill (Judith) for embodying their respective characters and executing everything with passion and intensity. That said, they did not erase my very fond memories of the 2015 cast of John Relyea and Ekaterina Gubanova. One thing that has always puzzled me is the labelling of Judith as a mezzo-soprano role, yet she is required to sing a high C at the opening of the fifth door! Brava to Cargill, whose C, while not particularly large, was perfectly on pitch and true.
Given the excellence of the Bluebeard’s Castle performance, Erwartung, with its unrelenting atonality and unsettling drama, can be a real challenge for the audience. It was therefore a testament to the strong musical values onstage and in the pit that I was completly drawn into the proceedings. Anna Gabler was a fine The Woman vocally and dramatically, although you could tell that her full lyric soprano was pushed to its limit – there’s a reason why so many sopranos stay away from it.
Last but certainly not least was the exceptional playing of the COC Orchestra under the capable baton of its music director Johannes Debus, who coaxed torrents of sound from the musicians, powerful, searing, but never crude. Some might argue it was a bit of orchestral overkill, but I disagree. I love the excitement and immediacy of the orchestra, and Maestro Debus, a sensitive musician, never allowed it to overpower the singers. For me, just hearing the excitement and immediacy of the COC Orchestra was worth the price of admission.
There you have it, a fabulous start to the COC spring season. Next, we’re on to Werther – I can’t wait!
Opera Canada depends on the generous contributions of its supporters to bring readers outstanding, in-depth coverage of opera in Canada and beyond. Please consider subscribing or donating today.
