United Kingdom Bartók, Duke Bluebeard’s Fortress: Soloists, Orchestra of the English Nationwide Opera / Lidiya Yankovskaya (conductor). London Coliseum, 21.3.2024. (JR)

Manufacturing:
Director – Joe Hill-Gibbons
Designer – Rosanna Vize
Lighting designer – Ian Jackson-French
Costume designer  – Sarah Bowern

Solid:
Prologue – Leo Invoice
Duke Bluebeard – John Relyea
Judith – Jennifer Johnston

You do must really feel sorry for English Nationwide Opera: and I’m not (this time) referring to the Arts Council’s choice. Catastrophe struck solely hours earlier than this primary (of solely two) semi-staged live performance performances of Bartok’s masterpiece brief one-act opera Duke Bluebeard’s Fortress. For individuals who don’t know the opera, there are solely two singers (after a spoken Prologue) and one of many singers, the mezzo-soprano Allison Cook dinner, fell ailing on the day of the efficiency. The programmes had already been printed (there was not even time to offer the viewers a biography of her substitute). Panic button pressed and ENO have been greater than lucky to have the ability to fly in soprano Jennifer Johnston, who has sung the half with the Oslo Philharmonic beneath Klaus Mäkelä (and with Gerald Finley, no much less, as Bluebeard) and was additionally scheduled in 2022 to sing the half with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic beneath Domingo Hindoyan, however then she withdrew due to sickness. Johnston, then, while no stranger to the position and the Hungarian textual content, however with solely a two-hour rehearsal couldn’t know the intricate stage actions. So. in stepped Workers Director Crispin Hill to stroll the half, wearing an androgynous white shift and barefoot. This added an added dimension to the opera, and gave it an uncommon homoerotic flavour, which was definitely not a part of both the producer’s or composer’s idea. Might they not discover a feminine walker, one requested? As Bluebeard ardently embraced the male walker, Judith sang virtually immobile from her rating and music stand on the sidelines. This did reasonably detract from the facility of the opera however musically it was a triumph.

I’m not completely certain what a semi-staged live performance efficiency of an opera is meant to be: this was far more than a live performance efficiency (even with the stand-in) and greater than a semi-staged efficiency. There was a reasonably easy set (an extended eating desk and chairs, however no backdrop), and plenty of props, bouquets of blood-strewn flowers, golden confetti (the jewels), purple wine bottles disgorging sticky blood, canteens of cutlery to evoke weapons and, lastly, a bevy (fifteen!) of reasonably ghoulish former wives of their wedding ceremony robes. The actor, Leo Invoice, who spoke the Prologue remained on stage to behave as Bluebeard’s butler, offered the props.

The Prologue was delivered, in entrance of the curtain reasonably than offstage, in English. While this was undoubtedly efficient, and launched the viewers to what was to observe, I used to be anticipating it in Hungarian, which makes it sound all of the darker and extra menacing. Linguistically, this was a muddled efficiency because the opera itself was sung in Hungarian, the ENO having seemingly given up way back on its mission of delivering all operas in English, now that surtitles are omnipresent. I’m no skilled on the (tough) Hungarian language, and have little question the textual content was clearly and effectively delivered, however I do take pleasure in and like the sound of the language, a part of the soundworld Bartók was creating, when delivered by native audio system and singers, and this was lacking from this efficiency: it provides to the thriller and horror of the piece.

Canadian bass-baritone John Relyea has sung and recorded Bluebeard beneath Esa-Pekka Salonen and Edward Gardner (with the Bergen Philharmonic) to nice acclaim. His characterful efficiency is a tour de drive, sonorous, heat, convincing, in a phrase – magnificent. Johnston stored an in depth watch on the conductor always and was definitely a match for Relyea: her prime C scream of amazement when the fifth door opened was spot-on.

The American-Russian conductor, Lidiya Yankovskaya, is a fiercely dedicated advocate for Slavic masterpieces and was spectacular in the primary (the quieter sections calling for extra delineation). There was loads of discordant chunk, and ample energy when the fifth door was opened to disclose Bluebeard’s huge kingdom. The orchestra rose to the event, impeccable enjoying throughout the board.

As one punter put it as we emerged onto St. Martin’s Lane, ‘How dare they disband an orchestra like that, it’s merely a shame’. Agreed.

John Rhodes