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The Wagnerian spell works again Cleveland
Severance Hall
04/21/2018 - & April 26*, 29, 2018
Richard Wagner: Tristan und Isolde
Nina Stemme (Isolde), Gerhard Siegel (Tristan), Okka von der Damerau (Brangäne), Alan Held (Kurwenal), Ain Anger (King Marke), Sean Michael Plumb (Melot), Matthew Plenk (Young Sailor, Shepherd), Francisco X. Prado (Steersman)
The Cleveland Orchestra Men’s Chorus, Lisa Wing (chorus master), , The Cleveland Orchestra, Franz Welser-Möst (conductor)
(© Roger Mastroianni/Courtesy of The Cleveland Orchestra)
In recent years the Cleveland Orchestra has occasionally staged opera in its concert hall despite the limitations of not having the fully-equipped stage and pit. This season, though, their three presentations of Tristan und Isolde were straightforward concerts with the singers placed on a platform constructed above the orchestra toward the rear of the stage. This was certainly a factor in the terrific balance between the orchestra and singers, often a problem when the orchestra is not in a pit. (And there are good reasons why the pit in Wagner’s own theatre in Bayreuth is notably deep.)
A fully staged Tristan can often be lacking in action anyway. In Cleveland the performers indicated a sufficient degree of inter-relationship between their characters, and the orchestra provided the full measure of excitement at the climactic moments, such as at the end of Act I when eight brass players at balcony level gave an added jolt to the proceedings.
Even the cleverest arrangement in a fine hall would be unable to overcome weaknesses in casting, and in this instance there were none. Nina Stemme is my eleventh Isolde (heard live - and three of them Swedish) and her distinctive (and distinguished) warmth and expressiveness make her my favorite. Her Tristan, Gerhard Siegel, seems to have specialized in the role of Mime recently and I feared his voice might be more suited to character roles vs a lead role like Tristan, but throughout he displayed an attractive, youthful tone. His voice didn’t quite match Stemme’s in the love duet, but his big narration in Act III rose staunchly to great heights of intensity; he is one of the best I’ve heard.
Okka von der Damerau displayed a luxuriant voice as Brangäne, Alan Held was a forceful Kurwenal, Ain Anger an eloquent, rich-voiced King Marke, and Sean Michael Plumb a well-defined Melot. The male chorus was first-rate as well.
Last but not least, I must mention the orchestra, with “The Cleveland” living up to its daunting reputation. Franz Welser-Möst, whose experience with the work goes back awhile (I heard him conduct it in Vienna in 2006), led a nuanced account that ranged from delicacy to downright muscular at times. The running time was a bit under four hours, which is neither overly brisk nor self-indulgent. (Self indulgence would be an understandable pitfall with such a prodigious orchestra.) He tried to hold a silence at the end but one over-enthusiast bellowed “Bravo” and that ended that.
This was a very special project, part of the orchestra’s centennial season - and everything worked like a charm.
Michael Johnson
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