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Die Frau Ohne Schatten
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Watson, Brendel
Photo by Robert Millard
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By Michael Van Duzer
Productions of Richard Strauss’ ambitious allegorical opera, Die Frau Ohne Schatten (The Woman Without a Shadow) are rare. Perhaps it’s the somewhat hazy symbology of the libretto, or the amazingly demanding resources needed both onstage and in the orchestra pit, or simply the sheer length of the piece that scares opera producers. But the opera is so resonant—-so richly textured with beauty, heartbreak, redemption and, yes, humor-- that one longs for a production. How lucky we are that the current Los Angeles Opera presentation is a brilliantly eloquent exploration of Strauss’ most intricately bewitching score.
Patterned after Mozart’s Magic Flute, Hugo von Hofmannsthal’s libretto deals with the difficulties of two couples. The Empress (the titular shadowless woman) has married the Emperor out of love, even though it meant leaving the spirit world. They are happy together but long for a child. She discovers that, if she does not gain a shadow in three days, her father will reclaim her and the Emperor will be turned to stone. Her Nurse leads her down to the world of men where they encounter Barak the Dyer and his Wife, also childless. The Nurse tempts the Dyer’s Wife with gold and promises of a handsome, young lover if she’ll give the Empress her shadow. In the way of folk tales, the couples are separated and face many trials before learning the lessons of love and understanding they will need before they can find each other again.
The singing in this production is uniformly exceptional. Robert Dean Smith makes a commanding Emperor and easily navigates the treacherous tessitura. Inga Nielsen’s Empress has a little vocal instability at the start but soon regains control with her high notes as well as her emotional conviction. Villains are great fun, and Doris Soffel’s Nurse takes every advantage of this. She also produced a vivid Wagnerian sound that made it easy to see how she could dupe the Empress. But the heart of this production belongs to Barak and his Wife. Linda Watson tears into the role of the Wife with rare zeal and unflinching honesty. Musically she is also fearless, singing with a generous, vivid sound that seems to know no limits. Wolfgang Brendel’s Barak matches her by underplaying and allowing his good-natured personality and meltingly gorgeous tone to convince. Luxury casting like Brian Asawa and John Duykers in secondary roles completes the musical excellence of the evening.
David Hockney’s sets reflect the epic scale of the opera while creating an appropriately magical universe upon which the story can play out. Ian Falconer’s Eastern-tinged costumes have a classic Disney flair that seems in perfect sync with the production. Kent Nagano manages miracles in the pit as he throws himself into the challenge of tackling Strauss’ grandiose score. Whether thrilling us with the more explosive moments or allowing a lyrical theme to blossom, Nagano conducts with all the bravado and sheer opulence this music demands.
Los Angeles Opera Dorothy Chandler Pavilion February 22—March 13, 2004
(213) 972-7219 www.losangelesopera.com
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