Eddie Yap's opera news: A Jewish woman protests

(First of two parts)

Eddie Yap, prominent real estate developer, is an avid music lover who is often pressed into service as an “impresario” because of his innovative and imaginative ideas. Eddie regularly travels abroad with his charming wife Dellie to take in the musical scene, particularly the operatic.

The Yaps saw La Traviata as staged by the Royal Opera House in London, and Eddie brings back the review by Andrew Clark as it appeared in the International Herald-Tribune and the New York Times. Titled “Covent Garden Bows to Anna Netrebko”, the review is herewith reprinted, La Traviata being very familiar to our own opera lovers:

“Once in a generation a prima donna takes ownership of a role in a way none of her peers can do. Anna Netrebko has achieved this as Violetta, and the proof is there for all to see and hear in Covent Garden’s revival of La Traviata. Netrebko, who has already triumphed in the part in Vienna and Salzburg, does not redefine or reinvent it. She simply is the Violetta for our age, able to cast her spell over a performance by virtue of ‘period-perfect’ looks, a voice that glides over the many technical and musical hurdles Verdi throws in her path, and a big-night temperament.

“In spite of being neither a selfish nor self-serving performer, she does not establish much sexual chemistry with her Alfredo, Jonas Kaufmann, and in the third act, she misses what Verdi referred to as ‘anima’ (soul), widely and rightly considered the sine qua non of a true Violetta and a quality possessed by several less obviously endowed interpreters. But Netrebko is otherwise such a package for the role that the entire theatre submits to her spell.

“This is relevant not just to her great solo scenes at the end of the first act and the start of the third, but also to her ability to raise the whole temperature and quality of performance going on around her, and the way her pre-eminence puts the stagey opulence of Richard Eyre’s production into proper perspective. This is the interpretation Eyre’s ultra-traditional Traviata has been waiting for, and I doubt whether it has been received with such rapture as it was on Monday. Netrebko is an old-fashioned triumph, signaling the power of a singer to enthrall by virtue of polish, charisma and professional confidence.

“Kaufmann matches the Russian soprano physically if not vocally; he lacks a sufficiently liquid tone and the upper register is not wholly convincing. He will doubtless loosen up as the run proceeds. Dmitri Hvorostovsky’s Germont has already aged nicely — his silver name cut short, his vocalism distinguished by the sort of line which the less-than-convincing cabaletta needs and rarely receives. The comprimarios are good and Maurizio Bellini’s thoughtful, sensitive conducting affords much pleasure.”

More recently, the Yaps watched R. Strauss’ Salome as produced and staged by Vancouver Opera in Canada. Eddie was considerably impressed with Russian soprano Mlada Khuddley as Salome and bass-baritone Greer Grimsley as Jokanan (John the Baptist).

As opera lovers know, Salome performs the seductive Dance of the Seven Veils during which she progressively does away with one veil after another. When the head of John the Baptist is brought to her on a silver tray, Salome, as the opera decrees, “in a hideous ecstasy compounded of amorousness, vindictiveness, satisfied revenge and unsatisfied passion, fondles and kisses the lips of the dead man’s head, singing wildly of his beauty and of her triumph.”

Eddie found this particular scene too vivid, top graphic, too long. In other words, in exceedingly poor taste. So, it seemed, did the audience, though it hewed closely to the opera’s aim. In fact, with John’s remains being desecrated, a woman stood up and loudly protested within the hearing of everyone in the audience: “I am a Jew and I find this scene revolting.” Or words to that effect. She then stomped out angrily, her husband trailing behind. (To be continued)