BY SAMUEL COTTELL
Sydney Symphony Orchestra
Tristan und Isolde by Wagner
Sydney Opera House, 22 June
One hundred and fifty years and 15 days ago, the premiere of Wagner’s epic masterpiece took place. He first composed ‘Tristan und Isolde’ while taking a break from his four opera epic ‘The Ring Cycle’. Having read the philosophical writings of Schopenhauer in ‘The World as Will and Representation’, Wagner set out about composing ‘Tristan und Isolde’, and it was an opera that would change the direction of Western tonality forever. The famous ‘Tristan’ chord has fascinated and, more to the point, puzzled many music scholars and aficionados. To put it simply, it is a chord that yearns for resolution, but Wagner does not allow us this until five hours later.
Not having performed this work for almost 20 years, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra were in fine form and played with unbridled passion and energy. David Robertson is a conductor who truly understands this deep and complex music. He brings a sense of cohesion combined with a crystal clear reading of the music. His slightly slower tempos allowed moments of tension and elation to linger just a moment longer, allowing more shades of unexplored colour and nuance to present themselves.
Isolde, performed by soprano Christine Brewer, soared above the orchestra in full force. Brewer took some time to warm up during the first act, but by the second was executing lines with vivid emotion, exploring all that Wagner set out for his singers. Her final moments on stage in Act III (the famous Leibostold) were performed with a powerhouse of emotion and sensibility, the only shame being that she was at times drowned out by the orchestra in front of her. Tristan, by way of heldentenor Lance Ryan, provided a stoic performance, often delivering a hard-edged tone. Yet, he delivered highly emotional passages when required, particularly in Act III on his death bed, where he was a heldentenor in the true Wagnerian sense of the word. The love scene in Act II was perfectly executed by the two, each projecting heightened emotion to the audience, providing moments of elation and jubilation. The orchestra joined in for a passionate, musical ménage a trois.
Stand out performances were given by Katarina Karneus (Brangane) and Boaz baritone Boaz Daniel (Kurwenal), both remarkable performers who exhibit a wide range of tone and kaleidoscopic colours in their voices. The shepherd’s mournful theme was stunningly performed by Alexandre Oguey. It captured the exact mood, and its perfectly nuanced execution in the far off distance heightened the sense of longing and yearning.
The singers (as if not already challenged enough by singing five hours of Wagner) were placed on a stage behind the orchestra. Projecting over Wagnerian forces is difficult at the best of times, and this choice of staging meant that many of the vocal parts, particularly in climactic passages (where you really want to hear them) were barely audible. In this sense, the singers became quasi-members of the orchestra. The distance and the far-away sound of the singers meant that, at times, the yearning and tension that was coming through the orchestra was aurally out of reach, at times unsatisfying and underwhelming.
S. Katy Tucker’s video imagery in the form of slow moving images depicted a young version of Tristan and Isolde. It further heightened aspects of the narrative and enhanced the drama, but at times was some what clichéd. This is not to say that it wasn’t effective, there was much symbolic reference (such as a tree growing and uniting to entwined lovers) that elevated the internal narrative. It very much contradicted the static motion of the on stage singers.
This was a standout performance by a talented cast of singers and the SSO was at its best – daring and on edge. It is only a shame we will probably have to wait a decade or more for a repeat of such a monumental work.
For a great examination of the ‘Tristan’ chord, check out this video featuring Stephen Fry.
Image supplied. Credit: Ken Butti.
