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Eye on Arts

18.3.04

Millennium Wagner Opera Company, cont.
Contributed by Charles T. Downey at 2:39 PM | Link to this article
The program began with mezzo soprano Joci Patrice Houston's rendition of two of Richard Wagner's Wesendonck-Lieder, called by Carol Berger in her program notes "the emotional and musico-thematic blueprints for the music drama Tristan und Isolde." Im Treibhaus (In the hothouse) is related to the third act of Tristan, and its long introduction and postlude, played by pianist Stephen Hargreaves, are studies of longing extended harmony. Träume (Dreams) led directly into the music in Act 2 of Tristan it is thought to have inspired, the love duet "O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe" (Come down here, night of love; see the German text with English translation of Act II) with soprano Anne Wright Coffman as Isolde. The tenor for the evening was a surprise: Hans Aschenbach (an American who has been singing in Europe for the past several years), it was announced, had agreed to replace the scheduled singer because of his admiration for the goals of the Millenium Wagner Opera Company.

Next, Ms. Houston descended from the stage to sing her warning song from the watchtower, "Einsam wachend in der Nacht" (Alone watching in the night), most of which she sang from various points in the central aisle between the halves of the seated audience. The Tristan story, of course, is as old as the hills (at Tristan and Isolt, a number of versions of this story, both text and images, have been catalogued by the The Camelot Project at the University of Rochester), but Wagner's transformation of it is surely the most powerful. The first half of the concert concluded, not with a scene from Strauss's Die Frau ohne Schatten as in the program, but with an excerpt of the third act, first scene, of Tristan, "Isolde kommt! Isolde naht!" (Isolde is coming! Isolde approaches!). Mr. Aschenbach's singing is powerful, and his acting was dramatic and insistent, which made for an exciting performance to experience.

Between the two Tristan excerpts, however, were some more songs: two of the Vier Letzte Lieder of Richard Strauss (Beim Schlafengehen [While going to sleep], by Hermann Hesse, and Im Abendrot [In twilight], by Josef von Eichendorff) and three of the Liebeslieder, op. 52 (no. 7, no. 13, and no. 17). The latter's juxtaposition with his own music would probably have made Wagner gag, but I found the combination charming.

After a brief pause, Ms. Coffman and Ms. Houston sang the Evening Prayer ("Abends will ich schlafen gehn" [Evenings when I go to sleep]) from the end of the second scene of Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel. This beautiful duet between the two children has a cloying but ultimately pleasing text about the 14 guardian angels who protect sleeping children. It was a welcome light alternative to the more serious Wagner selections. This was followed by something even lighter, the comic terzett ("So muss allein ich bleiben" [So I must remain alone]) from the first act of Johann Strauss's Die Fledermaus (The Bat), with its very catchy refrain.

The final piece on the program was the Act I dialogue between Siegmund (Mr. Aschenbach) and Sieglinde (Ms. Coffman) from Die Walküre: "Winterstürme" and "Du bist der Lenz" (found in the third scene). After much applause from the audience, Ms. Berger introduced three encores. First, Ms. Houston sang the Marienlied (Song of Mary, from 1910) of Joseph Marx, a lush song that required all of the big sound of Ms. Houston's voice. Second, Ms. Coffman sang Richard Strauss's orchestral song Zueignung (Dedication), with its refrain of "Habe Dank" (Be thankful). Finally, Mr. Aschenbach sang an excerpt from the final scene of Wagner's Parsifal: "Nur eine Waffe taugt" (One weapon alone will serve), from Act III. Ms. Berger introduced it with the comment about the spear in this scene, which caused the wound, is now transformed into a tool of healing. In the present climate of international confrontation, we can only hope that the spirit of mutual understanding will prevail over the insanity of violence.

This was a well-conceived program of beautiful vocal music, and the three singers featured show that the Millennium Wagner Opera Company is on its feet. If you like Wagner or you just like to hear emotionally charged singing, you should join me in hoping for the company's success. All kinds of support would be welcomed by them, I can assure you. If you are in the Washington area and want the chance to hear a longer version of this program, the same singers will perform this coming Saturday evening (March 20, 7:30 pm), at St. George's Church in Arlington (915 N. Oakland St., which is a short walk from the Virginia Square Metro stop). They will then give a concert the following weekend (Saturday, March 27, at 8 pm) in the Crystal Room at the Union League Club in Chicago (65 West Jackson Blvd., which is downtown). Master classes with the three singers and Ms. Berger are also being offered. See the Millennium Wagner Opera Company Web site for details.

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