|
|
 |
| |
Double bill of master works
Review: Bartok's Bluebeard Schoenberg's Erwartung
Covent Garden
By Helen Lawrence
The one-act Expressionist masterpieces, Bartók’s Bluebeard and Schoenberg’s Erwartung (Expectation), were first seen at Covent Garden in this powerful production by the German director Willy Decker, in 2002.
The chilling double-bill is now revived under the direction of Martin Gregor Lütje.
Composed in Vienna in 1911 and 1909 respectively they are highly-charged operatic expressions of the Freudian theories emerging at the time.
They work well together and Decker cleverly links their nightmare worlds by setting Erwartung in the castle rather than the forest envisaged by Schoenberg.
At the end of Bluebeard, Judit is dragged away through the seventh door. She then re-emerges through the same door, apparently as the mad, nameless woman of Erwartung, wearing a tattered version of Judit’s red ballgown.
John McFarlane’s atmospheric design for the vast ruined castle echoes the ruin of the protagonists’ lives, and is wonderfully lit by David Finn with some breathtaking coups de theatre.
Bartok’s glittering score with its rhythmic and harmonic vitality drawn from Hungarian folk music, explores the psychological shifts of this sinister story through contrasts of sensuality and stark pentatonic contours and dissonances.
Conductor Kirill Petrenko brings out the drama in both works but just misses the necessary degree of passion required.
However this is amply provided by the three rich-voiced protagonists. Petra Lang and Alfred Dohmen as Judit and Bluebeard sing superbly, movingly conveying the anguish of two people who want to draw close and love each other, but cannot. |
| |
Deva Premal and Miten |
World Music Workshop
CONTEMPORARY sacred music is to be performed at the Shaw Theatre on Saturday by a pair of musicians who have spent the past 15 years touring the world.
Deva Premal and Miten will be appearing at the Shaw Theatre, in Euston Road, their music using acapella singing, acoustic guitars and Indian music.
The couple will be joined by Manose, a Nepalese bansuri flute player.
On Sunday the pair will be at the Triyoga Studios giving a workshop of their style of music.
For more information ring 0870 033 2600 or 020 7483 3344. |
|
|
