When in Late 2016 I discovered on Youtube the Ring from the NCPA opera in Beijing, China, I couldn't believe my eyes. Was China picking up America's baton as the last reduct for Wagnerites to see traditional staging of Wagner's operas? From that Ring, complete Rheingold and Götterdämmerung can be seen online for free at Youtube. That Ring and the one staged by the Biwako Hall at Otsu, Japan delighted orthodox wagnerites. I owe too much to that production. The most read post in my blog was my review on that Ring, which raised to 2000 visitors. Recently, I discovered that the NCPA has an interesting website in which streams many of its productions live, until 2019.
China is destined to be the next biggest superpower. Like most of non-Western emerging global powers, Western culture is knocking at its door. And in this case, with the intention to become referential in operatic world. For this purpose, they have produced great, hollywoodesque stagings, big (mostly veteran) stars, imitating venues like Scala, Met or London. In recent times, they tend to coproduce with European theatres, judging by their web. In addition, they have a big orchestra, chorus and opera company, having all sources to make a place for themselves in opera A-league.
Wagner is not excluded. In 2011, the China National Opera House staged Tannhäuser, in its Paris version, at NCPA. By that time, some invited companies had already acted in the country, like the Ring by Cologne Opera in Shanghai. This Tannhäuser was directed by Wang Huquan, the same director of the CNOH Ring. In this occasion, the staging is very similar, in many cases a copy of the Otto Schenk's one for the Met. The Bacchanale is a cold, not very sensual ballet. The Wartburg Hall is very similar to the Met, but the frescoes are of a brighter yellow than Schenk's and the lighting recreates sunset and then night. Costumes are lavish, overloaded, specially the ones of Elisabeth and Landgrave. Acting is not well managed, as expressions are not very well worked, but Elisabeth and Landgrave seem passionate and vehement. Very moving when after her praying, Elisabeth leaves the scene hobbling, quite ill.
The orchestra led by Yu Feng had a correct level, as well as the chorus, and their effort is noticed. Yu's conducting is suitable for singers' needs, a rendition which is not boring. Trombone is supreme. Michael Putsch as Tannhäuser whose voice is in trouble during first act, and the Rome Narration in Act 3, despite his nice middle register. Wang Wei, Chinese soprano specialized in Wagner, has a sweet, lighter voice for the role, but this makes her to shine in the most moving and touching moments, specially in her act 2 plead for Tannhäuser and in her Act 3 prayer. Wang Haitao was a good Wolfram, with a generously-volumed, nice voice. Guan Zhijing as the Landgrave doesn't have too much darkness but his singing is still interesting. Ruan Yuqun is a correct Venus, not very seductive though. Li Xiang as Walther von der Wogelweide seems to have a big voice, but since his role is shortened in this version, we can appreciate that he overcomes his colleagues during the Act 1 finale.
Here you can listen to the 2011 Tannhäuser at the NCPA platform for free.
In 2012, the NCPA staged two Wagner productions, Der Fliegende Holländer and Lohengrin, both directed by Giancarlo Del Monaco, whose most conservative, but still creative side emerged in these stagings.
In Holländer, sea has a constant presence, dominating the landscape during the whole work. In the first act, Daland's ship appears in the middle of a sea storm, virtually recreated, even the rain soaking it. The Dutchman's ship is a big infrastructure, a great recreation with red sails and dark illumination. In Act 2, floor is a bit elevated, and spinner maids are in sit in the ground while singing. Big windows let the light in, but at both sides the brave sea still dominate the scene. Characters emerge from trapdoors in the floor. When Daland and the Dutchman enter, the brave sea turns into a calm, cloudless one, as if it were a sign of hope. Act 3 is the poorest scenically, with half of the stage occupied by the Dutchman's ship, and the other half by a platform with ramps and fences whose perfect form raises doubt about their accuracy for 17th Century. During the Dutchman's crew chorus, goosebumps can be felt: recreating the storm and a devilish illumination of the ship. At the end, instead of jumping into the sea, Senta enters to the ship and both lovers embrace, much to Daland's, Mary's, and Erik's consternation. Acting is better directed, which is noticed in the chorus, and costumes are traditional, despite Dutchman's appearance in Act 2 is more similar to Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean.
Lü Jia conducts a version which conveys a bit of the "stormy, maritime" ambiance required, with the orchestra making a great effort, and strings are in good shape here. Chorus is better than in Tannhäuser, specially the men. The Chorus acting in Act 3 is really convincing, making the Chinese singers to become true rustic, hick Norwegian sailors and spinning girls. However, cast cannot be more disappointing.
Some singers as Jan-Hendrik Rootering and Eva Johansson are really past their prime, despite they still are experienced artists. However, Rootering in the first act gives a shouted singing, but he regains for his Act 2 famous aria. Johansson is a skilled actress, and knows how to perform Wagner. But voice breaks seriously, specially in high register, which becomes sort of shouted. However, she still manages with the piano register, making her singing to sound still beautiful and convincing in Act 2 and the most intimate moments. Thomas Gazheli acts well but his voice seems out of control, almost shouting. Philip Webb as Erik has also a troubled singing, and his Act 3 aria is out of reach for his tessitura. However, Chinese singers were very good: Liang Ning as a nicely sung Mary, with a nice low register despite her too light (for a mezzo-soprano) high register. Jin Zhengjian is the best of the cast, with his powerful, lyrical, well projected Steuermann. His voice tends to a lyric tone, beautiful to hear.
At the end of the performance, the main couple took their bow from the boat, so in some moment, both singers joked by re-creating the famous Titanic scene "I'm flying", in the prow.
Here you can watch the NCPA Holländer.
Later that year, NCPA staged Lohengrin. According to Del Monaco, Lohengrin is a fairytale which can happen in any country. Following that premise, and considering China was approaching Western opera only in the last three or two decades, he intended to make it more recognisable for the Chinese audience. In addition, he considers Brabant (in present-day Belgium) is a boring plain, so he decided to turn it into a rocky, mountainous place. So, this staging could happen in Belgium, Russia, or wherever. This production is accomplishedly well directed, and acting is so detailed, interesting that this could be a good example of how a traditional directing could be more than a mere recreation of a romantic beautiful painting. From the original Wagner's indications, it works the emotions, to make them modern and comprehensible: the tender gaze Elsa and Lohengrin interchange after her promise, that Ortrud stops violently Lohengrin after defeating Telramund, as a proof of her power, the passionate kiss of the villains singing Der Rache Werk, the terrible and furious way in which Ortrud looks at the palace while Telramund sleeps at the beginning of Act 2, or how frightened and vulnerable Lohengrin appears after killing Telramund only with the power from his hand in Act 3. At the end, after a touching, lovely farewell to Elsa, and after having brought Gottfried, Lohengrin looks with contempt, as if he spitted Ortrud, before disappearing. Without depriving him of his divine aesthetic, Del Monaco makes a very human portrait of Lohengrin, more than of a stereotyped knight as orthodoxy portrays him usually.
Act One starts in a rocky, levelled landscape. At the bottom, the lake and the sunny landscape, animated in an LD set. That is how we see the swan flying on the sky and approaching the stage. In the different levels are placed the knights and the King, at a distance from subjects. Rocks and mountains dominate the complete set, and in Act 2, we can see in the first scene the palace emerging from the rocks, and in second scene a big stairway to the palace, from which Elsa and her accompaigning maidens emerge, with several big columns, representing the Cathedral, at the top. Act 3 opens with an idyllic, romantic garden with a sight to the mountains, with a big fountain, with flowers, in which Lohengrin and Elsa will enter and get wet. The Bridal Chorus will be heard offstage while Elsa lies, resting in a bench, and then Lohengrin joins her to enjoy for a brief instant in that Parnassus, and as tragedy comes closer, the mountain sight will get dark as the night. The costumes by Jesús Ruiz have a fantasy beauty and style, with a Chinese influence on the armours' design, as well as the wedding attendees in act 2, even with Manchu-syled hats. Elsa's yellow gown was very rococo, as well as the black ones worn by Telramund and Ortrud.
Lü Jia conducts with slow tempi. Indeed, one of the slowest preludes ever, lasting 10 minutes! Lü subscribes Del Monaco's vision of Lohengrin as fairytale, adapting the orchestra to the singers' voices. The conductor and the orchestra are making progress, and now strings are just splendid in Act 2 prelude, and trumpets in the Act 3 interlude, sounding so sad and solemn at the same time. The Chorus is at the same level as in Holländer, good singing and correct acting.
Stefan Vinke, in his prime, sings the title role, singing a youthful Lohengrin, however with a heroic touch. In the third act arias he feels more confident, specially when singing In Fernem Land, which he sings beautifully, with a heavenly, transfigured smile. Petra Maria-Schnitzer is in a vocal maturity, with still a beautiful voice, despite the failed high notes, which she no longer commands. Egilis Silins is an excellent Telramund, the best of the cast alongside Vinke, well sung and acted. Eva Johansson seems to be more confortable as Ortrud than as Senta, specially in her Act 2 scene, despite her now troubled high register. However, that limitation fits in her tremendous portrait of an evil, rancourous woman, with a wicked gaze, all this making her Ortrud a witch-like fearsome woman, which is convincing. Steven Humes as King Heinrich and Wieland Sattler as the Herald are correct, but not with the carisma of their four protagonist colleagues.
Here you can watch the NCPA Lohengrin at their platform for free.
In 2016, NCPA staged its own Tannhäuser production, now in the original Dresde version. In this occasion, Italian director Pier'Alli created a version which distances from cardboard-like productions and creates a beautiful ambiance using technology, resulting in a visual impact production. Using a revolving structure, and projections, it gives a psychological, dream-like touch, reducing the staging to the minimum, focusing on emotions and desires. During the first act, living images of the nymphs and satires appear projected, coming close (like Pilgrims will do in Scene 2 and Act 3), and then images like Boticelli's Venus. In second scene, a big tree dominates the Wartburg landscape. Act 2 is dominated by three big columns, and a romanic-style decoration. Act 3 begins with an image reminding the Wieland and Wolfgang Wagner Bayreuth era: A Virgin statue carved on a tree, and the full stage in a green colour. During Wolfram's aria to the stars, the stage is illuminated by a dark blue sky and stars. The return of Venus in the Finale is suggested by a red illumination and now a devil image instead of Virgin in the tree. All this disappear to show one of the Wartburg's gardens, with a big papal stick blooming, marking the sinner's redemption. Simona Morresi's costumes are sort of minimalistic, but still traditional. Elisabeth's costumes are curious: intense blue in Act 2 and green in Act 3. Acting is also well directed, now the chorus reacting to tension moments (which didn't happen in Huquan's staging in 2011) and Elisabeth now as a tragic woman, but with a strong determination for his beloved one.
Lü Jia's conducting here represents the improvement of the orchestra. It also confirms that Lü tries to imitate, get the romantic European conducting tradition, with slow but majestic tempi, making the drama to be conveyed and at the same time to make the instruments to shine. The oboe was simply magnificent, and also the strings. Beautiful, descriptive rendition of Act 3 prelude. The chorus has also reached their peak in this performance. Led by Valentin Vassiliev, it sounds powerful, impressive, devoted, truly wagnerian. The male section had a good night, with their great rendition of the Pilgrims' choruses. By far, this could be considered a Tannhäuser in which the chorus was the best of the night and the true protagonist.
This production had two casts: one international, with Endrik Wottrich and Markus Werba, among others, and a local, almost exclusively Chinese, which was telecasted in this occasion. Though artists are competent, few of them are beyond a correct or decent level. Warren Mok as Tannhäuser seemed not to have neither high notes nor the ability to keep them for a long time. He has some troubles in Act 1, despite his correct middle register, sort of heldentenor. However, his Rome narration is good, even better than Putsch's in 2011. Sun Xiuwei as Elisabeth has a vibrating voice, despite her good tessitura. As actress, she is convincing as a suffering, strong-willed woman able of any sacrifice to reedeem Tannhäuser. Xuan Chenye is a good Wolfram, with a nice voice, but lacking some firmness. Zhu Huiling as Venus is vocally correct, and she has the physique-du-role. Wu Wei sang a good Landgrave, but not so authoritative. Wang Chong was one of the best in the cast, with his powerful, lyric Walther von der Wogelweide. Karsten Mewes, one of the three Westerners in the cast, alongside Reinmar and Heinrich der Schreiber, performs and sings a gracious but angry Biterolf. Zhang Xin as the Shepherd has a nice tone and singing, but not at the same level of the latter ones.
NCPA continued its Wagnerian adventure, with Tristan, Meistersinger and Parsifal, to complete the Bayreuth canon. However, those were concert or regietheater stagings. Will Beijing, with all these productions, then become the last hope for Wagnerian orthodoxy, reportedly fascinated with them? Or in its eagerness to become a major worldwide opera house, will it give in to regietherater and modern stagings, like Western theatres? I don't know. They have at least a devoted company, whose singers, chorus and orchestra make their best to make justice Western operas. One can see their devotion. On the other hand, I wouldn't want them to abandon these kind of stagings. Because that far opera house has become a beauty oasis, of that iconography which belongs to our culture. That culture which now is knocking to Chinese capital's door.
Here you can watch the 2016 NCPA Tannhäuser at their platform for free.
My reviews are not professional and express only my opinions. As a non English native speaker I apologise for any mistake.
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