Waltraud Meier's farewell to Spain: unforgettable concert in Barcelona with Iréne Theorin and Lise Davidsen.

Barcelona, 13 de noviembre de 2022.

Artistry, beauty, talent, sense of drama, intelligence, German rationality, intelligence, a gifted singing, a powerful and enraptuting singing... all those qualities, in a superlative level, can define Waltraud Meier's career and explain her status as the leading Wagner female singer in the last three decades. In her 46-year career, this legendary German mezzo-soprano has impressed, amazed and delighted audiences worldwide, specially since she made her debut in the 1983 Bayreuth Festival as Kundry, the beginning of her international stardom.

In Spain, Meier has been seen many times, but maybe to some of her fans, not as many as they would have wanted. Valencia, Madrid and Barcelona were the most visited cities by her, but also she sang in Alicante, Canarias, or Sevilla. To me, she was one of my divas from my teenage days, when I saw a radiant, beautiful woman in the libretto of Barenboim's Teldec CD of Wagner's Parsifal. I saw her live several times in Madrid: Sieglinde, Ortrud, Isolde, in Beethoven's 9th and Das Lied von der Erde. All of them dazzling nights, as well as I remember an amazing singer and actress. 

In the Wagner Spanish capital, Barcelona, she has also sung unforgettable nights such as a Walküre with Plácido Domingo, or Chéreau's Elektra in 2016.  As she has planned to retire in 2023, last night's concert has been her farewell performance to Spanish operatic scene, as it was announced shortly before the concert began. The concert was a Wagner and Strauss gala, accompanied by other two leading Wagner singers, Iréne Theorin, loved by the Barcelona audiences, and the rising star Lise Davidsen. The Gran Teatre del Liceu Symphony Orchestra was conducted by Josep Pons, the Catalan maestro for this repertoire at the Liceu.

Here is the program, as it was a promising night:

Part One

Richard Wagner (1813 – 1883)

Tannhäuser

"Dich, teure Halle"

"Allmächt'ge Jungfrau, hör mein Flehen!"

Lise Davidsen

Götterdämmerung

“Höre mit Sinn” (Waltraute's monologue)

Waltraud Meier

Tristan und Isolde

Prelude and Liebestod 

Iréne Theorin

Part Two

Richard Strauss (1864 – 1949)

Scenes from Elektra

-Allein! Weh, ganz allein ... Was willst du ... Ich habe keine guten nächte

-Die Tausende, die Fackeln tragen" (Finale)

Iréne Theorin, Elektra

Lise Davidsen, Chrysothemis

Waltraud Meier, Klytämnestra

The first part began with Davidsen singing the Elisabeth's arias from Tannhäuser. In all of them, she was really amazing. Her tone sometimes reminds the sound of the great legendary singers of German repertoire, as dark, big-volumed, and outsanding high notes, so it makes us to hope that in the future she would assume Isolde or Brünnhilde. Amazing her piano singing in Da er aus dir geschieden, wie öd' erschienst du mir , conveying Elisabeth's melancholy. The prayer from Act 3 was  a true lesson of dramatic singing. 

Then, Waltraud Meier appeared to sing her last remaining active Wagner role: Waltraute in Götterdämmerung. She sang the long monologue "Höre mit sinn". Meier is clearly past her past her vocal prime, but still the elegant, beautiful tone remains, even when she has lost some of her former amazing volume. Voice seems to be higher-toned, but the artistry, the fraseggio, the way of conveying dramatism and her own effort to sound as great as usual, trying successfully not to show many signs of vocal decay.

First part concluded with the Prelude and Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde. Josep Pons took the baton to conduct the Liceu Orchestra, in a rendition with slow tempi, in which the cellos had a good moment, specially the amazing leading cello. The parterre balconies have a bit affected acoustics, but it seemed they had few time to rehearse. Few instants prior to its conclusion, Iréne Theorin appeared to sing the Liebestod, in which she had a good performance, but with the high register now having difficulties for singing Isolde.

The second part was a big selection from Richard Strauss' Elektra, in which Meier sang all the part of Klytämnestra, so I could say that I saw her in this complete role live. It had two sections: a big one from the monologue until the complete duet between Elektra and Klytämnestra. And the other one, the finale. And this part was by far better than the previous one, as orchestra and singers were truly inspired, and the singers even acted their parts.

Photo from Spanish press.

Theorin was better as Elektra than in the Liebestod, as she commanded the role with her singing, more adequate, showing amazing high notes, and more clear than in the Wagner piece, a truly dramatic, velvet-like tone, and her acting full of irony and authority. Her monologue was breathtaking, and she improved her performance in the duets with Chrysothemis and Klytämnestra, as well as in the "Was blutem muss" aria. Her low voice was grave and dramatic. An unforgettable rendition.

Davidsen's Chrysothemis was even better sung than Theorin's Elektra, with the notes well fixed, projected and her dramatic, round, beautiful and dark tone resulting too big for this more lyrical role, but maybe is soon for singing Elektra. She gave amazing an amazing high note in "Ich muß bei meinem Bruder stehn!"

Meier sang the complete Klytämnestra, as said before. Her voice, compared to her colleagues' massive ones, could seem weakened, but in this role she showed her dramatic skills, showing a fragile, lost, confused and tormented Klytämnestra, as a result of her crimes. Her rendition of this role is always beautifully sung, not as scary as her referential 1995 recording, in her vocal peak. The first half of her performance was at her usual great level and recognisable tone, specially in the monologue "Ich will nichts hören". For the second half, the terryfing, almost atonalistic "Ich habe keine guten nächte", she used her low voice, close to parlato, to convey how scary her character was of the nightmares. Despite she was twice surpassed by the orchestra, she concluded her scene with two amazing high notes, in "so bald das rechte blut" and in "damit ich wieder schlafe".

The orchestra was better too, and Pons could extract a beautiful sound, specially in the strings, and the percussion. The slow tempi created some ambiance of the pathos of these tormented women. The final scene was well conducted, and as breathtaking it should be in Elektra.

The audience responded with an oustanding, tribute ovation to the singers, as they are very admired in Barcelona. As expected, Meier received the biggest applause, which was still heard as several people were still leaving the opera house. 

It is so sad to see our idols to retire, but they have the right to rest and to leave the stage when still they can hold the biggest level. Meier will always be remembered for her magnetic perforemances, her powerful voice in her prime, and her elegant, intelligent way of singing and telling the stories she performed. My, our generation is privileged to have seen a Wagner legend on stage, in a time when they are not very likely to find. I have been so privileged to have seen several times such a fine performer of my favourite music, since I was a 14 year-old little man, to now in my thirties. We will always remember, admire and miss her! 

Thank you very much, Frau Meier, for your artistry the your unforgettable operatic nights you gave us!

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