'Tristan und Isolde' by Richard Wagner at Teatro Real Madrid. Music Direction: Semyon Bychkov
REVIEW BY ANTÓNIO LOURENÇO. 29/04/2023
© Teatro Real de Madrid, Lisbon
"Longing, the sateless desire that cannot fail to be reborn" Joan Matabosch.
Main cast
Isolde: Catherine Foster, the dramatic soprano, who received an honorary grant from the Royal Birmingham Conservatory, is known for interpreted the operas 'Die Frau Ohne Shatten', 'Fidelio', 'La Forza del Destino', 'Don Carlos', 'Electra' and 'Turandot'.
Tristan: Andreas Schager, austrian heroic tenor, who began his career as a lyrical tenor, but in 2013 he appeared as Siegfried, at the state of Berlin Opera House and later at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, in the Wagnerian repertoire. Andreas Schager sang at the Metropolitan Opera House (NYC) and several times at Teatro Real Madrid, becoming an international opera singer back then.
Kurwenal: Thomas Johannes Mayer - A german baritone, who had already sung at Teatro Real Madrid the famous operas: Lohengrin (2014) and Der Fliegende Höllander (2016).
Brangäne: Ekaterina Gubanova - Mezzo soprano, who born in Moscow, having sung for major opera houses including Bayreuth.
King Mark: Franz-Josef Selig - Bass.
Prologue
1st Act - Tristan introduces Isolde to King Mark to be her spouse, however she is denied, with a message by the armour-bearer Kurwenal. Due to this events, Isolde orders her handmaid - Bragäne - to prepare a poison for King Mark to drink, but instead of a poison, King Mark and Isolde drink a love filter. And the love story begins when after drinking the love filter, both fall insanely in love.
2nd Act - Isolde meets Tristan in the absence of King Mark, as he went hunting with Melot (tenor). In an incantatory love duet they sing with their most deep passion, which can only blossom during the night. Suddenly, they are surprised by appearance of Melot and King Mark, who is in love with Isolde. When King Mark realizes this deep passion between Isolde and Tristan, starts with his most rage against Isolde. King Mark feels an enormous betrayal. Isolde chooses to follow Tristan, his love, which makes Melot to seriously injure Tristan.
3rd Act - The trustful Kurwenal saves Tristan, and takes him to his castle in Brittany, in France. The mistreated Tristan, who keeps pronouncing deliriously the name of Isolde. Meanwhile, two boats approach, one with Isolde and the other with King Mark. With their arrival, Kurwenal wounds Melot (not knowing that King Mark had forgiven them). Tristan regains his consciousness and curses the filter of love. Faced with this tragedy, Isolde arrives and sings 'Liebestodt' lamenting, and then faints in the
beloved's arms - Tristan.
Considerations
In this semi staged version of the concert 'Tristan und Isolde' at the Teatro Real Madrid, without a score, but with the singers acting together, i always find myself in a phenomenon in which for a music lover, i can enjoy with deeper inner concentration. This is what makes 'Tristan und Isolde' a masterpiece after all.
Catherine Foster who plays Isolde, is endowed with a lyrical voice, with warm treble, soft and splendorous timbre. Catherine drew at the end of the concert strong applauses. Her voice was full with legato, dramatic intent and good articulation. Catherine Foster replaces soprano Ingela Brimberg, who as initially scheduled to play this role.
Heldentenor Andreas Schager, full with enormous energy gave the role of a vehemence and intensity, with an excellent technique of diaphragm and articulation. The voice with a somewhat lyrical timbre, although with middle notes, in which we would like to hear, a little darker.
Kurwenal is a baritone with a beautiful and full timbre and also very fiery. The mezzo-soprano in the role of Brangäne with a lyrical timbre and clear. The Russian Maestro Semyon Baychkov made a safe and vigorous conduction, in addition to building the singers with precision.
As for the staging, i liked the proposed solutions, in opostion to the aberrant and out-of-context stagings i saw in past (I recall the Tetralogy, in which the gold of the Rhine, was replaced by bombs of gasoline!). This time we saw a Kurwenal with passion and distress. Kurwenal embraces his lord with something beyond between the handmaid and Isolde! The Woman's singers wardrobe were made with old suits, but the menswear were limit to a actual suit.
Wagner opened doors to the breaktrought of tonal music. I shall consider 'Tristan und Isolde' also a Tragedy or even an aesthetic religious piece due to the complexity of emotions and insatiable yearning of desire.
#TristanundIsolde @TeatroRealdeMadrid
Thanks to: Teatro Real de Madrid, Concha Barrigós