Das Wunder der Heliane Deutsche Oper, Berlin
April 6th 2018
I stumbled across rave reviews of this online and when checked dates in Berlin (and time I got back from Erfurt) decided to indulge – and BOY am I glad I did. Fascinating evening.
The story is strange in that most major characters are unnamed (except for the title character) which to an extent gave them a certain archetypal nature. In terms of plot, elements of Measure for Measure were recalled with a frustrated lust-driven man of power taking an extreme position against alleged adultery of his wife. In addition King Roger was also recalled in the presence of a Dionysian stranger who enters into the controlled world of the Ruler –elements of the Bassarids and Bacchae too of course. Love and passion is the main ‘theme’ of the work with this being unleashed on a non-loving and controlling society and at the end showing that love and passion are, finally, what it is that makes us human – and fully human at that too.
Looking at production photos beforehand (and having thoughts confirmed once having seen the production) thought very interesting that the set was characterised by dark neutral and muted colours with many straight lines – no sensual curves of emotional colours which was, of course, totally right for the world that was being shown. The music contradicted this all the time thus showing how love, passion and emotion cannot be controlled and denied and, finally at the end, triumphed emotionally at the climax of the work.
The musical palette created by Korngold was amazing and astonishingly, richly passionate from the start (and superbly performed by the vast orchestra). Perhaps at times it was too sustained as in this first Act I did not have much of a sense of emotional and dramatic rise and fall – if one was being negative one could say that much of it was a constant climax (if that makes sense). It did sweep one away particularly as it was very much through-composed and while there were separate and distinct musical elements at time, for the most part it was a constant musical and emotional tsunami. But always, in the first act at least, at the same constant very heightened level. In contrast to this the production style was starkly effective in being understated in terms of movement and dynamism of the stage picture – rightly so I think as to have a very active and dynamic production would not have suited the unusual/unique musical style.
The singing, particularly for the central tenor role of The Stranger, the Dionysian catalyst, was superb. The part was cruelly demanding with the combination of tessitura and constant power needed but the American tenor Brian Jagde was more than up to the part.
In part 2 (the last two acts) there was I felt more emotional and dramatic variety – or perhaps I had just become used to the musical language. It seemed to be less on one note, emotional, musically, dramatically. The third act was really quite extraordinary in that it seemed to me to be one long, incredibly extended musical and dramatic climax. I felt it totally worked but you had to give yourself fully to it and allow yourself to be overwhelmed – which is always nice to be able to do from time to time. Dealing with and evoking the biggest of feelings ideas and passions - love/death/hate/forgiveness/the afterlife and all other related transcendental matters – we were carried on a remarkable journey and at the end travelled, aurally and dramatically as well as emotionally, remarkably between Death and Life. This was amazingly well done. If you thought about it clinically in many was it did not make sense but somehow, here, in the context of a performance, it did. The definition perhaps of the ‘willing suspension of disbelief.
At the end there was n understandable and wholly appropriate passionate display of enthusiasm -a number of people were even standing! The singers, particularly Sara Jakubiak (a wonder indeed) , were, rightfully, ecstatically received after their amazingly taxing parts that by all were sung with glowing and refulgent tone from beginning to end.
A remarkable work to deal with transcendence in all forms and I am very glad that I have seen it.
Simon A Bird