Faust at the Royal Opera House

Faust - Royal Opera House, 18 September 2011 (first night)

looking for a John Tomlinson impersonator?

Despite some outstanding performances from a top-drawer cast, this second revival of David McVicar's Faust somehow fails to hit the mark. Part of the blame is of course Gounod's - never afraid to cut a flowing story dead in its tracks with a crowd-pleasing ballet or drinking song.

But McVicar doesn't seem to trust the material either. Méphistophélès gains a crew of panting, cackling, stage-hogging spirits, a visual and aural distraction whenever they appear (too often). Dancers squeal and yelp and thunder around like rhinos (I'm surprised no-one at the ROH clamped down on this racket - surely if it's not in the score, it shouldn't be on the stage?). The chorus are padded out with over-busy extras.

Charles Edwards' imposing sets lend gothic flavour but confuse. Are we indoors or outdoors, and why is there an organ loft in every corner? The Second Empire setting is a purely decorative choice that like the contemporary paintings quoted in the design adds nothing to the story. A Giselle-parody ballet that ends with a 'pregnant' dancer being kicked around the stage was simply nauseating. I can't recall a production that's forced me to look away from the stage quite so often

So let's get on to the singers, the real raison d'être of the 3 hour-plus experience.  Rene Pape is the devil himself, the picture of cool despite a cocker spaniel wig and a succession of extravagantly camp costumes culminating in a ballgown and tiara. A few passages lie uncomfortably high in his range, but he stamps his authority with laconic charm throughout. His seduction of/by the widow Schwertlein displays his usually-hidden comic gifts, and for those in the front rows, a bit of Roger Moore eyebrow acting adds the final touch of suavity.  It's worth going to see just for his performance.

Poor Vittorio Grigolo knocked himself out at the general rehearsal when the last in a lengthy succession of misbehaving props, a chest lid, crashed down on his head moments before the end. But he's bounced back with no apparent damage, flinging himself around the stage like a pre-op puppy. The French clearly doesn't come readily to him, but his full, masculine timbre and effortless technique are a rare wonder to hear. To play the aged Faust (disguised for no logical reason as Gounod himself) he thins and wavers his sound without ever losing line or tonal beauty - and he makes it all sound so easy. If it hadn't been for McVicar's shrieking ninnies bursting in every five minutes, I could have been carried away like Marguerite by his passion and ardour.

Goodness knows who talked Angela Gheorghiu into a ghastly Bet Lynch blonde wig. It adds the years that need to be subtracted. But after a breathy, nervous start she gave the best performance I've heard from her in the last few years, instantly locking in to Marguerite's sweetness and vulnerability, cosying up to her prompt box for the big moments. Her mad scene was all the more touching for its restraint, and her apotheosis seemed earned. Blimey. Maybe she'll turn up for all her performances too, who knows?

I can't imagine anyone handling the thankless role of Valentin more adeptly than Dmitri Hvorostovsky, noble and rousing and endless of breath. We heard some rare decent French from Michèle Losier, bravely assuming a hideous porridge-coloured suit and wig as Siébel. Young Daniel Grice held his own with the vets as Wagner and the ever-reliable Carole Wilson made a formidable Marthe Schwertlein.

I almost forgot to mention conductor Evelino Pido, who seemed to enjoy the music more than the orchestra did, but despite this coaxed out a hearty performance.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

production photos (above): Catherine Ashmore / Royal Opera House

curtain call photos (below): intermezzo.typepad.com

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

curtain call video:

Comments

[H. E. Pennypacker]

Having attended Sunday's performance, I agree with Intermezzo on the singers. Pape was great, Gheorghiu was magnificient (as always), Grigolo exceeded all my expectations and I hope to hear him a lot more in the future (although didn't match Alagna's charisma and commitment to this role, and he and Pape didn't have the chemistry I remember Terfel and Alagna having, although that may well change over the course of the production), and Hvorostovsky milked every last drop from his one aria. I really like the staging, for me it's one of the best I've seen at ROH, Intermezzo is unnecessarily puritanical in this case. But I must say Pido's conducting pretty much ruined the evening for me. Everything seemed to lack the musical energy I recall from the 2004 performances (with Pappano I think?), and the tempi were ridiculously slow in the third act in particular. Poor Grigolo managed his aria very well given Pido's quirks, but seemed at times unsure of what was going on with the conducting. This is the kind of thing conductors do when they run out of ideas but want to put their mark on the music anyway. I also struggled to hear the orchestra a lot of the time, but I'm not sure if that was due to Pido or where I was sitting.

[sub opera]

The crowd scenes and the dancers were all awful, and such an inelegant distraction.Agree 100% with IM.

Pido's tempo, by the time we got to the final trio, was much too fast and he ruined it for me.

Gheorghiu lacked projection and barely audible in the amphitheatre (row B).

And why did she behave like a lunatic at curtain call? Can someone please explain what was she on about??

Agree with the lack of chemistry between Pape and Grigolo who was superb.

[rosieM]

I was riveted throughout, particularly by Rene Pape who has a dominating stage presence- it was good to see some flashes of really humourous acting. Hvorotovsky,Grigolo (although I cant seem to warm to him -not sure why) and Gheorghiu were all on top form. I agree that the pregnant dancer and orgy scene made uncomfotable watching and wasnt sure of the point of it (but then I have to rememember its McVicar!)

[Manou]

I have seen this production on its first two outings, and was at the dress rehearsal (I am going this Saturday).

Surely the whole point of the ballet is to make you uncomfortable - this is Hell, after all. It also seems to me that the devilish attendants are rather a good idea, and in fact I think their actions have been beefed up this time around (or maybe I just noticed them more). They turn up in many of the crowd scenes as ever present irritants (worked for you, IM!).

The blonde wig is because Marguerite is dressed as the barmaid in the Manet picture (Un Bal Aux Folies Bergères).

Why does everyone seem amazed that Gheorghiu is very good indeed? Cancellations notwithstanding, she is one of the most sought after divas around. As for her being inaudible, I was in the Stalls Circle on Saturday, and she easily outsang both Grigolo and Pape in the last Act trio.

Lest I sound like I am defending everything, I would heartily agree that Pappano is in every way superior to Pido, but I guess he was Trittico-ed out.

[Opera Cake]

Thx!

Double LOL @

- "Her mad scene was all the more touching for its restraint, and her apotheosis seemed earned. Blimey."

- "...Michèle Losier, bravely assuming a hideous porridge-coloured suit and wig as Siébel"

________

BTW, did you see this?

http://www.jpost.com/International/Article.aspx?id=238008&R=R4

[Miriam]

I was also at the rehearsal on Thursday, and having read above about Grigolo's accident now understand why there were no curtain calls, which was a bit of a mystery at the time.

I am generally in agreement with Manou about the ballet etc, and I also thought the point of the ballet was to show Faust what a horrible time Marguerite would have been having as an unmarried pregnant girl.

[FragendeFrau82]

@manou: The blonde wig is because Marguerite is dressed as the barmaid in the Manet picture (Un Bal Aux Folies Bergères).

Oh thank you so much! I kept thinking, WHERE have I seen her before...

[Manou]

FragendeFrau82 - and I should have typed "Un BaR Aux Folies Bergères"

[FragendeFrau82]

Current online Telegraph review (5 stars) of this production has a photo of Gheorghiu and Alagna instead of Grigolo. How embarrassing.

[Ann Lander]

I was there yesterday & was so mesmerised by René Pape, I couldn’t take my eyes off him & didn’t actually watch the ballet. Not sure why Méphistophéles was dressed as a pantomime dame at this point but during the dancing he sat hitching up his ‘bosom’, checking his bra-straps & rolling his eyes as if to say “What’s all the fuss about, this is Hell, what do you expect?”

As you say, worth going for Pape’s performance alone & I felt grateful & privileged to have seen such a brilliant artist.

I sat at the front & slightly to the left of Pido & from the expressions on the orchestra members’ faces they loved him. They certainly didn’t sit in terror like they do sometimes when others have the baton.

[B.]

I was there on Sunday and as others have stated in comments I definitely thought that the ballet is meant to be that disturbing because it is hell. It was extremely uncomfortable to watch, especially towards the end.

*************************************
Intermezzo replies - McVicar clearly means the ballet to be disturbing. But Gounod doesn't. The libretto sets the scene in a cave, not in hell. It's supposed to be an orgiastic, hedonistic celebration (Walpurgisnacht) - as the music makes clear. It's not intended as a torture scene or a vision of hell. To be fair, a lot of McVicar's ballet respects that context, even though it's hardly what Gounod would have expected to see.

But what is redundant is McVicar's addition of the 'pregnant' ballerina. The story makes it explicit that an unmarried mother like Marguerite would be shunned by society, even by her own brother. It doesn't need underlining by a clumsy, ugly, noisy dance. All the kicking and punching is absolutely not dramatically justified nor historically representative. It's just a nasty piece of unwarranted misogyny.

[Manou]

You can also look at it another way and consider all this scene as Faust's delirium; he has after all just injected the drugs Gounod, Barbier and Carré never put in the libretto, and he might just be hallucinating Pape in the frock, the ballet turning perverse, and the reenactment of Valentin's death. The pregnant ballerina being abused finally brings him back to reality.

I don't see "unwarranted misogyny" here - just shocking images symbolizing evil.

[Nikolaus Vogel]

Manou - surely it's a tradition that Marguérite wears a blonde wig, non? She is d'après Goethe's Gretchen, of course, who was invariably depicted in Gounod's day as a sweet blonde German with plaits on either side of her head.....

The production - and the ballet in particular - is beyond vulgar, but sounds like it might be worth catching for the cast.

[Rose-Mary Hyslop]

Actually, I prefer Angela's blonde wig to her dyed black locks. Dmitri looks hotter than George Clooney.Probably sings better too.

[Manou]

@Nikolaus Vogel - of course you are right, and here is proof :

http://tinyurl.com/3mp35t4

[sub opera]

The ballet was awful because it was fatuous, self-important and poorly choreographed - as were all the crowd scenes and ridiculous movements by the supernumeraries.

Far too many people doing cartwheels and playing with swords: risible (and not dissimilar to Glyndebourne's yawn-inducing Meistersinger).

[H. E. Pennypacker]

I am utterly baffled by the reaction many here are having to the ballet. Surely compared to any other form of art currently out there what we see in this production is pretty tame. And compared to the opera houses of continental Europe, this Faust seems very conservative, even with the ballet.

[Snapstinget]

It was my first ever Faust and I thought it was wonderful. Not sure Siebel and Wagner quite matched the other principals; actually I found them both rather irrelevant ...

One thing about sitting in row A of the stalls is that it doesn't matter too much if Angela is having one of her quiet nights. I did wonder if anyone else could hear her at first, but she certainly let rip later on in the evening. Every time i see her I realise why she engenders such passionate enthusiasm among her fans. I was even sitting next to a sweet French lady who attends pretty well every performance AG sings. She was a great fan of David McVickar, too :-)

As a Faust virgin I felt there was a point to the ballet. I do feel, though, as always, that McVickar tends to be extremely literal. In this case it was OK by me - I will be all the more prepared for other productions of Faust off the back of this one.

The orchestra did seem to be rather enjoying themselves, too. Almost as if Sunday afternoon was a bit of a lark. I can't comment on the tempi - I just enjoyed one great tune after another.

Another thing: there were lots of seats available on Sunday. Any ideas how this could be?

[DS]

@ Snap

AG isn't singing them all - I presume it is for those nights seats are available. I actually elected to go one of the non-AG nights (Alas, also a non-DH night!) but really looking forward to Malin Bystrom who fairly blew my socks off as Donna Anna in Salzburg.

[Nikolaus Vogel]

Snapstinget - Sunday is not a good day for the corporates who fill the stalls. After a hard week gambling on third world economies defaulting on their debt repayments, they all sod off to the Cotswolds for the weekend. Those of us left in London can't afford the 200 quid it now costs to sit in the seats they don't buy.

[amac]

Overall a pretty good revival - Pape was outstanding and it is a pity we don't see more of him.

Hvorotovsky seems oddly miscast - the Sainte Medaille was awful - although he was better in act 4. Maybe he was having a "night off" - I don't think he sings a lot of French !

I am surprised no one has mentioned (not that I can see !) about the cuts and reordering of act 4.

This to me spoils the second half ( although the opera really needs two 20 mins intervals instead of one 30 min) and it reduces the part of Marguerite quite significantly.

In recordings the ballet music is the best part of 20mins ! I wasn't looking at my watch but it did seem to the full monty !

I was standing in the stalls circle on saturday - and there was the usual ker-fuffle when the "director" turned up for act 3 and found the seat they keep vacant for him had a squatter !

He seemed to be scribbling away in the Jewel Song ! I would dearly love to know what was written and how it was delivered !

***************************************
Intermezzo replies -
"Dear darling precious Angela, you put the earrings on after singing 'Si j'osais seulement me parer un moment de ces pendants d'oreille', not before.
Signed
'Un Ami' "

[Vecchio John]

What has happened to the busts of Patti and Dame Nellie on the staircase up to the Crush Bar? Are they going to be replaced with Netrebko and Gheorghiu in opposing corners?

Was anyone there last night for the stand in of James Valenti for Grigolo? I wonder if this was why the live relay was replaced on Saturday night although I could hear no issue with Grigolo's vocal perfroamnce. Resting ahead of the live video relay I should imagine.

[Kath]

Am pretty new to this opera lark and have been to see the live cinema version of Faust tonight.

I thought Rene Papa was absolutely brilliant as the devil and totally stole the show. I loved the scene between him and Marthe.

D Hvorostovsky was enchanting as Valentin and have loved Angela in everything of hers I have seen so far ( which is not that much I admit)

I could have taken or left the ballet bits but I did like the dancing in the cabaret d'enfer

all in all am now pretty much addicted and all ready planning to see Tosca at the cinema soon

[David]

'Maybe she'll turn up for all her performances too, who knows?'

No such luck. She's pulled out tonight (naturally the night I have tickets!)

[Farfalla]

If I could somehow see even the teensiest tinsiest video of Rene in his black dress... I would be such a happy woman...