Richard Strauss' DER ROSENKAVALIER (Cavalier of the Rose) Zurich 2003: Welser-Möst/Kasarova, Stemme, Hartelius, Muff

Premiered in January 1911, this most Mozart-ish of Richard Strauss opera is a delightfully witty farce that bears no resemblance to the gore and morbid obsessions of his two previous works; Salome and Elektra. The music is wonderfully melodic (reportedly composed as a tribute to Mozart), neither as dissonant, nor as serious, but every bit as scenically descriptive. So if you have been turned off by Salome and Elektra before, Der Rosenkavalier is worth a try. It has loads of fun and nobody dies (there is a sworded foot, however).

The story:
The Rosenkavalier is the title of the young man whose duty is to present the engagement token (the silver rose) to the bride to be on the man's behalf. It is presented in the opera as an established Viennese custom, but it actually is an invention of the librettist Hugo von Hoffmanstahl). The story essentially concerns a worldly older noble woman (The thirty-something years old Princess of Werdenberg, wife of the Feldmarschall) known as 'The Marschallin' who loses her ardent young lover (Octavian Count Rofrano) gracefully to a younger woman (Sophie Faninal). The long opera is filled out by many side plots involving the Marschallin's prude of a cousin, Baron Ochs of Lechenau, who wants to marry Sophie’s money while romancing the Marschallin’s young chambermaid Mariandel (none other than a cross-dressed Octavian trying to escape being improperly caught in her bedroom).

Musically, the opera opens with a wonderfully graphically romantic overture that describes sonically what the censors (at least back in the mid 20th Century) would never have allowed to be shown on stage (it is x-rated). This is a German romantic opera with music that flows nearly seamlessly from start to finish (no clear break between recitative and singing numbers). The orchestration is 'intellectual' and can be an acquired taste for newcomers to opera. You really must read the libretto (text) of the opera before watching it, and then listen to the orchestra for environmental/circumstantial clues to the story, since Richard Strauss composed very scenically. That little fluttering flute solo miming the birds chirping in the first scene; for example, is what aggravates Octavian out of his Marschallin's embrace. Then the Marschallin's own dose of agitation is cued by the rumble of the string section miming the arrival of a horse carriage. And so on and so forth. Also, listen for the 'leitmotif' or recurring musical themes... They're highly tailor-made to give away each character’s personality (I guess young Mohammed is a bit squirrel-ish, ay?). This opera also boasts two of the most gorgeous soprano duets and trio ever written. The first is Act II's The Presentation of the Rose (Mir ist die Ehre wiederfahren), and the other 2 at the very end of the opera (trio ‘Hab’mir’s gelobt’ and duet ‘Ist ein Traum/Spür nur dich). This uncut version of Der Rosenkavalier is a long show, but the finale alone is worth staying up for!

This live DVD recording of a performance at Zurich Opera is a good introduction to Richard Strauss’ most popular opera.

See video clips from this DVD at:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=duCLxR6tIIw (The Presentation of the Rose: when Oktavian met Sophie)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eZt_JlEyb8 (The Trio... in more ways than one)

CAST:
The Marschallin ::: Nina Stemme (Soprano)
Octavian/Mariandel ::: Vesselina Kasarova (mezzo-soprano)
Sophie Faninal ::: Malin Hartelius (soprano)
Baron Ochs of Lechenau ::: Alfred Muff (bass)
Herr von Faninal ::: Rolf Haunstein (baritone)
Italian Singer ::: Boiko Zvetanov (tenor)
Valzacchi ::: Rudolf Schasching (tenor)
Annina ::: Brigitte Pinter (soprano)
Conductor ::: Franz Welser-Möst / Orchestra and Choir of Zurich Opera
Stage Director ::: Sven-Eric Bechtolf
TV Dirctor ::: Chloé Perlemuter

Der Rosenkavalier is very much a period piece and doesn't generally play well in modernized staging. This production gets away with it, in my opinion, because it is not so much a ‘modernized’ staging as it is a ‘conceptualized’ one where you can lose yourself in the gist of the story without having to worry much about the ‘formality’. The setting, both location-wise and time-wise is so ambiguous that it is possible for me to divorce it from real world association and to place the story in my own imaginary country where the nobility sleep on the floor of a faux Japanese bedroom decorated with leafless dead trees, where a knight can proclaim the valor of his sword while wielding a fireplace poker in his hand, or where the upper class sees fit to welcome noble guests in his kitchen, etc. So.... if you are one of those opera fans who are fixated on the concept of ‘period piece’ being set in its own period... this production is probably not for you. If you are willing to let go of tradition and have fun with this comic opera, however, I find this production beautifully light-hearted and humorous.

Sven-Eric Bechtolf’s direction is mostly very good (it helps that all the principals are committed actors) and even the chorus members all seem purposeful on the stage (they don’t just stand around waiting to sing). Though perhaps should have taken more care that the libretto reflects what’s really happening on the stage (for example, Octavian appears in the down-stage window at the beginning of Act II wearing black coat and hat as Marianne Leitmetzerin sings for all to hear of how divine he looks being clothed in silver from head to toe). The video is mostly well shot by the TV director, Chloé Perlemuter, also, though there are occasions where Octavian is blocked by Sophie when he is singing.

The musical performance is astoundingly marvelous. The Swedish soprano, Nina Stemme, is a wonderful Marschallin. Known as the premier Wagnerian lyric soprano today, she displays her sweet voice (with real power) and great nuances in her phrasing. Her high B at the beginning of the trio is a real goosebump-inducer (heart-broken, but not going to pieces just yet), and she acts well with Vesselina Kasarova's equally wonderful Octavian. I think the role’s music sits quite high for her (being a rather deep lyric mezzo while Octavian is often sung by a soprano) and she looks quite tired by the last scene, though none of the fatigue ever shows up in her voice. Her Octavian is not only well (and delightfully lyrically) sung but also well acted. She is convincing as a male, though is never 'butch', and is one of the funniest Mariandels available on recordings.

The Swedish soprano Malin Hartelius is a wonderful revelation as Sophie. What a voice Powerful, sweet, ethereal at the top (though her high B’s don't sound like the rest of the voice), and perfectly controlled... This gal can give the legendary Lucia Popp and Barbara Bonney a run for their money in this role. The 3 soprani (Octavian is close enough a soprano even when he is sung by a mezzo) voices blend beautifully in the ensemble pieces while being different enough for us to know who is singing which line. Alfred Muff is a convincingly acted Ochs; Funny and rude. He is never really vulgar, but just a spoiled rotten nobleman who is convinced of his entitlement. Boiko Zvetanov somehow survives his short but sonorous appearance as the Chinese singing chess-playing machine, and the rest of the cast are competent both in singing and comic acting.

Maestro Welser-Möst has a good go at the speed record in conducting this piece at a very brisk pace, though without compromising its musical beauty. I think he gets a bit too loud with the orchestra at times, especially toward the end, but didn’t successfully finish his singers off.... and it all turns out gorgeously.

The bottom line: Even if you can't stand the non-traditional staging of Der Rosenkavalier, this DVD is worth having if only for the musical performance alone. If there is a CD release of it, it will knock the legendary 1986 Decca recording by Georg Solti (with Crespin, Donath, Minton) off my play-list for sure.

O, for ..ahem... traditional and new-to-the-opera viewers, there is no nudity, but there is a lesbian kiss (that isn't really lesbian kiss... since one of the girl is playing a man) toward the end of Act II... This isn’t avoidable. You will have that with practically any DVD or live staged performance of this opera... So there it is. If you prefer traditional staging of this opera, you might enjoy the ROH 1985 DVD of the opera better.

2 DVD. Play-time: 3 hrs 24 mins. Sung in German with subtitle in English, French, German, Italian. No booklet, just a sheet containing cast list and track list. Extras: clips from other EMI Classics productions on the 2nd DVD.

A few other recordings of Richard Strauss opera:
Elektra (Cologne 1953: Varnay, Fischer), Elektra (Götz Friedrich 1982 film: Rysanek, Varnay)

Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12