Mozart: Mitridate, ré di Ponto
Donald Kaasch (tenor) - Mitridate
Sonora Vaice (soprano) - Aspasia
Sinéad Mulhern (soprano) - Sifare
Bejun Mehta (countertenor) - Farnace
Emma Matthews (soprano) - Ismene
Ingrid Silveus (soprano) - Arbate
John Heuzenroeder (tenor) - Marzio
Australian Chamber Orchestra
Richard Tognetti (conductor)
Graham Vick (director)
Patrick Young (revival director)
Monday 15 January 2001
Capitol Theatre, Sydney
Presented as part of the Sydney Festival 2001
in association with Opera Australia, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden and the Capitol Theatre Management
Mozart's 1770 opera Mitridate, ré di Ponto inevitably provokes wonder at the accomplishments of a 14-year-old. Once one has got over that, it's interesting to reflect on the nature of opera seria in this period of Gluck's reforms. The genre was clearly approaching its end, and the young Mozart uses it as a vehicle to display his youthful brilliance, but it's hardly surprising that we don't get the depth of character portrayal that we find in Handel (or Hasse, for that matter). When Mozart returns to opera seria in his last years with La Clemenza di Tito, the reverse is the case: the music is in the service of deep human emotions. Yet the earlier work, for what it is, is thrilling.
Mitridate, in a 10-year-old production by Graham Vick borrowed from Covent Garden, was the big operatic draw of this year's Sydney Festival. The first appearance of golden boy Richard Tognetti as an opera conductor with his famous band, the Australian Chamber Orchestra, also generated interest, as did the Australian debut of Bejun Mehta, nephew of the conductor Zubin Mehta and one of the young North American countertenors currently making waves in the world's opera houses.
The production bears up well, with none of the reported excesses of recent Vick productions - no feasting on horses' entrails or the like. The set is relatively simple, opening with brick-red walls framing a red plinth with obelisk against a midnight blue backdrop; a small flame burned in a recess at center stage. During the course of the opera, simple movements of the flats and use of lighting achieved striking effects. During the third act a section of the back wall abruptly fell down like a drawbridge (drawing gasps of alarm from audience members), with Roman soldiers then surging through the aperture and down this ramp. An especially nice touch came in the duet which concludes Act II: at the mention of stars in the libretto ("barbare stelle ingrate"), myriad small lights came on in the ceiling of the auditorium.
The costumes (much discussed in the Australian press) and the stage movement relied on a stylized orientalism, combined with a nod to Rococo Europe. The cast was outfitted in 18th-century-style panniers (and, at times, powered wigs), combined with a hint of Japanese armor for the men. Aspasia wore an Egyptian-style headdress in Act II; Ismene and her attendants were got up something like Indian temple dancers. The singers performed in a highly choreographed manner, with a combination of baroque gesture and (particularly for Ismene and her attendants) movements patterned after Asian dance styles. To some extent, this obviated the necessity for naturalistic acting, as all the players seemed to have to do was follow the choreography.
Donald Kaasch brought an appropriate air of authority to his portrayal of Mitridate; his tenor has considerable squillo, but he seemed to be straining for the high Cs in Act III. Sonora Vaice was similarly a visually impressive Aspasia, and she was strong in the bottom of her range, but her high notes were rather squally and her coloratura somewhat sloppy. Conversely, Sinéad Mulhern (Sifare) had no low notes at all. Ingrid Silveus was a competent Arbate; young tenor John Heuzenroeder made a good attempt at Marzio, but his intonation forsook him at times.
Bejun Mehta's Australian debut was quite a success. His commanding countertenor rang out clearly and accurately, filling the house easily; his "Venga pur" was riveting. To these ears, Mehta's older and more famous compatriot David Daniels may have a more beautiful voice, but Mehta's is fuller and more resonant.
Sweeping all before her, however, was the delightful young Australian soprano Emma Matthews, who can comfortably be compared to Sandrine Piau on the Rousset recording of this opera for Decca. Matthews has the same pure, crystalline tone quality as Piau, combined with total tonal accuracy right up to the high notes and a flexible, precise coloratura technique. The demands of Ismene's arias must surely have been compounded by the dancing requirements of the production, but Matthews' singing was in no way compromised.
While this was conductor Richard Tognetti's first opera, he has worked with singers often enough in the past to be aware of the demands of directing vocal as well as orchestral forces. Although the much-lauded Australian Chamber Orchestra used replicas of period instruments on this occasion, they sounded at times like they were playing in symphonic style; their somewhat heavy approach brought to mind an overloaded semi-trailer negotiating hairpin bends.
Overall, this was an exciting and rewarding night at the opera, and another big hit for the Sydney Festival.
© andante Corp. March 2001. All rights reserved.
