by Henning Hoholt
Foto: Martin Mydtskov Rønne
Wrong interpretation of the role as Des Grieux.
Immediately from the very first tunes we knew that the tenor Lars Cleveman in the role as Des Grieux not was a lyric romantic tenor. Here it was, dramatic with fully power from the very opening. - In fact, that can be ok. But in this role, to my oppinnion, where Des Grieux is supposed to be a young student, who are seeing Manon Lescaut for the very first time, and then falling immediately in love, he is performing like they have been in love for many years, and she is suppose to run away with somebody else.
That gives the wrong impression from the first scene, and the tenor dont have anything to build up the dramatic line in his singing and playing on.
He has allready shown us, how he will be when it is coming to the second, and the third acts. That is a pitty, because the voice of Lars Cleveman is good. The role as Des Grieux is very difficult, and in that way mr. Cleveman did a very good job, the many high tunes vwere there, the power were there, we only lacked a little feeling.
The costumes and the outlook did also that the tenor looking too old. So did also Manon Lescaut, when she appears on stage at the very beginning, she locked like an old vidow, and she were supposed to be young and beautiful.
The ourfull wig in the second act was not any better to her. But Anne Margrethe Dahl was singing the role beautiful, and we enjoyed it very much. However I prefere a lyric dramatic soprano with a lighter sound. Per Hoeyer was excellent as Lescaut, and we enjoyed also Geronte de Ravoir sung and performed by Anders Jakobsson.
The scenography made a good frame, still it was a locked scenography, it functioned well, that it was the same frame all the time, with effective changes from the open square by the inn in the first act, to the elegant boudoir. And when the house, according to the text, is surrounded by the police, the back wall was see through, so we could see the police force, that was elegantly done.
The third act opening part was good too. But I didnt like whem the sett was raised half up. It has been better to raise it completely and we only have had the empty stage. By the way the blue daylight surrounding the singer in that same scene was much too strong, it could have been reduceds to a third part, and then been using a few follow spots to the two singers.
Too loud music
The orchestra leaded by Giordano Bellincampo was making as much sound (noice) as possibel. Here we didnt hear any of the romantic feelings that I suppose Puccini has been meaning in the music.
Unfortunately, i am afraid that it was the sympnonic conductor who was moustly interested in that the performance should sound like symphony, and not interested in that we, the audience, also would like to hear the singers and the text some of the time. To be an opera conductor, is a demanding and difficult job, you have to lissen to the singers, and to feel, when you can give power, from the orchestra, and also give the singers the posibility to be heard. That was may be therefore that the tenor was starting with so big force. During the way it was being screaming and that was a pitty.
We know that this conductor is chief conductor at the symphony orchestra, which leaded by an other conductor, are playing to the Nutcracker performances at Tivoli. We also do understand that there can be an agreement between that orchestra and The Royal Opera House, eventually to use mr. Bellincampo for some other performances, but in this case, it is my oppinnion that the music chief, as far as I know mr. Michael Schoenwandt shall use his knowledge, to help the conductor, not to spoil a performance for the singers and for the audience, but to come to the best posible result. Well in fact this interne business, is not of my business.
Henning Hoholt, hoeholthus@c2i.net
Det Kongelige Teater, Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Opera
Giacomo Puccini:
Manon Lescaut
