By Henning Hoholt, editor, Kulturkompasset
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The National Opera and Ballet in Vilnius are continuing showing their high international niveau, this week-end by performing their success performance of Tchaikovskijs opera The Queen of Spades, Piqu Dama, maked by the wonderful young regisseur Gintaras Varnas.
And by a concert performance of Puccinis acclaimed Madame Butterfly outdoor at the Cathedral square, where the celebrated tenor Virgiljus Noreika was triumphing as Pinkerton, together with the wonderful soprano Tatjana Anisimova in the titel role.
VIRGILIJUS NOREIKA
About Noreika I will be so free to mean, that if he has not had the highlight periode of his carriere during the Sovjet periode in Lithuania, he would have been a celebrated world famous tenor together with Pavarotti and Domingo. As Domingo he is still on the absolute top, vocally and, as far as I can hear, he are having many, many years still to perform internationally as tenor in the grown roles, of Verdi, Puccini a.s.o. His Pinkerton was wonderful, and when I heard him a few days ago, at the National Operas gala season opening programme, he was one of the very highlights with several solos.
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THE QUEEN OF SPADES
The modern scenografy, in combination with classical costumes, and a good instruction by the director Gintaras Varnas, were giving a good, well functioning frame around a first class cast, headed by a really good dramatic tenor, Vytautas Kurnickas as Herman. Together with a wonderful singing Lisa, Sigute Stonyt?. And in the titelrole, Inesa Linaburgyt? with a beautiful pianissimo, who were very soft assisted from the orchestra, good leaded by the conductor Liutauras Balciunas. As count Tomsky we again heard the barytone Eugenijus Vasilevskis, who a few days ago was perfect as Scarpia. Yeletsky, was beautifully sung by Laimonas Pauteienius. Who fully deserved the bravos that he received from the audience.
We were also pleased to hear the mail quartet Syrin, Egidjus Dauskurdis and Chekulinsky, sung by the young tenor, Ceslovas Naus?da, which we a few days ago heard as a wonderful Don Jos? in Carmen. Narumas was sung by Vladas Bagdonas and Tvarkylojas by Jonas Valuckas. Laima Jonyt?, who a few days ago did a wonderful Carmen, was performing both Polina and Milovzor.
After having experienced The Queen of Spades at the Opera Bastille in Paris, two years ago where the history was put to a hospital for mental seek persons, however with a wonderful singing Karita Mattila as Lisa and many other celebrities in the leading cast. And at the Royal Opera in Copenhagen last year also with a wonderful cast headed by Stigh Fogh Andersen, his wife Tina Kiberg, and with Lone Koppel as a demonic Countess. I must be honest that this performance totally was the best of these three.
GINTARAS VARNAS
The regissoeur Gintaras Varnas have made this performance to a moving and touching experience for our feelings, his instruction and forming of the leading roles, have made them so we feel the deepness of Pusjkins tragedie in a moving and sincere way, and still he has keept the russian touch, he has also formed it into a history, that could have been happening every where in the world. This have given inspiration to the singers and is helping to that the roles are being so well sung and well performed. The scenography is functioning, and it is keeping its modern form all the way, and the costymes are beautiful. In addition are the ballet part and the panthomime with dolls, in the second act ,during the mask ball, amusing and elegant. The diction of the text were extremely good. However the translation was not superb.
The only detail that I didn?t like, were the eleven spott lights in the back of the stage. They could, and should, have been covered and hidden away. Because they are spoiling the beautiful look out to the emptyness, by stopping our eyes.
Henning Hoholt, hoeholthus@c2i.net
The Lithuanian National Opera, Vilnius
PHOTO PAGE from the Gintaras Varnas production of Spar Dame
in Vilnius
Carmen
Madama Butterfly
Red Giselle
Kurt Weills Womens