Review - Mahler & Mozart, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall, 20 October 2016

Violin Concerto No. 4 (Mozart)
Encore: Presto from Violin Sonata No. 4 (Ysaÿe)

Symphony No. 1 (Mahler)

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Tianwa Yang (Violinist)
Jaap van Zweden (Conductor)

This is my first concert of the new season by the philharmonic orchestra, also a start to the two years long Mahler cycle. Like many previous programme featuring late romantic symphonic works, Mozart occupies the first half for a conservative choice instead of offering works from the second Viennese school or later. Any dissonance and experimentalism is shelved on the wall for the sake of comfort. Moreover, Tianwa Yang is a technical orientated violinist than on lyricism, a mismatch I reckon for Mozart's fourth violin concerto which greatly emphasis on exquisite tone quality. Acoustically at where I sat under the balcony, the general tutti sound from stage seems rather distance but the raw quality of the first violins' playing were also noticeable. Zweden took a rather swift tempo for a fluid orchestra introduction in the concerto and balance with the soloist is well controlled. Despite Yang's rather exaggerate posture, her playing produced a pleasant tone and could have employed more hairs to sustain the legato than accenting so abruptly. Though the tuning in the double stopping entry at the first cadenza was shaky and the technical display was styled beyond the classical period. 

In the second movement, Yang should employ less vibrato and smoothen the tone on the bow, which was detached and heavy handed on position changes. Intonation was often insecure and some awkward phrasing that the music increasingly went out of shape. The second cadenza sounded more like an improvised one with the harmonic progression went very distanced, before turning to an abrupt coda that took the orchestra by surprise. Although the third movement is more well suited to her technique, the bow attacks were rather aggressive with too much weights. The final cadenza again a technical showcase but ended with an upward climb to the highest finger positions seems an incomplete finish. She was more in home territory showcasing an impressive encore of the presto movement from Ysaÿe's fourth violin sonata. 

The philharmonic orchestra had delivered many quality and memorable performances last season, including the Beethoven's symphonies cycle and Bruckner's fourth symphony. Though whether this time to do with limited rehearsal time and preparing a tour to China, the rendition of Mahler's first symphony required more thinking and bites for a more successful outcome. Zweden's conducting was rather metric in the mysterious opening, which resulted an angular reading of the music than a natural progression. The joyful pastoral section would need more space to breathe and sing than rushing it through, whereas rather slow tempo for the bird calls' dialogues among the woodwinds. The transition to the dark and solemn part was more success in tempo control and produced that mysterious feeling than a tragic overtone. Though later some intonation problems among the horns, trumpets and clarinets, and that the produced sound was often muffled. The recalling to the pastoral image also needed to dance more, and the orchestra lacked the weight in sound body at the muscular transition. The triumphant coda was polished and solid enough to redeem from a lesser impressive start.

The ländler dance in the second movement would be more effective, if the orchestral playing was more wild and gave more attacks than being careful. The waltz was on a steady side too that it did not quite drive the momentum forward. The volume was appropriately double at the recapitulation but the horn section would need to give more than holding back. Tempo was right for the funeral march in the double bass solo at the beginning of the third movement. Woodwinds were too nice though that lacked the bites to articulate their entries and made the dynamic contrast. In turn, the lyric section was dreamy enough and polished. The muted trumpets would also need to move more than dragging the tempo at the recapitulation, which the spell for a fading march was somehow lost into the attaca of fourth movement.

The long crescendo in the violent opening of the last movement made an impression and structurally clear. Though Zweden adapted a very broad tempo in the first emotionally expressive passage, which the music was in danger losing the effect of emotion outpour. Even so, the orchestra finally came together at the mysterious return to the violent stormy part. It produced the sheer dramatic impact and unleashing the energy with depth in its playing. The horn produced a magnificent sound at the triumphant climax along with the energetic percussions. Tempo changes for the second tender and expressive moment was more accurately captured and better phrased. Though the crescendo would need to sustain more and in volume for the contrast. Poor horns' tuning again at the transition before reaching the triumphant conclusion, which the music spoke for itself to display all brilliancy.

(Photo credit: HKphil website, Jonathan Ng)

Review - Otello (Verdi), Opera Hong Kong, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre, 16 October 2016

Otello - Carl Tanner
Desdemona - Valeria Sepe
Iago - Matias Tosi
Cassio - Chen Chen
Emilia - Samantha Chong
Roderigo - Frankie Liu
Lodovico - Gong Dongjian
Montano - Sammy Chien
Herald - Frankie Fung

Opera Hong Kong Chorus and Children Chorus
Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Maurizio di Mattia (Director and Lighting)
Gianluca Martinenghi (Conductor)

To commemorate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death, Opera Hong Kong mounts a new production of Otello, which is one of Verdi's most dramatic and musically progressive grand operas. The winged lion of St Mark, a notable symbol of Venice, makes a bold visual image on the safety curtain. The new staging by Mattia, in collaboration with Rome opera, attempts to bridge convention stage directions with conceptual approaches of psychology and atmosphere. Though as a whole the idea far from a developed one that often being random, inconsistent and far from making a statement.

Instead of a black and white imagery, lightning effects along orange-red-blue stage lights do not make an effective representation of the opening stormy scene. The choir choreography at first is alike a chaotic revolution scene than a nervous observation of the naval battle from afar. Neither circular blocks that dominate the centred stage are unable to create the physical sense of a public space but only tall structures. The quasi Islamic costume and drunken actions have some similarities of the pirate town portrays in the Hollywood blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean. The outfit of Iago also resembles captain Jack Sparrow in the film. Whether the director is suggesting the two are similar, Iago is supposedly a more cunning and terrifying figure. The silenced dancers, later as metaphorical representation of evilness and temptation, are introduced as seductive figures during the celebration of military victory.

When the blocks turn into an oval courtyard with a hanging city gate in act two, it becomes a rather gentle and soft as backdrop, not really able to produce the platform for Iago's declaration of revenge and sinister remarks. The dance choreography is entertaining to see and captures the pastoral rhythmic movement of the music, but far from portraying the bad spirits that probably in mind at first place. The stage direction is then at the basic level with the chorus forming a cardboard human wall. It may be an opportunity to display a full and happy choir with children members, but the dramaturgy is lost that not realising the atmospheric change in line of Otello's diminishing faith, poisoned mind and jealousy towards Desdemona. The purpose of a man dies after kissing a woman, behind a transparent screen at the beginning of act three, is again unclear except foretelling the tragic outcome. Though the stage set should be credited for its beautiful appearance of the evening as Otello's exotic decorated study, with Islamic lanterns and a hanging crucifix. Upon the arrival of Lodovico, the Venetian ambassador, his outlook with powdered wig and silver coat strangely recall the presentation scene of silver rose by Octavian in Otto Schenk's staging of Der Rosenkavalier.

Reference to classic stagings continues further into the last act with ballet blanc, which silenced figures wear veils and dress in full white bell shaped skirts. This leaves us to puzzle whether these are spirits or supernatural beings congregate in a murder scene and if their purposes are spectators or metaphor of death. The murder and confession moment is also dramatically underwhelming. The bedroom stage set is atmospheric on its own, but the dramaturgy far from creating the crushing emotional breakdown of Otello before his suicide. Singers seems on their own device in figuring out the death sequence than delivering a natural progression.  In sum, the staging can be more coherent and focus without too much references since any directorial approach is to articulate and develop the key aspects. It also needs to develop a style of its own than a mixture of borrowed ideas.

Acoustically the grand theatre is not that dry, but the projection of produced sound does not carry to the hall in full even I am hearing eight rows away from the stage. The orchestra does not produce the wall of sound at the suppose violent and tempestuous passage in the beginning, though the chorus is heard more prominently in terms of balance. Throughout the performance, voices of the adult choir blend well together with a healthy vocal volume. Diction fares better at tutti moments and long vowels, but the men hurry at the heavy texting passage in act one, which results a sudden drop in vocal volume and untidy entries.

Among all soloists, the dramatic tenor Carl Tanner as the protagonist is vocally most consistent and technically capable. A full tone with the sheer body of sound and projection. Many thoughts put in phrasing and diction is convincing enough to sound Italianate. His voice never sound tired, ably to sustain the energy and comfortable with the tessitura throughout. There is a differentiation in his vocal colours that make it interesting to appreciate and enjoy. Although some coordination issues with the orchestra in the beginning of act three, that is quickly rectified and back in place again. His role portrayal is a classic one to display the war hero in jealousy, rage and nervous breakdown, but the stage direction does not help to make a strong impression is unfortunate.

One have mixed feelings for Valeria Sepe, who sings the role of Desdemona. Her voice condition is healthy, especially soaring upwards for higher vocal range with a ringing tone, but diction is surprisingly poor as native speaker and often shaky with intonation. It takes some time to settle with tuning in her first entry of act one and at the danger in out of sync with the orchestra. The passionate duet with Otello is all loud in volume but vocal richness is in absence. The most bothering part is she uses this undesirable approach to close up and darken the vowels. The method produces a worn out voice alike an elderly woman singing quality and greatly reduces the vocal support in projection. The lack of phrasing is also why she struggles to coordinate with the orchestra, especially the Ave Maria in last act which is neither moving and a mess. Otherwise, she looks beautiful and youthful for the role, also the singing is more comfortable in act three when Desdemona asks for forgiveness from Otello.

Matias Tosi is better with his dance moves as a young and cunning Iago, resembling the eccentric Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, than in his singing. Vocally he lacks a differentiation in tone and belting out the notes without any phrasing. Then tiredness sinks in and unable to sustain the vocal energy at the duet with Otello on disloyalty in act two. The projection diminishes to a barely audible level and becomes throaty that struggles to complete a phrase. He also sounds more as a baritone than bass baritone that struggles to produce low notes and lacks the depth of richness. Diction is very often muddled and the voice is not an exciting one to hear repeatedly. One is more convinced that Gong Dongjian would have made a capable alternate Iago with the right vocal colour and volume. Chen Chen convinces me as an oratorio singer than in opera by being too polish and underwhelming in projection as Cassio. Other minor roles are presentable but generally need to improve the diction to sound more Italianate. Gianluca Martinenghi appropriately employs a rather broad tempo in his conducting that the music playing is neither rush nor drag. The very capable philharmonic orchestra produces many fine moments and saves the performance with good musical directions and maintains dramatic impulse.

(Photos: Opera Hong Kong Facebook Page)