Review - Stabat Mater (Dvořák), National Theatre Brno, 2017 Hong Kong Arts Festival

Pavla Vykopalová (soprano)
Jana Hrochová (alto)
Aleš Briscein (tenor)
Jiří Sulženko (bass)

Orchestra and Chorus of the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno
Jaroslav Kyzlink (Conductor)

Melodious tunes marks Dvořák's Stabat Mater with simplicity and subtleness. It is not after theatrical dramatisation of the text but almost an inward hymnal meditation. The soft music in tenderness and steady tempo seems a consolation in answering the mishaps of Dvořák's children died during infancy and also illness. Though the orchestral playing at the misty opening lacked a flowing sense, despite the tone colour was more transparent than it was accompanying the Makropulos case. Choral entries was more able to create the contrast from the still opening through into the vigorous ebb and flow of dynamic changes. A sheer energy geared towards the climax and made an impact. Disappointingly Aleš Briscein sounded unsure in the tenor solo part and dragged the tempo along, which as a result messy coordination with the orchestra. Only the tutti choral moment joined by the vocal quartet later produced a more heavenward and majestic impression. Different voice parts complimented each other in a homogenous sound and minimal employment of vibrato. The crescendo at the emotional coda would have been effective if the orchestra had driven the momentum forward than being too steady.

Broad tempo stayed in the second movement 'Quis est homo' and the alto soloist Jana Hrochová was rather underwhelming in her vocal projection. Neither the tragic sentiments were effectively

captured but a dreamy state and cloudy sound instead. This was quickly rectified by the chorus at the passionate 'Eia Mater, fons amoris', which sustained more energy and direction in their singing. Although diction was rather muddy, the choir produced a ringing bright tone and smoothness alike they were chanting. The fifth movement, 'Fac, ut ardeat cor meum', was the only solo item for the bass soloist. The choice was probably to reflect the personal yearning for internal renewal of soul and mind by purpose. Jiří Sulženko gave a pleasant rendition of the lyrical yet rather calm singing part. Though the dialogue between brass and strings was messy along with sluggish woodwinds' playing. Pipe organ registrations were also rather heavy for such intimate movement.

The following 'Tui nati vulnerati' was atmospherically pastoral and the music stayed tender despite an abrupt change in tempo. Intonation of the tenor solo in 'Fac me vere tecum flere' was flat while singing soft. Tuning improved as the dynamic increased to forte but the repetitive folk tunes were rather dull to listen after a while. Although the choir maintained the bright tone colour and good tuning in the lullaby like 'Virgo virginum', the produced shape was rather square than a flowing impression. Soloists in both 'Fac, ut porten Christi mortem' and 'Inflammatus et accensus' were insecure in their singing parts, which further prolonged the musical boredom. Jana Hrochová was especially underweight and one hardly could understand the words she was producing. Emotions and drama finally released in sheer force in the last movement 'Quando corpus morietur'. Choral singing sustained the intensity of the exuberant and triumphant fugal finale, but let down again by the messy strings' playing at the scalic climbs towards the end.

Review - The Makropulos Case (Janáček), National Theatre Brno, 2017 Hong Kong Arts Festival

Emilia Marty - Annalena Persson
Albert Gregor - Aleš Briscein
Vítek - Petr Levíček
Kristina - Eva Štěrbová
Jaroslav Prus - Svatopluk Sem
Dr Kolenatý - František Ďuriač
Janek - Peter Račko
A Stage Technician - Jiří Klecker
A Cleaning Woman - Jitka Zerhauová
Hauk-Šendorf - Jan Markvart
Chambermaid - Jana Hrochová

Orchestra and Chorus of the Janáček Opera of the National Theatre Brno

Marko Ivanović (Conductor)
David Radok (Director)

The purpose and cost of longevity is interpreted with fascination and strangeness in Janáček's The Makropulos Case. Emilia Makropulous, the protagonist, disguised herself through centuries in different forms and engineered her path to eternity carefully. The tale is presented as a detective story to unfold the past and secrets through sequence of actions. It all culminates to a sympathetic understanding of Marty's fate, yet the development can be seen bizarre at first encounter. Despite David Radok's production convention by outlook, the dramaturgy was able to realise the transformation of realism into a surreal and dramatic end. The law office scene was where all the main characters being introduced, and Marty surprised everyone by solving an inheritance dispute with all the missing information that no one knows. Her entry into office was also random, but yet she made a logical and cool impression in helping out Gregor.

The symmetrical office space gradually changed into theatre sets at a backstage in act two. Marty's reception of her male admirers varied and more welcoming to older ones. She remained blunt to Gregor, who did not know he was her son, and even threw the bouquet to floor after he sent her with affection. Yet kind towards her old acquaintance Šendorf when he recalled her as a gypsy in his youth. She in turn sexually subdued Prus, who wanted to reveal the secrets of her past, but that led to his son Janek's suicide, who was tormented and overwhelmed by his secret affection for her. She was manipulative and cruel in order to obtain the formula to prolong her life by all means.

By last act only a bed left with a sink and dressing desk next to an open corridor. Although Marty acquired the prescription list from Prus, she became lost and emotional when Kolenatý questioned of her past. Despite long life kept her soul alive, physically she was a living dead and yearned for salvation by reciting the first line of the Lord's prayer. The complex personality of Marty was also inspired by Kamila Stösslová, who kept a friendly distance from Janáček even he was strongly attracted to. The Makropulos Case was also arguably a romanticised portrayal of his entanglements than simply a novel fascination of age. He seems on purpose to complain Stösslová's coolness towards him, but the same time his fascination of her was given a heroine treatment.

Musically, the orchestra was underwhelming and sloppy at the first evening. Whether to do with the layout of winds on one side and strings the other, the brass fanfare in the overture did not project well and sounded unsure. Later the band dragged the tempo throughout act one and lacked direction in its playing. Muffled sound produced by the horns and woodwinds were at times chaotic in coordination. In act two, the orchestra was often a fraction behind the singers and the produced tone rather thin in body. Some improvement in the last act for tidier playing but the momentum did not always flow naturally. The end was again underwhelming and far from producing the impact as it slowed down too much. It was more successful the following night in terms of precision and more bites during the horns' melodic section. There was more shapes in the music and the brass were able to deliver the dramatic impact.

Annalena Persson, as Marty, did not possess a rich tone and lacked the desired warmth. The climb to the higher vocal register was not smooth especially in the lyrical and expressive last act. Tuning was shaky and the first attempt was crying out the notes than singing it. Lesser vibrato in the second evening improved the articulation but diction remained blurry. Her tessitura was more comfortable and secured in the mid range and effective as an actress. A vivid portrayal of Marty by capturing the contrast in emotions and characters in her dealing with men. She sustained the focus and intensity by turning the protagonist into an ultimate heroine. Aleš Briscein's Gregor was more natural in phrasing the text and music, which carried more direction and better intonation. Svatopluk Sem gave an intensive exchange when Prus threatened Marty of revealing her past while making sexual advance. Youthful timbre from Eva Štěrbová and Peter Račko produced a transparent tone with a bell like colour. Rest of the supportive roles were presentable with the ideal tone colour that suitable to their roles. As a whole, seeing the opera twice helped to understand the symbolism, but only an inspiring production and a stronger cast of singers would attract a future revisit.

Review - Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra and Sascha Goetzel, 2017 Hong Kong Arts Festival, 15 Feb 2017 & 16 Feb 2017

15 February 2017:
Capriccio a la Turque (Tüzün)
Violin Concerto (Macmillan)
Encore: Il carnevale di Venezia (Paganini)
Scheherazade (Rimsky-Korsakov)
Encore: Köçekçe (Erkin)

16 February 2017:
Ogelala (Schulhoff)
Piano Concert No. 1 (Saygun)
Islamey (Balakirev)
Belkis, Queen of Sheba (Respighi)
Encore: Köçekçe (Erkin)

Vadim Repin (violin)
Gülsin Onay (piano)
Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra
Sascha Goetzel (conductor)

Despite this year Arts Festival began with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, strangely it was the Bavarian State Ballet marked the opening an evening later. Even so, the orchestra was impressive than anticipated. Technically sections of the orchestra were balanced with a unique colour in the playing style despite some questionable interpretations. The programme also reflected the orchestra versatility in romantic and contemporary works. The will to engage experimental music made a progressive appearance. Yet the intellectual exercise still reached a fine balance with the oriental outlook to recall its diverse cultural legacies. Exuberant rhythmic movement also made a festive start of the festival with diverse repertoire than the usual staple diets.

Tüzün's Capriccio a la Turque carried a contemporary oriental impression and structurally complex. The opening tutti was rhythmically energetic and muscular in texture but not too dense. A sedate state followed with a fusion of blues and dissonant music. String's tremolo produced a rocking and dreamy state before concluding in a vigorous and wild dance. Though a more transparent tone colour would have elevate the brilliancy than culminating a heavy taste.

Macmillan's Violin Concerto was a bold choice to perform but the orchestra not always able to shape the music meaningfully. At first, Vadim Repin's playing sounded timid by positioning rather into the first desk circle. The soloist role seems a supportive one than leading. Ongoing rhythmic passages hurried along but structurally misty. The climatic point by horns would need more ritardando to build up the intension. There seems a homage to Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring in the following tribal dance passage. In turn, the glockenspiel, piano and woodwinds gave a surreal bell tolling moment. The coda was abrupt and enigmatic during the tutti ascend. Refined solo violin playing even in dissonance at the dreamy and surreal beginning of the second movement. Though one felt that the orchestra was playing the notes than phrasing the music.

An enigmatic transition from a sorrow and moody lament by lower brass into a folk like section, which played by various percussion and harmonics on the solo violin. After the fanfare from brass it developed into a grotesque outlook but Elgarian sentiments the same time. The folk like theme returned on the piccolo led to a flickering and inconclusive end. A violent start to the third movement with strong rhythmic momentum and aggressive climbs. The solo violin part was more prominent than the accompanying role before. A tribal dance section followed that recalling the music of Leonard Bernstein. The violin solo part was heavy on scales and employed percussive effects with bow on the strings. More so in the cadenza display of virtuosity with repeated double stopping on arpeggios. Though the orchestra would need a broader tempo so the devastation would carry more the crushing impact than hurrying through.

For the second half, the symphonic suite Scheherazade made a more familiar appearance in terms of repertoire but with a twist. Two traditional instruments, oud and qanun, played between movements and added percussions to encapsulate the oriental impression. Though Goetzel's execution of tempo changes and allowance of rubato in instrumental solos were not always convincing. The opening tutti progression was broad and even feeling slow, despite sublime and legato violin solo by the orchestra leader Pelin Halkacı Akın. Tutti strings were polished in their playing but at first felt short from producing a rich tone. The outpour of emotions in full as gearing towards the climax. Magnificent brass playing in a radiant tone with confidence. Alike a lute, the Oud rendered middle eastern tunes and set the scene for the second part. Solo parts took time in their playing but often overdone by elongating the tempo. The violin solo was more musically shaped and secured in tuning, whereas the bassoonist approached with a broad tempo and meditative in mind. Oboe solo was noble in style but too relax than driving the music forward. The extra use of traditional percussion enhanced the middle eastern characters and gave a unique colour to the music. The employed rubato in the clarinet's solo was not very musical later in the violent and war like calls. Only the heroic majesty tutti was more dramatically delivered in sustaining the galloping momentum.

The qanun interlude followed was surreal in style compared to the sweet and passionate string tutti that later began the third movement. Majestic cellos' playing in because but rather steady with tempo. The violin solo continued to be sublime and the phrasing carried a level of depth. Different solos tried hard to draw out the sentiments and beauty alike an operatic dialogues within parts. The intention seems more inward looking at the music but ignoring the dance like rhythmic movement. Oud and qanun played a duet in the final interlude before the last movement. It was more positive looking at first before fading away. Violin solo was slightly underweight in first entry and dragged the tempo along. Later the ebb and flow of emotions had the thinking of a sophisticated dance in mind. The accelerando at the passionate and explosive gallop was dramatically captured by the orchestra. Nevertheless, coordination between parts were messy sometimes and the music did not flow naturally towards the conclusion. One did not find the interpretation as a whole always convincing, but the orchestra had successfully to interpret the work with distinctive characters.

First half of the second evening consisted of two works by Turkish composers that composed in the first half of the twentieth century. Schulhoff's Ogelala was highly dramatic and texturally dense as a ballet piece. It began with a moody and dissonant march then built up to a violent climax. Bombastic percussions created a gripping intensity followed by a melancholic flute solo. A majestic march formed the mid section with an exotic colour before returning to the war like conclusion. Strong rhythmic movement and energetic percussion units evoked a wild tribal dance but came to an abrupt end in a grotesque form.

Saygun's first piano concerto carried influences by Rachmaninov, Prokofiev and Bartok, but also mysterious and surreal in outlook. The gallop that began the first movement was answered by a chromatic piano introduction in dreamy state. Woodwinds' transition was aimless at first and abstract. The music went increasingly violent with piercing cries from winds to evoke a horror scene. Thick orchestral texture during the ebb and flow of dynamics by crushing tutti blows. A moody and mysterious piano cadenza even had some hint of Rachmaninov's romanticism. Wild cries from the orchestra made a grotesque conclusion but far from producing a devastating impact. The second movement was in an abstract form played by two flutes and bassoons. Onay tried to maintain a level of warmth and weight in her playing even the piano solo was supposedly bleak in colour. The rest was between a dreamy lullaby state and a sorrowful dissonant sound world. Towards the end it turned into a meditative state and remained abstract, only the energetic attaca gave a more positive looking in the final movement. Harmonically complex in the piano part when pentatonic and chromatic sequences intertwined. The coda was marked by a wild orchestral gallop in crescendo for a reassuring end.

Works in the second half again carried strong rhythmic movements and a study of orientalism. Balakirev's Islamey began in an energetic dance followed by a lush romantic theme from the cellos, though could employ less rubato to drive the music forward. A beautiful orient dance passage gave a calm moment before the return of energetic dance section. The orchestra paced well in building the accelerando and made a brilliant end of the fantasia like conclusion. An exotic and heavily orient influenced flute introduction made an enchanting introduction of Respighi's Queen of Sheba. A majestic march theme, played by the brass along with bells, was answered by an emotional cello solo. The strings played in a rich bodied tone before fading away. Third movement was muscular and war like in style with an orient theme led by the clarinet. In turn, the last movement was more gentle and sedate at first to evoke a pictorial dawn at the dessert. The subtleness was then replaced by an erotic tribal dance that muscular in body. Vigorous percussions and magnificent brass playing delivered a triumphant finale by the sheer sound impact. Despite Erkin's Köçekçe was colourful in scoring, one would have prefer an encore for a light affair than another bombastic and dance heavy featured work.