Singers do it with their voice, so the embraces, touches, and kisses came off entirely awkward, as that is not their prime medium. Models can effectively convey sensuality through gestures here, there was too much movement. Issachah Savage and Yulia Matochkina with dancers (top) Issachah Savage with dancers (bottom)ĭirector Louisa Muller’s odd production choices muddled the drama. And rather unfortunately, the charisma of Venus, embodied by Yulia Matochkina for the evening, made a Plain Jane of Sara Jakubiak’s Elisabeth, ultimately compromising Wagner’s message of divine, pure spiritual love triumphing over the erotic (the production failed to make the former more appetizing than the latter). Morris Robinson, in the role of Hermann, did dominate. Proving rather problematic, however, was the weakest link Issachah Savage, whose voice in the title role was simply overpowered in both size and harmonic resonance compared with the rest of the cast, fading into the background for important duets and ensembles that demand a heldentenor to truly dominate. The singing was up to a similar par, with choral direction by Grant Gershon. Issachah Savage (top) Yulia Matochkina and Issachah Savage (bottom)Īnd LA Opera’s most recent realization, under the guidance of Conductor James Conlon, did such orchestrations justice. Wagner truly is one of the great seducers of the voice, knowing, down to the very syllable, which vowels can soar above the orchestra with the greatest ease and fluidity - a singer’s wet dream. Not much adorns my computer desktop screen, save the bare essentials - amongst which is the full score to Tannhäuser, some of the most inventive, majestic music constructed to date, a century-and-change since its 1845, 1861, and 1875 inception.
Being Japanese, I am innately programmed to keep clutter to a minimum.
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