What a difference! In the space of a few weeks, I went from experiencing a modern, minimalist performance of Tosca to a very traditional and sumptuous performance of Der Rosenkavalier. I was delighted with the entire performance of Der Rosenkavalier.
First, the cast. Renee Fleming as Marshallin, Susan Graham as Octavian, Kristinn Sigmundsson as Baron Ochs auf Lercheneau, Miah Perrson as Sophie and Ramon Vargas as the poet/singer. The conductor was Edo de Waart.
I was quite impressed by all of the singers and the orchestra. This was my first time hearing Renee Fleming and I was not disappointed. The ensemble singing of Fleming, Graham and Persson in various combinations was sublime. So much for my being critical.
There is much about this opera that intrigues me. The orchestration is one of these. I really noticed the richness and depth of the orchestration. I also noted how there were several levels operating at the same time. There is more of a flow to this opera than a series of arias. Yet, there are two notable arias that exist as a second level over the ongoing flow of the music.
One of these arias is the singer/poet's reading: Di rigori armato il seno. The other is the Baron's Wird kommen uber Nacht. Neither is what I would call a stand-alone aria. Instead, they seem to arise out of the ongoing flow, exist in the light for a bit and then move back into the flow.
I find the libretto of this opera to be very coherent (sometimes a surprise in opera) and both humorous and touching. The two arias noted earlier reflect the two polarities in the opera. The aria of the Baron represents a self-centered and cynical approach to relationships (more pursuit than love). The aria by the singer/poet represents a more romanticized approach. The various characters represent different points along this spectrum from cynicism to idealized love. Along this spectrum one encounters a more realistic and down to earth view of love as in the Marshallin's self-sacrifice for Octavian and Octavian's sensitivity to the needs of both the Marshallin and Sophie.
I do note that the roles of the three protagonists in love are all written for sopranos and are, thus, roles for women. I am intrigued as to why Strauss wrote the opera this way. I can appreciate how the particular sensitivities exhibited by the three lovers might seem incongruent if sung by a male tenor at least at the time this opera was composed. This is not to say that male tenors cannot be sensitive such as Rodolfo in La Boheme. However, there is in Der Rosenkavalier what I would call a heightened sensitivity. In Der Rosenkavalier, the opera spends much time in higher octaves and really conveys the ethereal side of love. The Baron role written for bass again reflects the other pole, the more animalistic side of love.
One might make the argument that the tenor role of the poet, singer plays an integrating role. The words in the libretto of the tenor aria, referred to earlier are:
With my breast armed with hardness
I rebelled against love,
but I was defeated in a flash
by two fleeting glances
I was defeated in a flash, ah!
by two fleeting glances.
Ah! How could a shaft of fire be resisted,
a heart of ice withstand a shaft of fire.
Significantly the aria speaks of moving from a hardened, perhaps cynical view of love to a more passionate view. I note that this aria when it picks up again after a short interlude is soundly shut down by the Baron.
The Barons's view on the topic of love is set forth in his aria mentioned above:
It'll happen overnight
that you'll quite gently
discover what I am to you.
Just like it says in the song.
D'you know the song?
La la la la la -
I'll be everything to you!
With me, with me
no room too small for you,
without me, without me,
every day a misery,
with me, with me
no night too long for you -
Not to worry, the opera ends on a sublime note in the concluding trio.