The WNO’s ‘Fidelio’ Both Hits and Misses
Francesca Zambello’s potent vision isn’t quite enough to lift "Fidelio" beyond more than a few inspired moments.
Opera may not be the nimblest of the arts, but in choosing Beethoven’s Fidelio, Francesca Zambello’s production lands right on time.
From the opera’s theme of political imprisonment to S. Katy Tucker’s haunting intro projections of prisons, actual political prisoners, and snippets of poignant Constitutional rights, its relevance is given in no uncertain terms.
Indeed, reports that a particular presidential candidate has discussed using the military to control the “enemy within” only adds to its prescience.
That said, Zambello’s potent vision isn’t quite enough to lift this production beyond more than a few inspired moments and the chance to hear conductor Robert Spano deliver the composer’s only opera (an experience Beethoven hated so much, he vowed never to attempt another one).
Of course, not all of this is on the interpretation. Despite the beauty and depth of the score, the narrative has some oddities, such as assuming rather a lot of knowledge before we join the action.
Specifically, we are expected to go in knowing that citizen-activist Florestan has already been imprisoned for protesting an oppressive government and his wife Leonore, desperate to free him, has disguised herself as a young man (the titular Fidelio) and secured a job with the prison warden Rocco.
Cutting even further to the chase, the warden’s daughter, Marzelline, already has a crush on the newcomer. Although Zambello cleverly obviates at least some of this backstory via a mimed vignette during the overture, it can never quite compensate for the kind of drama that begs to be an Act 1.
And, as operas go, this one won’t have anyone scrabbling for the program synopsis. Despite some hemming and hawing, the semi-comedic subplot of the unrequited crush, and a few whiffs of peril, there is little that comes between Leonore’s plan and a roundly happy ending.
There may be sublime moments of Beethoven, but, frankly, sometimes it drags. And with such simple elements, everything is magnified. When performances are uneven or the chemistry fails, there’s nowhere to hide.
Case in point are the more light-hearted moments in which Marzelline happily ignores her erstwhile suitor Jaquino in favor of Fidelio, oblivious to the fact that she is fawning over another woman. Sure, it’s a challenge to insert some comedy into an otherwise deadly-serious tale, but this still feels only partially invested, with nothing that actually sparks the scenario into life.
Tenor Sahel Salam may sing Jaquino with clarity, but there is not enough of the comic ardor or outrage that might have bubbled up a chuckle. As Marzelline, soprano Tiffany Choe sings sweetly, but her sincerity tends to dampen rather than fuel the humor. The “t”s are crossed and the “i”s are dotted, but there is no sense that anyone really likes each other.
In fact, some of the strongest connections are between warden Rocco and Pizarro, right-hand-man to the Commander (an oppressor we never see). Pizarro has decided to secretly dispatch with Florestan before the arrival of his boss and he pressures a reluctant Rocco into laying the groundwork – literally – by digging a grave in Florestan’s dungeon.
As Rocco, bass David Leigh, sings expressively, exuding an everyday humanity that nicely suggests a man trying to do his job while growing increasingly uncomfortable. In strong counterpoint, Derek Welton’s Pizarro is appropriately menacing, without falling into caricature, issuing his attractive bass-baritone with gratifying power and control.
Together, Leigh and Welton generate the kind of engaging tension – sung and acted – that is needed everywhere here.
Of course, at the heart of this story is Leonore and, as an action-oriented heroine, she is a rare breed. Put simply, where others are swooning, she’s rummaging for a handgun. Sinead Campbell Wallace plays it more noble than gritty, but she commands her space with poise, and sings with a richly mournful tone. To her credit, even a reality-defying moment of hand-to-hand combat with Pizarro fails to undermine her integrity.
She shines in the quartets (which are occasionally muddy), surfacing the glorious melody and complexity. Stepping in as Florestan due to an indisposed Jamez McCorkle on the night reviewed, tenor Chaz’men Williams-Ali deserves much credit for a very tall order – though someone definitely needs to muffle his prisoner’s chains.
Suffice to say, feeling the pathos in Zambello’s vision isn’t a given. Indeed, her choice to go ultra-spartan with the sets may suggest her themes of oppression, but they do little to enhance the atmosphere of Florestan’s dungeon and this is a missed opportunity to drive home what’s at stake – not just for him, but for an audience witnessing this work today.
Put another way, to respect Leonore’s selflessness and bravery – and thus all those who fight injustice – we need to feel Florestan’s despair; a person about to die alone and without hope. This was the place to return to the promise of the introductory projections – and perhaps offer more than a representation of a wife’s face.
There is no question that the proceedings end on a high note. If your night will be made by a chance to experience Denyce Graves as the Prime Minister (a newly conceived take on the original role of Don Fernando), you will not be disappointed. With her confident, lux tones, she brings the promise of freedom, sanity, and the power of the pantsuit.
Fidelio (★★★☆☆) runs through Nov. 4 in the Kennedy Center Opera House. Visit www.kennedy-center.org.
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