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Barry Millington's rating
, Haunting melody from Die tote Stadt
By
Barry Millington
28 Jan 2009
Korngold's Die tote Stadt (The Dead City) has, in Marietta’s Song, one of the most haunting melodies in all opera. Indeed, the entire work is pervaded by ravishing music, brilliantly orchestrated, and sets a story about the process of grieving a lost beloved that more than rivals Truly, Madly, Deeply.
Why, then, has Die tote Stadt never been staged in this country before?
Fortunately the Royal Opera has at last given us the work in a more than adequate staging by Willy Decker, first seen in Salzburg and Vienna in 2004.
Die tote Stadt concerns Paul, grappling with the trauma of the death of his young wife, Marie. He meets a dancer, Marietta, who seems to bear an uncanny resemblance to his wife, becomes infatuated then strangles her when she taunts him with a lock of Marie’s hair. Finally realising that most of his encounter with Marietta, including her murder, has been a hallucination, he is ready to move on.
Decker’s production offers few blinding insights or riveting moments. Disappointing too was the singing of the principals. Stephen Gould delivers Paul with a robust, not unattractive heroic tone but lacks nuance and variety. Nadja Michael as Marie and Marietta is appealing in the middle range but frequently tested higher up.
Not an unmitigated success but the knockout power of the score makes its 90-year neglect truly incomprehensible.
Until 17 February; 020 7304 4000. Radio 3 broadcast 23 May.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (1)
I have seen ten or so different versions of "die tote Stadt" and this was probably one of the better ones, although it always strikes me as odd that a director and designer should totally ignore the very specific instructions of Korngold himself, who set out a very atmospheric scene. Willy Decker’s production was at least clear instead of obscure and pretentious, but it's a pity the Royal Opera didn't import the wonderful production offered by the Bonn Opera or by the Theater Altenburg-Gera.
The two lead roles are two of the most demanding in the entire repertoire and Stephen Gould and Nadja Michael sung them adequately (and Nadja Michael's acting was marvellous - more than can be said for the lack of theatricality shown by Gould).
It is a sign of the London operatic world's snobbery which has kept this masterpiece off British stages for nearly 90 years. And I fully expect other less narrow-minded critics than yours will make some snide comments about hoping it will be another 90 years before it gets shown again. Korngold is at least recognised now in Germany and Austria where this wonderful opera is now firmly back in the repertoire where it belongs.
- Peter Hodgson, London, 28/01/2009 21:03
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