Photo by Janet Wilson

Photo by Janet Wilson

Photo by Janet Wilson

NoDef Reviews: New Orleans Opera - The Flying Dutchman

At the start of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman, we learn that the title character, a classic antihero, has blasphemed the heavens. Consequently, he must spend eternity as a refugee wandering stormy seas, save one visit ashore every seven years to search for true love. The opera’s plotline might serve as a metaphor for the work itself. On Saturday, this ghostship crashed ashore in all of it’s symbolic and symphonic glory at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre as the New Orleans Opera closed out their season.

Robert Lyall’s production featured minimalist staging, compensating with a large scrim present at center stage throughout the production, a literal fourth wall; evocative of a David Byrne show, projections on this screen as well several smaller surfaces supplemented the show’s spartan scenery. Wagner’s fans are notoriously cultish… some might add “fickle;” decisions far more petty than Lyall’s would incite quite the brew-haha at Bayreuth. Fortunately, we don’t live in Bavaria, but New Orleans, and the bold direction served to focus the audience not on scenery but song; not on milieu, but on music.

And, how the glorious the music was!

The Dutchman played by Evgeny Nikitin, a Russian rock-crossover, is a decorated Wagner veteran and his skills were on full display. Nikitin’s powerful voice never failed to hit or sustain a note without the slightest hint of wobble. However, the Bass-Baritone’s experience really manifested itself through the rich emotion infused into every verse, as well as his dramatic control of the stage and character. Nikitin was not a believable Dutchman; he wasThe Dutchman.

Soprano Lise Lindstrom, coming off a much ballyhooed debut at the Met, did not disappoint. Her portrayal of Senta, the girl that fate has paired with the Dutchman, dominated the second act. Turandot, the role that has fueled Lindstrom’s mercurial rise is that of an ice princess; in contrast, Senta is a hopeless romantic, a young girl looking for redemption. Lindstrom’s warm personality makes the transition seem natural. Her passion is clear, her voice sharp, and her range lagniappe. When the second act yields to “'Yohohoey! I see a ship, as black as night,' she virtually steals the show.

Daland, the bit-too-eager father of Senta, was played Bass Raymond Aceto with confidence. Aceto played off Nikitin well, and injected some humor into the dark tale, particularly during the negotiations. Tenor Roy Cornelius Smith’s portrayal of Erik, the scorned lover, was acoustically impressive, and avoided the whininess that afflicts so many other portrayals of Erik.

Doing double duty, Lyall also conducted the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in the pit. Later Wagner, such as Dutchman, is especially dependant on orchestral precision, and the LPO rose to the occasion. A bit up-tempo, the sound was still stunning as dozens of woodwind warps and stringed wefts wove together a musical tapestry. When performed properly, a Wagner score can be simply described as “grand,” and last night we were thankful for the upgraded acoustics of Jackson Theatre. Likewise, the New Orleans Opera delivered their lines with gusto. The famed “Spinning Chorus,” a melody amongst malaise, was undoubtedly one of the evening’s highlights. The Ghost Chorus was superb, causing us to lament the scarcity of their appearances.

Wagner, alone is not to blame for not seeing the Ghost Chorus, as we literally do not see the Ghost Chorus. They are instead represented by smoky video swirls on the scrim. It’s part of the package in the avant-garde video stylings of Lyall’s collaboration with Keith Oberfeld and Don Darnutzer. Initially the deviance from tradition will offend the purist, and delight the newcomer. As the opera progresses, the novelty of the projections fades, and one notices certain sequences that are more art than scenery. And, then there is the music… skeptics and newbies, alike, will find redemption to make Richard Wagner proud through the music.

Final performance is March 21, 2:30 PM at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre