By Dan Leeson
It was great good fortune for me Saturday night at San Jose's Montgomery Theater, because I once again had the exquisite pleasure of seeing and hearing — for perhaps an entirely insufficient millionth time — Mozart's penultimate opera, The Magic Flute, as the final offering of San Jose Opera's 19th season, conducted by Music Director David Rohrbaugh. This was originally intended as their last production for the Montgomery Theater as well, and this opera was chosen because it was the first to be mounted 19 years ago, with Jan Popper conducting. Renovation delays have forced rescheduling, and the companys plan to open next year뭩 season in the new location, with The Marriage of Figaro.
Not merely one of humankind's most perfectly faceted musical jewels, The Magic Flute achieves that status despite a story line as cockeyed as only opera can be, which shows how easily compelling music smooths over plot absurdities. The story is mostly incomprehensible, and what can be understood is unbelievable. Two important characters undergo a role reversal in mid-drama, with Sarastro being transformed from evil kidnapper to the epitome of goodness, while the Queen of the Night changes from a loving though distraught mother to a wacked-out harridan. Tamino, a prince of uncertain origin, is attacked by a dragon while wandering in Egypt, and soothes wild beasts by playing his flute. A key character normally dressed in a bird costume has a padlock stuck in his mouth and winds up marrying an old hag who is really 18 years plus three minutes old. And some threatening slaves are instantaneously transformed into dancing automatons through the use of magic bells. In the immortal words of Anna Russell, "I'm not making this up, you know."
At the top of the vocal food chain, Jason Detwiler, in the key role of the bird-catcher Papageno, was the most accomplished vocal artist, though stage director Michael McConnell had him play the role as an empty-headed buffoon without any dignity. Bass Kirk Eichelberger is also fundamentally very musical and, as Sarastro, showed distinguished stage presence. His handling of the magnificent "In diesen heil'gen Hallen" was particularly sensitive, keeping in mind that this aria led George Bernard Shaw to describe the music as something "that would not sound out of place in the mouth of God." Unfortunately, Eichelberger's voice has insufficient vocal heft and his lowest register is not strong. The role requires a basso profundo and Eichelberger does not possess that kind of a instrument.
Her tops are tops.
The Queen of the Night, Svetlana Nikitenko, delivered her five high F's without blinking an eye. Her vocal staccato was outstanding, though the rapid passagework of the first of her two big arias ("O zittre nicht") could not be accomplished, either because of an insufficiently-developed technique or an overly-fast tempo. Her voice has all the height the role demands, but the bottom tier is not strong.
The three ladies acting as handmaidens to the Queen of the Night, Janelle Laurenti, Donna Olson, and Michele Detwiler, were excellent, well-matched and all in fine vocal state. The three boys who guide Tamino through his trials, sung here by three women, Elissa Amador, Songyun Park, and Nicole Takesono, performed effectively.
The Pamina of Sandra Rubalcava had both strengths and weaknesses. She is a wonderful stage actress, pretty as a picture, full of energy and charm. Unfortunately, her conception and vocal production during the first act was that of a soubrette, fine for her previous roles of Falstaff's Nanetta or Rigoletto's Gilda, but the wrong approach for Pamina's more deeply-felt music. Her work in the second act was far superior and it was there that she began to show a refined sense of Mozartean style. Rubalcava has developed a marked tendency to enter vocal phrases below the pitch and this growing defect needs attention.
Brilliance in the lesser roles
The two armored men, tenor John Easterday and bass Carlos Aguilar, were outstanding and dignified, and sang well, with Easterday the most vocally distinguished tenor of the evening, even in this small role. Monostatos, colored green to avoid the awkward, occasionally negative textual references to his blackness, did well in what is a thankless role. The character, evil and duplicitous from first to last, has no luxurious musical lines to sing. And Irina Vanamesova as Papagena was effective, as was David Britton in his role as the speaker.
Tamino, sung by Jonathan Hodel and the leading tenor role in the opera, was the disappointing singer of the evening. While in ensembles his vocal difficulties disappeared entirely, he had constant pitch problems when singing alone, caused by his pressing on the vocal chords. He is trying to get the instrument to be what it is not. Hodel's voice is a collection of unconnected pieces with each note showing a different character. His execution of scale passages is always painfully sharp. But when he presents the voice for what it is and does not try to sing too loudly, it's a pleasant instrument. Still, it does not have the character for stentorian statements and his efforts to make it so are counterproductive. He seems to want to be a dramatic tenor and that does not appear to be his destiny. Heard in multiple roles over several seasons, Hodel is not demonstrating the improvement he needs to become a successful singer.
The presentation of the opera was accomplished with the music sung in German and the dialogue in English. It뭩 a constant interruption. These singers need to be able to handle the German dialogue if they are going on to operatic careers. And if they cannot handle that, then the entire production should have been done in English. In Italy the work is frequently done entirely in Italian, even at La Scala; and in France it is presented in French. The use of two languages is confusing to an audience.
The stage setting was simple and effective, using crystals of various sizes and types as scenic devices, particularly impressive in the trial of fire and water. The changes of scene were smoothly accomplished without noticeable problems. The orchestra played effectively with a full compliment of winds, though only one trombone was used instead of the needed three (with trumpets making very much imperfect substitutes). Kudos to the splendid flute playing of Isabel Chapuis for her multiple solos. After all, the work is entitled "The Magic Flute."
(Musicologist/author Dan Leeson is a former member of the San Jose Symphony Orchestra, a retired businessman, and an editor of the 220-volume complete Mozart edition published by B?enreiter.)
?003 Dan Leeson, all rights reserved
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