FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
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Opera Siam’s study in contrasts

Opera Siam’s study in contrasts

Twin programmes prove the art form’s versatility in Thailand

Last month the tireless Opera Siam managed to produce two operas within the span of a single week: a monumental world premiere of a Buddhist-themed epic and an intimate monodrama about the Holocaust.
The fifth work in Somtow Sucharitkul’s “Ten Lives of the Buddha” marathon was premiered to mark the 100th day of mourning for His Majesty King Rama IX. It could not have been a more appropriate subject; the Nimi Jataka deals with the story of a King so pure in his pursuit of the Dharma that the gods themselves summon him to heaven to preach to them. 
Four performances of “Chariot of Heaven” were well attended and many different strands of Thai society were obvious, from ambassadors and high society types to tourists and students, the affluent and working class. The astonishing phenomenon is made possible by the confluence of Buddhism and opera, an exotic treat for tourists and a new educational approach to Thai traditions and philosophies.
Of the five “Lives” produced so far, “Chariot of Heaven” has the least plot elements. Its theme is the strength of adithan, the firmness of purpose that can be seen through the ultimate end generations away. Some 84,000 generations pass in the first 10 minutes of the opera, which also takes us to the depths of hell and to the height of Tavatimsa Heaven. In this opera’s 90 minutes, this reviewer felt he’d experienced as much as a four-hour Wagner opera.
Making up for the thinness of plot in this jataka tale, Somtow has poured a lifetime of experience and technical brilliance into this work. Moments of orchestral felicities abound and there’s an unusual use of instruments, from the emphasis on the piccolo trumpet to exotic Asian sounds like the pi java and tanpura to the sci-fi twang of a theremin. Then there are the musical “firsts” – Somtow depicts the 33 Gods of Tavatimsa with 33 simultaneous soloists – creating a size of operatic ensemble without precedent in the entire history of opera, while building his climax on only three chords.
Another operatic first is the “March of Time” sequence in the first act in which Somtow portrays, through music, the entire history of mankind, from the Stone Age to a futuristic post-holocaust world and back again. The portrayals of heaven and hell stretch the classical music envelope tremendously.
Trisdee na Patalung kept the huge operation together (sometimes as many as 200 people were involved in the pit and on stage), cementing his reputation as the most accomplished Thai conductor of his generation.
Mention should be made of the astonishing coloratura performance of Chinese soprano Sen Guo, filling in at the last minute for Stacey Tappan who was unable to make it owing to a scheduling conflict. Guo’s deliciously floated high E in the first act alone was worth the price of admission, a moment of impossible beauty. 
Puntwitt Asawa, as the charioteer, showed a rare “heroic” side to the countertenor voice and is destined to become one of Thailand’s international opera stars. Damian Whiteley as the King of Heaven, Jak Cholvijarn and Barbara Zion, all Opera Siam regulars, filled their roles with elan. The chorus was amazing, perhaps the best opera chorus yet heard in this town.
Special mention should be made of soprano Kaleigh Rae Gamache, though she only had a small role in Chariot of Heaven, she appeared three days later at a completely packed Bangkok Art and Culture Center in the role of Anne Frank. This is a revival of the successful Somtow-directed production from last year, which was brought back this time to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.
With an ensemble of only nine instrumentalists, Grigori Frid’s forces were directed with laser precision by Trisdee, demonstrating in a single week his command of vastly different musical idioms.
Where Chariot was open and lush and colourful, Anne Frank was claustrophobic and dark. Two more different productions could not have appeared side by side. Yet they both, in their different ways, were triumphs for both conductor and director.
Although Opera Siam’s productions have an international veneer and use many imported soloists, these twin programmes have shown the remarkable versatility and vitality of opera in Thailand. European and American critics have been raving for a while now, saying it’s time for the local crowd to notice the treasure it has in its grasp.

Stan Gayuski is a member of the International Mahler Society and writes about classical music for international publications.
 

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