FRIDAY, March 29, 2024
nationthailand

This 'DUTCHMAN' FLIES on wings

This 'DUTCHMAN' FLIES on wings

Siam Opera's production of the wagner classic sails to new heights

THE AUDIENCE at a packed Thailand Cultural Centre witnessed an exceptional production
of Wagner’s “The Flying Dutchman” last Sunday that would have done any opera house in the world proud. It was strongly cast with experienced foreign singers in all the solo roles and was a particular triumph for Stacey Stofferahn as Senta and Kyu Won Han as the Dutchman, both singing the roles for the first time.
The chorus and orchestra, both overwhelmingly Thai and quite young, were equally superb. The chorus made a terrific ensemble, their singing and acting adding much to the drama. And the Siam Philharmonic with guest leader Vilmos Olah and conductor Somtow Sucharitkul gave a stunning performance, warmly applauded by each of the soloists at their curtain calls.
That the performance took place at all was a small miracle. For the bicentenary of Wagner’s birth, Siam Opera had planned to continue its Ring Cycle with the third opera in the series, “Siegfried”, but late withdrawals from the cast forced the substitution of “The Flying Dutchman”. A further withdrawal almost cancelled the opera, but American soprano Stacey Stofferahn stepped in and learned the role in a matter of weeks.
The curtain rose during the famous overture to reveal a remarkably effective realisation of the plot in dance, courtesy of choreographer Puwarate Wongatichart. The legend of the Flying Dutchman, so movingly described by Stofferahn in her “Act 2 Ballad”,tells of the ghostly mariner condemned to sail the world’s oceans forever – unless, on the one day every seven years he is allowed ashore, he can find a woman who loves him.
The Dutchman often first appears crawling onto the beach, exhausted. Here, he appears magically (a ghost, after all), rising from beneath the stage, upright and almost demonic in a black cloak. Han’s thrilling rendition of the Dutchman’s opening monologue “Die Frist ist um” had a mesmerising intensity, moving from mezza voce to the magnificent power of his dark
bass-baritone. Han’s magnificent realisation of the role brought out a nobility in the Dutchman that exists in the music but has rarely been effectively portrayed onstage.
Han, young and handsome, is clearlyb someone with whom Senta could fall in love.
But she isn’t much interested in his physical appearance. They each must fulfil a profound
need. Senta is obsessed with a concept –redemption through sacrifice – while the Dutchman seeks a woman who will sacrifice herself for his sake.
This was brought out wonderfully in the superbly sung Act 1 duet. The pair starts off some distance apart at stage front, gradually moving closer, and in the end Senta reaches out to the Dutchman. But, just as they are set to touch, the Dutchman steps back, suspecting that Senta doesn’t realise what she’s letting herself in for.
Stofferahn, who had only just learned the part, was a revelation as Senta. She completely
inhabited the role and met its musical and dramatic demands with complete confidence.
Martin Snell, an experienced Wagnerian bass, had the role of Senta’s father, Daland,the ship’s captain who guides the Dutchman’s ghostly vessel to his home village. He is delighted by the prospect of the riches that might await him if his daughter were to marry the Dutchman. Snell sang gloriously and was in every gesture the incarnation of greed and veniality – “A rich son-in-law! Just what every father wants!” Daland’s wonderful duet with the Dutchman – a bass-and-baritone rarity in opera – was a highlight of Act 1.
Arnold Bezuyen from Holland portrayed the unfortunate Eric, Senta’s lover. His ringing
heldentenor thrillingly expressed the ardent lover, frustrated first by Senta’s obsession
with the legend of the Flying Dutchman, and then by the appearance of the Dutchman himself, who quickly replaces him in Senta’s affections.
Bezuyen was very moving in Erik’s beautiful and wistful song, reminding Senta of the vows she had made him earlier.
Renowned internationally in this role, he received a great ovation at his curtain call.
He is currently appearing in the same opera in Wiesbaden, Germany, and fitted in his Bangkok performance between two there – a real-life flying Dutchman! In other roles, Emanuela Barazia was sympathetic as Mary, Senta’s companion, and the part of the Steersman of Daland’s
ship was played with engaging enthusiasm by Joseph Hu, who opened the opera with great style and beauty singing a haunting song to his distant girlfriend.
For Han, already known to Bangkok audiences through his roles in Somtow’s operas, and for Stofferahn, the evening was a particular triumph. To have learned and mastered their roles so fast and then to perform them so magnificently was astonishing.
They have great operatic futures ahead of them.It was, indeed, a triumph too for all concerned,
and above all, for conductor-director Somtow for astonishing us by magically  pulling the rabbit out of the hat once again after what were often very difficult preparation conditions.
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