The Opera Tattler

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Salome at SF Opera

Nadja Michael, photo by Terrence McCarthy* Notes * 
San Francisco Opera's Salome had a second performance last night, after opening last Sunday. Maestro Luisotti was more restrained in this than in Il Trovatore or the Brahms he conducted across the street. The orchestra never overwhelmed the singing, but still had a florid quality.

The sleek production, designed by Bruno Schwengl, is elegant and has gorgeous lighting. Oddly, the costumes were attractive for everyone but Salome, Herodes, and Herodias. Salome's first costume was a flowing evening gown whose cut emphasized the length of Nadja Michael's torso, a contrast to the typical coltish look of an adolescent girl. This dress did move splendidly, unlike the third costume, a heavy gold-toned velvet sack. Herodes and Herodias looked fond of sequins. Director Seán Curran's choreography was straightforwardly modern, though the Dance of the Seven Veils was not entirely convincing, the ridiculous bat-like movements Salome made with her arms draped in a black veil was laughable. Michael was entirely committed to both the acting and dancing, and she was terrifying. Her singing almost didn't matter. She could sound scarily sweet or shriek like a banshee, bringing to mind Diamanda Galás.

The rest of the cast was almost uniformly great. Garrett Sorenson sounded appropriately plaintive as Narraboth. Greer Grimsley was imposing as Jochanaan, especially when singing off-stage. His disdain came through brilliantly. Kim Begley was a slimy Herodes, yet his voice was bright and had a certain appeal. Irina Mishura (Herodias) was also impressive, sounding imperious and rich.

* Tattling * 
The audience was engaged with the performance, very little talking was observed. There were watch alarms at the hour, and someone's mobile phone rang right before Salome went on about touching Jochanaan's hair.

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26 responses to “Salome at SF Opera”

  1. sfmike Avatar
    sfmike

    Sounding like Diamanda Galas as “Salome”? Yikes, I think I’ll pass.

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  2. Keikobad Avatar
    Keikobad

    Glad that her dancing and acting are so intense, but it is an opera, and her singing does matter. And it was simply awful, possibly the worst I’ve heard on this stage in a principal role.

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  3. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    It was very disturbing. I don’t think I can watch this opera again, though I will read the score.

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  4. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    She made me profoundly uncomfortable.

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  5. Hank Avatar
    Hank

    No accounting for taste…
    I thought her final dress looked great on her, and that the white thing she started in made her look stupid, if entertaining… like some sexy 17-year-old who hasn’t learned yet that she doesn’t need to be half naked to attract attention.
    But maybe that’s appropriate for the part, come to think of it.
    I thought she sang wonderfully.
    Grimsley has an incredible voice, and there was no need to pipe it through the speakers when he was off stage.
    If I want to listen to amplified music, I can stay at home and listen to a CD.
    Jochanaan could have sung off stage with no amplification and still been heard in the auditorium.
    Or he could have sung through an acoustic megaphone, which is probably what was done at the first performance.
    All in all, I liked it. It was creepy, but it was supposed to creepy.
    Last Salome I remember was Maria Ewing, who looked the spoiled teenager part, but was otherwise not too exciting.
    Historical note: the first Salome I ever saw was sung by Grace Bumbry.
    Remember Grace?

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  6. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    Nadja Michael looks good in everything as far as I could tell. As you say, given that Salome is supposed to be 16 or something, I think that first costume worked, except the cut could have been more youthful. I was not convinced she was on pitch, and her voice made me very uncomfortable, but it is a disturbing opera.
    I didn’t realize the sound was piped in, how strange. I know they used an acoustic megaphone during the piano dress rehearsal.
    I’ve never heard Grace Bumbry! How did her Salome compare to Ewing or Michael?

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  7. CruzSF Avatar
    CruzSF

    I saw the Wednesday performance, too, and thought that Nadja Michael sang well enough, although there were a few times that she seemed to stray off-pitch slightly (off from the pitch at which she aimed; I don’t know what the score prescribes).
    I thought the first dress well-matched the story and the character of someone who is between girlhood and being a woman: she’s not sure where she should draw the line for herself, she wants to show off her (newly adult) body but isn’t sure that she likes the attention it brings.
    In dress circle, I could barely hear Herodes through much of the evening. Where was the OT sitting?

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  8. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    I was under the overhang of the boxes in Orchestra Standing Room. The acoustics of the War Memorial never cease to confuse me though.

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  9. Keikobad Avatar
    Keikobad

    Dear Tattler,
    Thank you for the clarification; I thought there was more there in what you didn’t say than what was said. I think Michael was definitely a real talent at one point, but it you look at her upcoming schedule, she has 2 more Salome productions immediately following this one. The party will probably be over very soon, and managements will start pulling contracts. At this point, it seems to me that she is getting by on sheer willpower rather than any other quality. There was an element of that with Meier, but she had a solid technique and instrument before she began to abuse it.

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  10. Keikobad Avatar
    Keikobad

    Oh, and as to the megaphone being piped in, what is that about? I know Michael didn’t sing that rehearsal, but have heard from friends on staff there that the cover has a much bigger voice than Michael.

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  11. Sacto OperaFan Avatar
    Sacto OperaFan

    Hello OT,
    I went to the Saturday performance and was happy with what I saw and heard. Nadja sang about as well as one can hope for in a Salome today. She certainly moved well on stage and looked good. I had no problem hearing her; which is more than I can say for some of the other Salomes I’ve seen.
    The staging was kind of disappointing as the moon plays such an important role, imho, in this opera and it never made an appearance. The characters sing about how cool it is to be in the gardens outside, yet the set gave no hint of being an open space — rather it was boxed in.
    I was most disappointed during the final minutes of the production as, imho, Salome turns inward and inhabits a world of her own making – making everything else irrelevant. The lighting sort of focused in on this idea until the end when they lite up the stage for the final minutes which kind of jarred the mood it was creating. Maybe it was just me and my ideas are too set.
    I liked the dance sequence. It was really quite beautifully done; my compliments to Nadja for doing so well.
    The other supporting roles were well sung. How nice to hear a Baptist like Greer Grimsley. I was less impressed with Herodias…but then, I saw Leonie Rysneck sing the role.
    I did get the feeling though that Nadja Micheal is singing on her principal and if she continues will have a relatively short career. Salome is a voice killer and it appears to be taking it’s toll on Nadja. I am no expert on music….but she was noticeably flat on several occasions; and her voice was fatigued by the end — but then other than perhaps Birgit Nilsson who wouldn’t be.
    Considering there are so few sopranos who can sing Salome today and this opera is worth seeing now and then, this is about the best we can hope for today.
    Bottom line: Not disappointed, but still looking for the dream Salome. Thanks for this blog OT.

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  12. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    She does seem to be getting through on force of will. I’m going to read the score for Salome this week, and maybe I can sort out for myself what is going on, since I don’t know this opera well at all.

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  13. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    I wonder what is going on with that, I shall ask if I get a chance.
    The cover does have a huge voice. She looked very nervous at that rehearsal, poor thing.

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  14. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    I’ve only heard and seen two Salomes, and I can say Michael effected me more. Still don’t really understand Strauss’ music here, but maybe I’ll work it out someday.

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  15. EB OperaFan Avatar
    EB OperaFan

    Hi SOF and OT,
    I’ve only attended two Salome’s myself–2006 in Santa Fe, and this one. While I found the former perfectly enjoyable and respectable, the SF performance last Saturday night had my full attention. I say “bravo” to the entire cast and crew. I really felt in tune with how Strauss was composing in a style considered quite decadent in his day in order to portray a story of power and privilege run amock that can still deeply disturb our jaded, “postmodern” minds.

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  16. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    Must agree with you on that, my attention was commanded, and I was ready to jump out of my own skin by the end.

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  17. Hank Avatar
    Hank

    Saw it again last night (Tues, Oct 27), my third (and last) counting the final dress.
    Last night was very intense. I’ve been looking at the score and reading about this work, and I think I was able to focus on the music better.
    I do agree that Michael might be pushing herself prematurely.
    This part requires, in Strauss’s own words, ‘the voice of an Isolde,’ and nobody Michael’s age (except maybe Flagstad) has that.
    I think she has great potential, and I hope she doesn’t burn herself out.

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  18. Armitage shanks Avatar
    Armitage shanks

    Kudos to SF Opera box office last night. I was stuck in the Bay Bridge mess and called to tell them I wasn’t going to make it.
    They said they understood the situation and were waiving the ticket change charge and rebooked me for Friday’s performance. I am a member, so tix change charge is waived anyway, but a nice gesture on the part of SFO.

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  19. EBrown Avatar
    EBrown

    I saw “Salomé” last night and found it riveting. Everyone sang well, but Michael and Grimsley were particularly powerful. I left the opera house drained, as one should after great theater. I was surprised that the dance was so effective; usually singers do not dance well (blinking; trying to forget several rather unfortunate Carmens). This is a difficult opera to do well. Kudos to those involved in this production.

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  20. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    I’m so glad to hear that the box office policies are so reasonable!

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  21. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    It was quite effective. Even when reading the score, and not watching, so I found.

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  22. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    Drained is a good way of putting it.

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  23. upstairs tenor Avatar
    upstairs tenor

    Grimsley isn’t actually amplified, well, at least not electronically. He is offstage left, singing into a bullhorn made out of the bell of a sousophone. It sounds HUGE, and it’s very life.

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  24. upstairs tenor Avatar
    upstairs tenor

    I’m not sure if you were in the house tonight, Tattler, but Michael went out with a cold. Molly Fillmore went on with only a few hours noticed.

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  25. Keikobad Avatar
    Keikobad

    I heard it, was very pleasantly surprised. First=class voice, absolutely no issues with balance. Maybe she was feeling competitive with Michael, but it was a really vivid performance theatrically. I wasn’t disappointed in the slightest in not hearing Michael, it was great to hear a beautiful, healthy voice that seems to have no trouble with the piece. Let’s hope she doesn’t burn herself out doing the role, because this could be a really useful dramatic soprano. Oh, and she’s quite petite, not the norm for this voice type. Great evenng at the theater, the audience seemed to really respond well to the excitement of a new debut.

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  26. Armitage Shanks Avatar
    Armitage Shanks

    After eagerly anticipating Friday’s performance (after missing Tuesday’s due to bridge closure), when I saw Gockley enter stage left, I knew I bad news was coming.
    Sure enough, he tells us Michael is “indisposed” tonight and Molly Fillmore will be filling in….from Phoenix. She is rehearsing Saloma for AZ Opera and had flown in a few hours before…
    It was my first Salome, so I can’t compare it to others. Her singing was strong, but with just a few hours to rehearse and get costume-fitted, the staging came across a bit stodgy.
    During the Dance of the Seven Veils, rather than being mesmerized, I kept thinking “I hope she doesn’t screw up.” I only saw one slight hiccup on on her part when she stepped on a veil as it was being pulled.
    The audience embraced her and showed their gratitude for her saving of the performance with sustained applause at the curtain call.

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