The Opera Tattler

* Notes *

Parsifal  (Act II, Scene 1 pictured, photograph by Cory Weaver) returned to San Francisco Opera’s War Memorial Opera Stage after an absence of twenty-five years yesterday afternoon. There was much strong singing from principals and chorus alike, but best of all was the orchestra helmed by Eun Sun Kim.

The new production directed by Matthew Ozawa features a revolving set of concentric levels designed by Robert Innes Hopkins with lighting from Yuki Nakase Link. Spinning and scenery or props in the vertical space switch the scenes, so we are never left waiting for the scenes in this nearly 5 hour opera to change.

There were a lot of ideas in the production design, it was a bit overwrought for my taste. Given that Parsifal has a lot in it already, what with the Holy Grail and Buddhism (“Durch Mitleid wissend”), it makes a certain sense to include overtly Christian symbolism from Arthurian legend and elements of Butoh and Noh dance theater.

For me it was overdescribing what was happening, which is clear from the music, but I can see why someone who doesn’t know this work would benefit from this. In twenty years I have only heard this music live seven times, and two of those times were in the last week. That said, Jessica Jahn’s costumes are attractive and work well and Rena Butler’s choreography was finely executed and compelling.

Maestra Eun Sun Kim has the balances right for the orchestra and singers, the musicians never overwhelmed the soloists. The transparency of the orchestra is nothing short of stunning. Cellist Sunny Yang has a gorgeous solo in Act I and first violinist Maya Cohon and clarinetist José Gonzalez Granero do a splendid job with their soli in Act II.

The singing is solid all around. The chorus sounds unified and full. Bass-baritone Falk Struckmann is obviously a native speaker of German, his Klingsor is declamatory Mezzo-soprano Tanja Ariane Baumgartner made for a strident and powerful Kundry. At times she his harsh in her upper range and her voice doesn’t have much variation, but she’s certainly witchy.

Bass Kwangchul Youn (Gurnemanz) has a sturdy, reliable sound, though perhaps slightly bland. His German diction is good, I could understand every word. Baritone Brian Mulligan is a nuanced Amfortas, the pain this character is in is palpable.

Tenor Brandon Jovanovich sang the title role admirably. His voice is well-supported, rich and sweet, with a lot of different colors. He was able to convey the feelings of Parsifal with ease and brilliance.

* Tattling *

I was not entirely sure I would make it to this performance, as I was flying into SFO from Newark in the morning, but I did make it to standing room, getting the fifteenth ticket at 12:30pm.

I tried to stand on the orchestra level, but one of the ushers coughed so much during the music that I had to switch to the balcony at first intermission. The sound is so much better up in the balcony, so it was likely the better choice anyway.

At the beginning of the third act, someone must have had a medical emergency in the front of the balcony. A whole row of patrons had to leave their seats, and there was much hubbub. There was some loud shushing, Wagnerites insist on their silence.