Marlies’Artbeat: Fleming and Garanca Retire Their Signature Roles in Their Last “Der Rosenkavalier” Performance

By Marlies Wolf, Opera Specialist

The HD performance of Der Rosenkavalier, by Richard Strauss, was to start at 12:30 EST. The audience began to pile in – en masse – before 10:30, and by the opening chords of the enchanting opera, there was not a seat empty in the movie theater. The reason was obvious. The two leading divas were retiring their parts, while in absolutely top form. (It was Fleming’s 70th Marschallin, and may indeed be her exit from formal opera performance. She plans to give concerts and is headed for Broadway next season. Garanca’s plans do not seem to preclude opera.)

The abundant audience showed its absolute loyalty and admiration for Renée Fleming, whose luscious voice, superior acting talent and exceptional beauty, made her a great favorite ever since she first stepped onto the Met stage.

And evidently they also know about Elina Garanca’s spectacular career and her captivating artistry.

Both divas delivered magnificently, as did the entire cast, and our outstanding orchestra, under the baton of the able Sebastian Weigle. Musically, the afternoon was a triumph. Strauss (1864-1949) would have been pleased.

But I fear the gifted librettist, Hugo von Hoffmannsthal, (1874-1929) is spinning in his proverbial grave, because of the distortions foisted upon his comic/sensitively-tragic masterpiece. Originally set in the 18th Century, with most explicit set and drama instructions, this production by Robert Carsen, with sets by Paul Steinberg, transports it instead into the time the opera premiered: 1911. Carsen explains that, with his military emphasis, it forecasts the cataclysm of WWI.

The collaboration of composer and librettist of Rosenkavalier is famous for the fact that they created six operas via correspondence. Many of the letters are still extant. But it is a myth that the two geniuses never met at all. Evidently they once went on a trip together. But although their creative meshing enriched the operatic world immeasurably, the two men did not particularly like each other. That may have been because Strauss was not an easy man to like. The marvelous conductor Arturo Toscanini, is quoted to have said: “For Strauss the composer, I take off my hat. For Strauss the man, I put it on again.” But, we need not care, the collaboration gave us such gems as Electra, Arabella, Ariadne auf Naxox and Die Frau Ohne Schatten.

The plot of the romantic “Rose-bearer” -- which is all about the goings-on of 18th Century nobility -- tells us that a 32-year-old, lovely married Princess (the Marschallin) is having an affair with a 17-year-old aristocrat, (Octavian) who she fears will desert her sooner or later. Their tryst is interrupted by her doltish cousin, (the Baron Ochs) who immediately makes advances to Octavian, who has disguised himself into the Marschallin’s maid, to conceal the assignation. The raunchy Baron is marrying a 16-year-old, (Sophie von Faninal) for her money, and needs a nobleman to deliver the Silver Rose to seal the engagement. (No such custom ever existed; it was concocted by von Hoffmannsthal’s clever pen.) During her morning “Levee,” the Marschallin decides to send Octavian to deliver the rose.

In act II it becomes clear that Octavian and Sophie fall in love at first sight. In trying to protect her from the vulgar Ochs, Octavian, wounds the Ochs slightly, amidst general mayhem. Von Faninal, who with this marriage, wanted to raise his rank in the nobility hierarchy, vows to send Sophie to a convent – “for life.” Octavian concocts a plot to trap the salacious Ochs.

Act III, here is staged in a bordello. Enticing and entertaining, but it caused constant contradictions to the subtitles and the words the cast was singing, because those stuck to the libretto. Even the ending of the opera, with its luminous trio and duet, seemed damaged, and the inventive musically charming picking-up of the handkerchief the Marschallin has dropped, here does not exist. This defraudes the climax of its charming denouement.

Obviously, in my opinion, this production does not work. Not only does it rob the opera of its famous visual beauty, its usually opulent sets, exquisite costuming and amusing antics, but overdoes a great deal of busy “business.” It even introduces truly ugly elements, such as bringing a gigantic “semi-modern” cannon, into von Faninal’s palace entrance hall.

The glorious soprano music for the three orphans, in the first act, is sung by three soldiers. If they are employed by the army, why do they need the Marschallin’s charity? Their appearance dressed as men also detracts from the deliberate use of a mezzo voice for the male Octavian.

Much is overdone. Everything about this production is symbolized by the silver rose itself. Usually it is an exquisite single-stem rose. Here it is an enlarged version, flaunting three full-blown blossoms.

But, as said, the performances were outstanding. Both Fleming and Garanca can use these final appearances to prove they discontinued the parts on a fabulously high level.

Günther Groissboeck, a slender Ochs, made the character more than an offish basso-buffo. He introduced an interesting element of being threatening. The soprano Erin Morley was a delightful Sophie, all around. The fine tenor, Matthew Polenzani, who also was the HD host, delivered the “song” as the Italian Singer, in the glorious manner we always expect from him.

I am far from being against operatic innovation. I loved Wagner’s “Machine “ Ring Cycle, for instance. But an opera production has to make sense to be successful.

After the explosive applause, with standing ovations for the two departing divas at the actual Met, our huge movie audience took a lot of time vacating the theater. I decided to ask a number of people how they felt about this production. The resultant opinions were exactly what I suspected. People who had come to hear Fleming one more time, but had never seen Der Rosenkavalier, thought it was glorious. Those familiar with the opera in its usual setting, disapproved heartily. Some “hated” it; others thought it misfired.

Why not judge for yourself? The encores are on Wednesday eve, May 17th and Thursday Matinee, May 18th, 2017.