Marlies’Artbeat: The New Met HD of Dvorak’s Fairytale Opera “Rusalka” stresses its darkness

We adults all know that not all fairy-tales end “happily ever after,” and that Antonin Dvorak’s opera, Rusalka, definitely falls into that category. But we question the need to portray it as an undeviating tragedy. It is doubtful this was Dvorak’s intention.

The really very recent 2014 Live-at-the-Met-in-HD Rusalka, which featured Renee Fleming in the title role, was the shimmering, original 1993 production, with gossamer sets by Guenter Schneider Siemssen. Sad, but beautiful throughout, it probably was closer to what Dvorak and the librettist Jaroslav Kvapil had in mind

The operatic fairy-tale borrows from a number of sources: Anderson’s “The Little Mermaid,” de la Motte Fougué’s, “Undine,” mythology and stories by Karel Jaromir Erben. It tells the story of a water nymph who wants desperately to become a human being, because she has fallen in love with a human prince, who indeed, returns her love. Although forewarned by Vodnik, her protective Gnome father, she persuades the witch Jezibaba to perform the transformation, even though it means she will be mute to every human being she will meet.

Her life at the prince’s court swiftly becomes unhappy, when he deserts her for the affections of a scheming foreign princess. The heartbroken Rusalka returns to her watery home. Remorseful, the prince comes back to her and accepts that he will die upon their first kiss. Indeed, he dies in her arms. Rusalka disappears into the lake.

The story line exposes the dichotomy of the purity of nature and the corruption inherent in human society. Thus it fits well into the late Romanticism of Dvorak’s compositions, which show the influences of Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt and Wagner.

The opera had an interesting birth. Dvorak, after having lived in the United States for several years, (which incidentally gifted us with the famous “New World Symphony”) had just returned to his homeland. He was searching for a libretto for what was to become the 9th of his 10 operas. Kavpil in turn was looking for a composer to supply the music for his already finished libretto of Rusalka. It was a perfect fit. Dvorak completed the work in just seven months, and it premiered at the National Theater in Prague, in March of 1901.

It proved to be a local hit, and still is a consistent sellout in its native surroundings. Several of Dvorak’s 10 operas are also performed there, but only Rusalka is in the repertory of most major opera houses around the world. But even then it is not produced too frequently, possibly because performing in Czech is a major challenge.

Dvorak is quoted to have resented not being taking seriously as a composer of opera. Incredibly prolific, we do honor him for creating 9 symphonies, symphonic poems, chamber music, choral works, dozens of songs and concerti for several different instruments. And obviously we do take his Rusalka very seriously, the Met showing it off within such a short time period, as mentioned before.

This performance indeed has to be taken very seriously for the superb singing AND acting throughout. The production also has to be praised, because it is carefully thought-out and does not go overboard, as so many recent “modernizations” of operatic masterpieces have managed to do.

Mary Zimmerman, the creator of this Rusalka, made her Met debut in 2007, and has directed several successful productions since. The Nebraskan is a multiple awards winner, who in various interviews revealed that her prescience tells her that when anyone needs to make truly radical sacrifices for a love’s sake, that love will not have a happy ending. But does it have to be quite so dark?

Zimmerman’s team is as American as an opera team can get. She has closely worked with Mara Blumenfeld, the talented Costume Designer, whose results here are truly outstanding. The sets, by Daniel Ostling are relatively stark, befitting Zimmerman’s melancholy take. Austin McCormick, making his Met debut as choreographer, gives us a sexually charged Ball scene, which demonstrates very graphically the depravity of the “civilized” world.

So all is paved, ready for the all around outstanding vocal delivery of the stellar cast. HD audiences are well familiar with the lovely Latvian Superstar soprano, Christine Opolais. And she is very familiar with singing Rusalka, saying it really launched her career. She was in great form, and her acting was shrewd and often very moving.

The American tenor Brandon Jovanovich, made a dashing, athletically and vocally well-endowed Prince. Jamie Barton’s Jezibaba was a clever and very entertaining witch. The young mezzo-soprano from Rome – Georgia! -- is moving to stardom most rapidly.

You may well remember the Swedish soprano Katarina Dalayman as the enigmatic Kundry in that marvelous HD Parcifal a few season’s back. Her scheming “Foreign Princess” is a far cry from that. Eric Owens, the magnificent bass-baritone, from Philadelphia, made a likeable Water Gnome. Always dependable, he rounded out the truly remarkable leads. All the lesser parts also were sung by gifted singers endowed with savvy acting ability.

During one of the entertaining intermission interviews, the host, the articulate tenor, Matthew Polenzani, interviewed Sir Mark Elder, who conducted the performance, and who spoke most enthusiastically about all the talents he had to work with here.

But then this is the Met! Are we not lucky to have this magnificent Company willing to offer its incredible orchestra, its superb chorus – indeed, its performance totality -- in these High Definition Transmissions? So convenient, and affordable, they are now in 70 countries, in over 2000 cinemas. Thanks, Met!

Catch the encore of Rusalka on Wednesday Evening: March First, and Matinee: March 2, 2017, in selected Movie Houses.

P.S. An additional, mesmerizing Intermission Feature, was a documentary about this year being the 50th Anniversary of the Met’s “new” house at Lincoln Center. The high-light was an interview with legendary soprano, Leontyne Price, who 50 years ago opened the new venue, singing the lead in Samuel Barber’s Antony and Cleopatra. The 90-year-old looked (and sounded) fabulous.