OPERAWIRE

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In non-German speaking countries, Carl Maria von Weber’s 1821 opera “Der Freischütz” is a bit of a seltener Vogel. In the past five years, apart from Matthias Hartmann’s memorable production at La Scala in 2017 and Mark Elder’s concert version at the Royal Festival Hall the year before, Anglophone audiences remain largely unexposed to this groundbreaking romantic German opera.

The last staging at Covent Garden was 30 years ago.  “Der Freischütz” at the Met is almost beyond living memory. Sir Colin Davis was a major proselytizer of the work having made two commercial recordings in 1990 and 2012. But without such a champion, Weber’s spooky Singspiel seems destined to remain unknown to Anglo audiences. Perhaps the lengthy dialogue is tiresome for non-German speakers but it’s inventive musical value is irrefutable.

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The Wiener Staasoper mounted a bizarre production last year by Christian Räth which apart from nearly sizzling Andreas Schager alive, must be the only staging of an opera explicitly about shooting to be entirely bereft of both blunderbusses and bullets.

Just a hop, skip and a Sprung down the Linke Wienzeile, the Theater an der Wien recently presented a semi-staged version by Olivier Fredj which was much more faithful to Johann Friedrich Kind’s creepy folk-lore libretto. With limited set-structure, but utilizing period costumes and clever lighting, Anglo/French Fredj adroitly managed to capture the Satanic sorcery of the narrative with plenty of scary images plus hunting rifles which actually fired.

The French connection continued with chef d’orchestre Laurence Equilbey and the Paris-based Insula Orchestra and Accentus Choir. With a total running time of just over two hours seven minutes, Equilbey was similar to Leopold Ludwig’s 1968 film version which also cut the Act three Entr’acte and following dialogue. Similarly, Equilbey went straight to Agathe’s melancholy “Ob die Wolke sie verhülle” cavatina. Wolf-Dieter Hauschild’s live recording in 1985 for the reopening of the Semper Oper in Dresden runs slightly longer and re-instates the short jerky orchestral passage.

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“Der Freischütz” has eight singing roles and one spooky spoken part of the Black Hunter Samiel. The sinister soul-snatcher was played by dancer, circus performer, juggler and seemingly Gothic Ninja Clément Dazin who under Fredj’s inspired direction, brought palpably diavolo malignity to the part with assiduous physicality.

Max’s taunter Kilian was adequately sung by Anas Séguin who displayed a strong top but not always the clearest intonation. “Schaut der Herr mich an als König” had boyish charm and some strong high E-naturals.

Christian Immler was an appropriately omniscient mystic who also boomed the voice of Samiel over spectral amplification in the bullet-forging scene. “Er oder du” could have been Verdi’s Grand Inquisiteur. Bringing hermetic wisdom to determine Max’s fate, “Wer legt auf ihn so strengen Bann?” had dramatic gravitas with a resonant low B-flat. The Sarastro-like “Leicht kann des Frommen Herz” monologue had a Talvela-ish low A-natural and the fortissimo “Wer höb’ den ersten Stein wohl auf?” was redolent of Jim Bakker televangelist hectoring.