Marc-André Dalbavie's The Melancholy of Resistance
A film-opera with Philippe Jaroussky, Sandrine Piau, Tanja Ariane Baumgartner, and Matthias Klink at the Berlin State Opera — David Marton (staging), Marie Jacquot (conductor)
Cast
David Marton — Stage director
Guillaume Métayer — Libretto
Amber Vandenhoeck — Stage sets
Pola Kardum — Costumes
Chris Kondek — Director of photography
Chantal Bergemann — Camera
Adrien Lamande — Camera
Miriam Damm — Lighting
Program notes
From the Berlin State Opera comes the premiere of an acclaimed multimedia creation that blends opera and film: Marc-André Dalbavie and Guillaume Métayer's adaptation of László Krasznahorkai's allegorical bestseller The Melancholy of Resistance, boasting an all-star cast with Philippe Jaroussky, Sandrine Piau, Matthias Klink, and Tanja Ariana Baumgartner! A slowly decaying small town is thrown into disarray by the appearance of a bizarre circus that features an enormous whale and a three-eyed Prince — an arrival that ultimately leads the townspeople toward the chaos of rebellion, groupthink, and totalitarianism. All throughout, David Marton's canny direction allows us a multifaceted view of events, as onstage action is juxtaposed with parallel scenes projected live from a filmed set behind the screen.
Every aspect of the production gets a thumbs-up in Bachtrack's five-star review, from Amber Vandenhoeck's sets and Chris Kondek's cinematography to Marie Jacquot's superb conducting of the world-class Staatskapelle Berlin. Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky "shines as the last beam of hope and beauty amid the townsfolk's corruption" playing the innocent Valouchka, with plaudits also going to the camera readiness and "full mezzo" of Tanja Ariane Baumgartner as the sinister Madame Esther, Sandrine Piau's "light, agile soprano" as the anxious Madame Pflaum, and Matthias Klink's acting skills as Monsieur Esther.
Photo © William Minke
Production of Staatsoper Unter den Linden / World premiere on 30 June 2024 at Staatsoper Unter den Linden