Opernhaus Saal. Parkett Links (Seat Reihe 16, Platz 37, 114 euros).
Story. The English title provided on the Leipzig Opera website is "The Prohibition of Love" or "The Novices of Palermo." The setting of the story is in Palermo, where the King of Sicily leaves to visit Naples, and leaves a German Friedrich in charge. Friedrich uses his power to reform the capital into a moral state. The chief constable Brighella is the one tasked with the mission. Claudio is caught up in this, and is to be executed because of his indiscretion with his fiancee. His only hope is his sister Isabella, a novice in a convent, can convince the tyrant to change his mind. Isabella befriends Marianne, who is abandoned by a person in high position, who turns out to be Friedrich. As the trial of Claudio is about to come to an end, Isabella meets Claudio and eventually charms him. He promises her anything she wants in return for her body. When Isabella calls for the crowd, Friedrich denies that's what happened, and turns the table on Isabella. Isabella hatches a new plan and tells Friedrich she would send a messenger to tell him where they should meet at the Carnival. Isabella then goes to visit Claudio in prison, even though he disappoints her, she still decides to save him. Marianne is asked to go in Isabella's place. Meanwhile, Friedrich cannot resist the temptation, and is willing to be tried for the act he is about to commit. Friedrich, with Marianne by his side, is caught by Brighella. Friedrich is ready to be tried by the King and executed, but Claudio, now freed, states death is not the penalty for a love-offence. The King returns, and everyone goes to greet him in their Carnival wear. Friedrich marries Marianne, and Isabella marries Luzio.
Conductor - Matthias Foremny. Brighella - Stefan Sevenich, Luzio - Dan Karistrom, Claudio - Mirko Roschkowski, Friedrich - Tuomas Pursio, Isabella - Manuela Uhi, Mariana - Nina-Maria Fischer.
Some screen shots from the Leipzig Opera website on the performance.
About the story, it is mostly based on the Wikipedia article on this opera. The synopsis was translated from Wagner's own description of the opera. Many other web references to the opera refer back to this article for the synopsis. The story is a bit more complicated than the way I described it; for instance, there is a side story between Luzio and Isabella that I can't quite manage to incorporate in the above.
Frankly, the story line was quite confusing, even though I read the synopsis before the performance. There was simply too much happening to catch it all. After having seen the opera, the story is indeed quite coherent.
I have always had trouble understanding Shakespeare, and most of what I understand came from watching operas - Otello, McBeth, The Married Wives of Windsor, and even Hamlet come to mind. This opera's plot is based on Shakespeare's "Measure for Measure," and I must say it didn't clear things up at all for me.
Compared to the set of Die Feen, things are a lot simpler in this opera. Often walls consisting of white blocks with numbers written on them in sequence are used; Anne read that is to denote law and order. Fair enough, but puzzling to those who haven't read up on it. Our seats today in the parkette section gave the stage a difference perspective: it seemed a lot smaller.
End of Act 1 for the 2-act Opera. Notice the white blocks with numbers on them. Also, the guards are all wearing masks.
Curtain Call with Conductor.
The opera premiered in 1836, but it wasn't performed in the UK until 1965, by a semi-professional group. Evidently the Leipzig Opera performed this about 10 years ago.
There seems to be more analysis of Die Feen, being the first, than this second opera. As a stand-alone piece I found it quite enjoyable. The cast for tonight probably helped, as they all sang well. On the other hand, it will not find itself in any lists of "must-see" operas, not for the work itself, nor for the purpose of understanding Wagner as an artist.
The opera is relatively short. It started at 5 pm, and we were out by 8:30 pm.
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