We wuz robbed! -- at Massenet’s Opera "Werther" in HD

It was at the absolute, supercharged dramatic climax of Jules Massenet’s opera Werther, when the audio of the satellite that transmits the live Met opera performances to most of the movie houses across the US, decided to cut out. Thus the last seven minutes of the tragedy unfortunately took on the form of a silent movie with subtitles.

When the sound returned, thunderously, it was the applause in the actual house, that was thanking the outstanding performances of the German superstar Jonas Kaufmann in the title role, and French mezzo-soprano Sophie Koch in her HD debut as the grieving Charlotte.

At our Center Theater in WP, they handed out free passes for a future movie or opera in HD. Since these passes don’t expire, one can even use them to save for an opera in next season’s line-up. Evidently the New Roc also handed out free passes. 

The malfunction existed only in the US. The Met, on line, apologized, supplied the seven minutes via video and assured the public that the encore on Wednesday evening will be fully restored.

So much for the mishap, let’s get to Werther…

The world literally moved when Goethe's novel, Die Leiden des jungen Werther, (The Sorrows of Young Werther) was published in 1774. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's book, in letter form, not only ushers in the art of the novel, but reflects the rise of Romanticism with the famous "Sturm und Drang" movement. It made a sensation! Jules Massenet's 4-Act opera Werther, milks every possibility of the tragic unrequited love of the tenor for the unattainable mezzo.

And here, for our distinct pleasure, in Live-in-HD-transmission-at-the-Movies, Werther is presented with an outstanding international cast with all ingredients for superb music making.

Goethe (1749-1832), Europe's second only to Shakespeare in the role of literary giant, was  24 years old when he wrote the novel. Its ardor is said to reflect a personal experience and may be the reason he completed it in all of six weeks. It created what was referred to as "Werther Fever," with young men dressing in clothes described in the novel, but also, much more dangerously, inciting highly romantic youths to attempt suicide. Evidently enough succeeded, so that the novel was banned in several communities.

Jules Massenet (1842-1912) was not the first to translate the novel into operatic form, but his is the only version that persists in the modern repertory. 

Massenet was highly successful after a slow start, which was overcome by the praise of composers such as Liszt and Tchaikovsky. His true mentor and teacher was the opera composer Ambroise Thomas of Mignon fame, who later invited him to become composition professor at the Paris Conservatory, where he, in turn, taught such future luminaries as Bloch, Charpentier and Enesco.

Extremely prolific, Massenet composed 25 operas, ballet music, oratorios and approximately 250 songs. He is considered harmonically conservative, rarely venturing beyond modest chromaticism. Grove describes that he "moved away from his earlier sentimentality to a more Wagnerian type of lyrical declamation." Frankly, you could have fooled me. A few repetitive themes do not a complex set of "Leitmotifs" make...

Nevertheless, Werther is not to be ignored. The music is easy to take and offers the singers a wide range to show off their special talents. However, the opera really only comes to life in Act III. And musically speaking, for instance, delivers the most uninteresting Christmas Carol music extant! And it gives that to us twice – reprising it at the end.

The libretto is the output of professional librettists Edouard Blau, Paul Millet and publisher Georges Hartman.

Its plot starts with a prelude that, here, with the help of clever projections on scrims, apprise us of a family mourning the death of the mother.

Act I, takes place in the home of the widowed Bailiff who is rehearsing his children in a Christmas Carol to be performed at the appropriate season. Two of his drinking companions comment on the young poet, Werther, accompanying the Bailiff's eldest daughter, Charlotte, to a ball that night. Charlotte who has been running the motherless household, is the betrothed of Albert, who has been away for some time.

Werther arrives, sings about the beauty of nature (with not a flower in sight on a remarkably barren set) and is enchanted by the domestic scene of Charlotte giving some cake to the children. He and Charlotte leave for the ball before Albert's unexpected return.

At the ball, it becomes evident that Charlotte and Werther are very much attracted to each other. The pair return in the moonlight; Werther declares his love for her; they are about to kiss, when the Bailiff calls out that Albert has returned. Charlotte tells Werther that she is betrothed to Albert and that she promised her dying mother to marry him. Werther is absolutely devastated.

Act II has Charlotte and Albert married for three months. Werther's role is that of a friend of the family, but he cannot refrain from declaring his continued passion for her. Although harboring deep feelings for him, she chooses to remain the faithful, dutiful wife.

Act III takes place in Albert and Charlotte's home. It is Christmas Eve. Charlotte is reading Werther's impassioned letters and realizes she really still loves him. Werther arrives, wildly displaying his feverish ardor, which frightens her. She tells him he must leave, never to return. Later, Albert comes in, is given a note from Werther, announcing that he is going on a long journey and would like to borrow Albert's pistols for the trip. Albert, fully aware of Werther's love for Charlotte, forces her to be the one to hand them to the messenger. Charlotte realizing how Werther means to use them, and now transformed into sharing his unrestrained passion, rushes off to save him.

Act IV. Alas, she comes too late, Werther has shot himself and dies in her arms. Outside, the children are singing the Christmas Carol they practiced in Act I. La Tragedia e finita...

But I should not jest, when the main protagonists are sung by the current greatest superstar tenor Jonas Kaufman and the comely mezzo-soprano Sophie Koch, who has been partnering his Werther in many European operatic venues. They are not only superb singers but also excellent actors.

I just wish someone more powerful than Massenet had tackled this moving drama, and the production by the distinguished team of Richard Eyre and  set/costume designer Rob Howell, had not been set in Massenet’s time. It even robbed Jonas wearing the famous "Werther Fever" flattering outfit.

Vocally, there was everything to recommend this performance all around. The bass David Bizic, who hails from Serbia, made a distinguished Met debut as Albert. Special notice must be made of the delightful performance by veteran American Met soprano Lisette Oropesa, as the charming 15-year-old Sophie.  The Australian baritone Jonathan Summers was a sensitively performed Bailiff.

Patricia Racette hosted the entertaining and enlightening intermission interviews. The excellent idiomatic English the two headliners exhibited was most amazing and the knowledge they imparted even more so.

As usual, our marvelous Met orchestra, under the able baton of the Parisian conductor Alain Altinoglu, did its persuasive best to make the most of this highly anticipated Werther.

Are you free this Wednesday Evening, March 19th at 6:30 PM? It’s really worth it to attend the fixed-up encore at City Center or NewRoc.

Here is the remarkable story of two of your neighbors, marvelously well-informed, mature opera lovers, who are delightfully willing to admit they are “Kaufmann Groupies.” They search out and attend every Kaufmann performance possible.

Anne Ladau of Pawling told me she flew up to Montreal very recently to catch one of his concerts. Unfortunately illness had him cancel the recital, and because of one of the so-many current snow storms, she was marooned in Montreal for four days. Groupie-ism can have its problems!

Her learned dedication becomes eminently clear with this quote:

“I plan to go to the Werther encore and assume I will enjoy it even more as I find seeing the same Opera two ( or in this case, three ) times adds to my enjoyment of each succeeding performance. I also read the libretto and listen to any CDs I happen to have. With Werther it was Kraus and Troyanos. The Kaufmann/Koch interpretation was far superior, I thought, as Kraus was somewhat strident and did not have the subtle coloring and beautiful phrasing that was evident in the HD performance. Kaufmann's voice is lower and more burnished, and he sang with far more vigor and authority. I thought his performance was simply devastating.”

Her friend, Jacqueline Copeland of White Plains, who has a good deal of music training, started serious interest in opera in the 1970s. She has been attending the Met ever since and takes full advantage of the so much more convenient HD’s as well. 

“When I heard the first sounds out of Kaufmann’s voice, years ago, I was instantly convinced of his very special talent.” Three Toscas and two Carmens within two weeks subsequently, made her a “Kaufmann Groupie,” willing to wait outside the Met’s stage door with other “Stage-door Johnnies” who were hunting him down to speak to him and collect autographs.

Her very erudite analysis of this particular series of Werthers informed me that “this Saturday matinee was vastly superior to the two earlier Met performances that still showed signs of his illness.” She also compared the in-house performance to the HD, praising the latter as much more revealing of the subtleties of the acting because of the close-ups.