I'm not sure why it's taken us a good four days to post anything about Saturday evening. I think it may have something to do with Voigt's First Staged Salome (the VFSS, if you will) being a huge relief, in a way. It was a thrilling achievement. Somehow, though, I found myself ever so slightly removed from the moment--a tad plagaued by an overwhelming sense of "Thank God it was good."Does this make sense? I wanted so badly for it to be wonderful--not just because it was also *my* first staged Salome (which I flew Southwest out of Islip to make happen), but because I really found myself wanting it for Deborah Voigt. The woman deserves an inarguable triumph--let's face it: being shamed into horribly invasive and painful surgery followed by a surprisingly protracted period of potentially scary vocal readjustment and long term career rethinking (read: cancellation of Vienna Brunnhildes) makes for a pretty shitty couple of years.
Whether it was all worth it is something only one person can answer. But one thing is unquestionable. Deborah Voigt's Salome on Saturday evening was first class. I can't imagine a more vocally beautiful, musically precise, and emotionally brave performance. And when the curtain came back up after the piece's wrenching final moments, the audience gave as powerful an ovation as I have experienced as she tilted her head back in a much deserved moment of exhaustion and relief. Congratulations to her.
Quick notes on the supporting cast: Alan Held's Jokanaan was generally excellent, but lacked the same sharp resonances I remember from his Wozzeck. Kim Begley turned in an appropriately lecherous and easy sounding Herod. Judith Forst's Herodias made me giggle in anticipation of her one-off Kostelnicka in February...
I don't have much to say about the production. I found it a bit drab and without cohesive vision. But frankly, I could not have cared less...
1 comment:
I can't believe it took you that long either. I came home from that performance and didn't know what to do with myself, in a manner of speaking. If I were a critic, I would have titled my review "Debbie gets good head" or something like that. I bought her performance hook, line, and sinker (that's fishin' talk). Anyway, I couldn't hold a conversation, watch tv, or read a word when I got home. Some friends were going dancing at Charlies (line dancing that is) and it felt so insignificant, so I stayed home. The only thing that felt appropriate was maybe some S&M porn or a pack of cigs. My very first bf told me Salome was better than sex. I was 22 and didn't believe him, but now I am willing to admit he was on to something. Salome has to be as good as sex! Thanks for the head Debbie.
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