It is obvious that Guy Montavon, Intendant of the Theater Erfurt, in his current season motto “Recognize yourself” in the history of Greece goes back to the mythical primordial ground. Richard Strauss`has presented the popular showpiece for this on a silver platter with his “Elektra”. The current program now also turns to a chapter in the history of modern Greece that is less well known in this country. In terms of content, Montavon is thus as political as he is ambitious as an artistic director.
A play about the consequences of a society’s warlike aberration for the lives of individuals is (unfortunately) more topical and explosive today than ever before. In Greece itself, a clearly partisan piece such as the new opera by the Australian Greek composer Nestor Taylor (*1963) is likely to trigger similar controversies, as was already the case after the publication of the underlying novel by Nicholas Gage in the 1980s and also after its film adaptation.
Communist partisans who in 1948 shipped children from families within their sphere of influence to states with whose political system they sympathized is one thing, but the fact that they had a mother of five children executed for opposing them and making sure that her son Nicholas got his chance at a self-determined life in the U.S. is something else. When Gage, as an author and successful investigative journalist, then begins to research, the result of which becomes a filmed bestseller and finally an opera, in which he himself sets the scene, so to speak, then the partisanship for the victim, which is understandable, but per se cannot be aimed at differentiation, of course prevails here to a particular degree.
The English-language libretto, which Fergus Currie distilled from the novel, i.e. from an essentially historically authenticated life tragedy, heads clearly and purposefully towards the death of the title heroine. And the Erfurt premiere staging by host Guy Montavon in the atmospheric landscape stage design and the historical costuming by set designer Eric Chevalier give this clear structure the appropriate framework. Two movable side walls with rock decor – at the back a projection screen for the village church, among other things. Next to it, as a frame, a desk where Nicholas (tenor Brett Sprague, with haunting eloquence), living in America in 1963, types the results of his research (and memory) into his typewriter.
Taylor’s musical language feeds from many sources. It certainly drives the parlando, but is demonstratively emotional pathos, especially when the chorus is involved, and makes good use of the big neo-romantic orchestral sound. Folkloric elements he has added and integrated himself. When America is mentioned in the text, he even does not shy away from musical-like echoes.
At the Erfurt Opera, world premieres are traditionally taken seriously with the full force of the house. In this particular case, the ex-GMD of the orchestra Myron Michailidis, a Greek, stands up for authenticity on the podium. As Eleni, Jessica Rose Cambio fills the role of the mother, who with the courage of despair tries to protect her children as she sees fit, with admirable intensity. From the love shown for the children, to the cunning tactics, to the endurance of abuse, even torture.
Tristan Blanchet is at her side as her courageous cousin Lukas Zià ras. On the opposite side, Máté Sólyom-Nagy as the leader of the rebels and Kakhaber Shavidze put their creative and vocal charisma at the service of the exemplary dark side of power. On which Valeria Mudra also stands out as the young, particularly fanatical rebel Milia. Especially in the tableaux, the chorus, rehearsed by Markus Baisch, embodies the fluctuating and adapting to power, sometimes serving, then again resisting role of the people.
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