LettersLeipzig Opera’s Tannhäuser makes the case for better vetting of acts by Hong Kong Arts Festival
- The Regietheater production of the opera by Wagner, which had been badly received on its home turf, did not win over its Hong Kong audience
Regietheater – where the director may be given carte blanche to change, invent and conceptualise to his or her heart’s content – can be exciting but the package delivered by Calixto Bieito was anything but that. The subtitles in archaic English seemed strange in a “modern-day” setting.
The opera is one of the headline highlights of our arts festival. Who is choosing these productions? Who decides that this type of production is accessible to Hong Kong audiences who, in general, are middle-of-the-road where opera productions are concerned? Why saddle a beautiful orchestra and fine playing with such ill-conceived action on stage? Wagner would have turned in his grave.
The production was gratuitous in its writhings, its bloodbaths, its frankly comedic mock flagellations with tree branches. How are we to focus on a fine aria stage left when poor Elizabeth is being subjected to a deluge of sexual harassment by greasy partygoers’ hands stage right?
The performance was badly directed with beautiful music, but people will probably remember the dreadful scenes on stage. A good production of any style will open the opera to its audience; it will elucidate the heart of the drama.