# Mozart and Martinu in Amsterdam and Germany (May 2016)



## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

This 3 day trip was one of my detour routes from the Scottish Highlands to Malta in the Mediterranean.

As Amsterdam is the only direct international route out of Inverness, it has become a regular stopover. Until now, I've alway been when there's a chill in the air even when it should have been spring. This time it's warm and pleasant. My shockingly tiny over-priced hotel room was a short walk from Centraal Station.

It's *Don Giovanni* tonight, in what I guess is called the forest production. A life-like forest provides the verdant setting with a huge stage turntable used to good effect to indicate movement through the forest. I liked it.

_Christopher Maltman_ is the eponymous villain. Our own dongiovanni noted the Maltman wasn't in good voice at the previous performance, and sadly I felt the same here. Thankfully Leporello sung and moved well, as did many others. It was a good night with a production that should be a keeper.

Next morning is all about trains, three are needed for the 2h30m trip from Amsterdam to Essen in the Ruhr Valley, Germany's heavy industry heartland. With online tickets and an itinerary, it's all smooth running.

I reached my hotel by lunchtime walking through Essen's modernish and undistinguished pedestrianised centre. I have time for an afternoon tourist venture. The hotel receptionist helpfully suggests _Villa Hugel_ - the stately pile and gardens of the Krupp steel dynasty. She fills out a little card which gives me free unlimited access to all public transport for the duration of my stay  . I recommend this little trip if you're ever in Essen on a nice day.

There are plenty of opera houses in this region, but Essen's is the most active and creative. Their Aalto Theater is an 'award winning' modern house, known for being assymetric in design, inside and out. It may look a little like Fort Knox, but it's amenable, and a nice place to be in. (Interval drinks overlooking the city's park.)

And so begins my two night Martinu jaunt. Tonight it's *The Greek Passion*, the last performance of its long run this season. Tickets are inexpensive so I grab a decent stalls seat. The compact hall is nicely raked so everyone has a perfect view.

As everyone is taking their seats, there's a person sitting near me who's a little unusually dressed, and holding an accordian... a member the cast. At the appointed time, he gets up and begins busking in the aisle - serenading a lady with a tune from Traviata, while an elderly gent is the recipient of a tune which must have been very appropriate as the audience cheered. Then he plays a couple a folk tunes to which many of the audience sung the words. It was a charming way to start the evening. The accordianist's audience stint segues cleverly into the start of the opera as he joins those on stage.

The Greek Passion presented here is the composer's full revision, premiering posthumously in 1961. The score and singing is melodic and accessible, the orchestration is lush, showing Martinu's debt to Puccini and (IMO) American film scores. In fact, some of the music could easily have enhanced La Fanciulla del West.

The plot concerns a Greek village who's plans to stage a passion play are interrupted by refugees from a neighbouring village during a Turkish invasion. Whilst there are many detailed touches to this production (a little over-fussy?) the semi abstract design (a large crumbling wall) isn't fully satisfactory. However, credit to the designer for staying true to the era and resisting any urge to update and politicize the story.

Local favorites Jessica Muirhead and Jeffrey Dowd produce some fine singing, and deliver the emotional core most movingly. Conductor Tomas Netopil gave an excellent reading of the score. I can say no more than it sounded as good as my Charles Mackerras recording.

Time to leave Essen, but I sense I'll be back before too long. It's a 4 hour train journey to Berlin the following morning, clearly not a mainline route as every carriage seems of a different design! Even the armrests in my six seat compartment don't match! Just when I think I'll have the space to myself, a retired couple come in. We chat cordially as I help them put their luggage on the overhead rack. I quickly discover that not only were we both at the Greek Passion but we are also heading to Berlin for tonight's *Julietta*! I wonder whether it's an amazing coincidence or if there were many others on the train doing the same opera trip. Anyway, the male half of my lovely new Swedish friends turns out to be a musicologist specialising in the life and works of Martinu. He gives me a recent copy of the Martinu society magazine with his leading article. The journey flies by with many musical anecdotes and much laughter.

Berlin and *Julietta*: I'm flying out of Schonefield the next morning so I pick a hotel on the Eastern side. That way I have more time in bed before my 10am flight than if I'd stayed near the Schiller Theatre in the West.

This is the first night of a new production of Julietta (or Juliette as the Germans have it). _Barenboim_'s conducting, _Magdalena Kozena_ in the title role, although _Rolando Villazon_ as Michel is very much the leading character, onstage and involved throughout. The production of Claus Guth is first rate, elegant and intriguing, just like the work itself. Villazon is perfect in this role and it's a triumph for him. Kozena, my first time hearing her live, doesn't disappoint. Her voice has a unique and special timbre.

During the interval Gunter, my Martinu scholar friend on the train, felt Barenboim's conducting was a little Debussian and not Stravinskian (which Martinu strove for) but this was a minor quibble. It was a great evening and a big hit. I wish I'd stayed on for another performance.

In summary, an enjoyable 3 day trip. Whilst there's something to be said for staying more than one night in a town, I think I prefer to be on the move during each day. After all, I'm not a tourist I'm an operatic traveller.

I will now update my top ten 20th century operas to including Julietta.

* I calculate that Jessica Muirhead sung 42 times at the Aalto in the season, mostly in prima donna roles (Violetta, Mimi, Margherite).


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