Jul 9, 2022 7pm Nationaltheaer, Munich (Bavarian Opera)
Britten: Peter Grimes
Cond: Edward Gardner, Dir: Stefan Herheim
Stuart Skelton (Peter Grimes), Rachel Willis-Sørensen (Ellen), Iain Paterson (Balstrode), Konstantin Krimmel (Ned Keene)
(scroll down for English review)
華格納男高音幾乎個個都去了萊比鍚華格納節，但Stuart Skelton卻在慕尼黑唱布烈頓《彼德格林》。這個角色愈來愈被華格納男高音佔據，母語是英語的更是理所當然，我另一次現場看此劇，主角便是Stephen Gould。但和那個維也納演出相比（指揮是個駐院指揮），這個慕尼黑演出完全令我改觀。這也是我第一次現場看英國指揮Gardner，他較早前推出了一個在挪威貝爾根灌錄的同曲錄音，男高音也是Skelton。
我覺得最大的分別來自指揮，《四首海的間奏曲》在音樂廳常聽到（不在四首之中但都很精彩的《帕薩卡尼亞舞曲》則少人奏），好聽是好聽，但Gardner卻令我感覺到整齣歌劇的管弦樂部分，及得上一首交響曲扣人心弦，這點就算是聽作曲家自己指揮的錄音，我都感覺不到。另一個驚奇之處是合唱，他們絕對等同於一個角色，甚至是最可怕的角色：輿論，唱得非常精彩，比漁港外的暴風雨更為駭人。
男高音方面，之所以現在多由華格納男高音來唱，想是因為他們特別能叫，表達到彼德的憤怒及殘酷。面對着強勁的樂隊及合唱，Skelton卻不用硬碰，他大部分時候，尤其是面對自己時，是一把苦痛的聲音，對着群眾，也是外強中乾，沒有抵抗之力，Skelton用他在華格納的工夫，不是來硬，而是來軟，很多弱音都很長氣的唱出，除了他個人功力，我覺得也和指揮對此劇有正確了解有關。
好幾年沒看導演Herheim的新製作，詮釋作品的意念之外，我很欣賞他對舞台技術的熟練，包括佈景的操作。他在此劇用上一個有拱頂的佈景來代表大部分場景，牆壁能夠開合，這個拱頂也像劇院的鏡框，留空一個被帷幕蓋着的空間，可以是舞台上的舞台。佈景相同會不會悶？不會，首先是會因應某場的設定作些微調較，放些不同道具，但我覺得最重要是他把所有場所，無論是法庭、教堂、酒吧，都歸納成「社會」，這個佈景把此劇的兩棰對立展示出來，一是人對大自然，另一個是個人對社會。帷幕打開時，第二舞台有時會展現外面的天氣，有時則是主角的心境及心結。所以對我來說，這個樂隊、歌唱及導演俱佳的演出，改變了我對《彼德格林》的看法，原來可以比蕭斯塔高維契《慕澤斯克郡的馬克白夫人》更有逼力（我在同一劇院看過K佩特連高指揮那劇），而兩齣劇都受到《伍采克》的影響，布烈頓用的未必是現代音樂語言，卻有非常現代、絕大部分現代或當代歌劇想造但造不出的情感表現。
Stuart Skelton is one of the Heldentenor that didn’t take part in the Leipzig Wagner Festival. Instead I found him in Munich doing Peter Grimes. Although the role is now frequently taken up by Wagnerians, but is it what Britten really had in mind? I last saw this opera in Vienna, with Stephen Gould in the title role and conducted by a house conductor. Edward Gardner previously released a Chandos recording from live concert performances in Bergen, also with Skelton as the tormented fisherman.
This time I felt I haven’t truly known this opera, not even with the composer’s recording. I believe Gardner was the key to such a drastic difference. He conducted the orchestra with such attention to nuances and melodic archs that I couldn’t help but think the “Four Sea Interludes” are just interludes while this is the real deal, the real symphonic drama. The Bavarian opera chorus sang so marvelously and it was only then that I realized Britten wrote the chorus part to be the real villain, even more frightful than the storm outside.
Contrary to expectations Skelton hardly ever bellowed or combatted against the raving orchestra and chorus. Instead he was overwhelmed. In his private moments this is a sorrowful soul and Skelton used his Wagnerian lungs to deliver unbelievably well sustained pianos. Not just the tenor but also the conductor deserved credit for allowing such interpretation which really made more sense than the conventional approach.
There was no explicit reimagining of the opera’s messages but Herheim already contained his message within the set. His technical mastery allowed minute changes according to the occasions, but no matter it was a courthouse, a bar or a church, the common background indicated that this is “society”. Occasionally we’re allowed a glimpse of Grimes’ mind on a secondary stage, sometimes it’s the raging sea, sometimes the unforgettable images of the deaths of apprentices. In addition to the masterful rendition of the music and singing this became the first time that I felt Peter Grimes deserved the same position with Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth. Both operas were indebted to Wozzeck but I was especially amazed that Britten achieved such emotional depth with not so modernistic means.