Review: Sydney Premier Production of Rusalka by Dvorak

5 stars

Wagner’s Ring Cycle presents a magical, supernatural world much loved by Set and Costume Designers. The operas provide incredible opportunities to stretch the imagination into the world of fantasy. Sydney, unfortunately, is always skipped over when staging these famous operas in favour of Victoria and Queensland. However, if you’ve been lusting after Wagner’s style of music and supernatural themes, Rusalka is what you have been looking for. The storyline is based around a mix of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Little Mermaid”, Slavic fairy tales and folklore. The music is divine, the story is easy to follow and the visual presentation is like nothing you’ve seen before.

The Composer

Rusalka was composed by Antonin Dvořák from Czechoslovakia with its premier in 1901. Dvořák was not so famous for his operas. You are more likely to recognise his “Slavonic Dances”, “Songs My Mother Taught Me” and his marvellous instrumental music. He loved nature, as can be clearly seen in his letters to friends and family. Dvořák was also very proud of his heritage and culture, wanting to highlight the folk music to help solidify a national identity for the country. In Rusalka, you can hear and see how he has added the very strong influence of folklore, musical motifs and the love of nature into the story.

Because the opera was considered so specific to it’s location, Rusalka became an enormous success in Prague where it was first performed. However, it took some decades to start spreading around Europe. It wasn’t performed in America until 1975 and Opera Australia performed it for the first time in 2007 starring Cheryl Barker. That was the last time we saw it as well. So, it’s been almost 20 years since Sydney audiences have had the opportunity to view a fully staged version. The best known aria is the magnificent “Song to the Moon”. Look it up. I am sure you will recognise it.

The Production

This is a new production which premiered with West Australian Opera last year. Director Sarah Giles has done a superb job drawing relatable human emotions from each character, even when they don’t look remotely human. The story has very few happy moments so, Giles has lightened the mood by adding visual gags to get the audience giggling.

The combination of Sets (Charles Davis), Lighting (Paul Jackson) and Video (David Bergman) is nothing short of astounding. Together they create moving pieces that allow us to sink into the murky depths of the world of the water people, then rise above the water line to view the human world which looks just as alien. In the final act, we look down on the lake full of water lilies as Rusalka becomes a water sprite floating on the surface. There are basic and not so basic magic tricks added for effect. Most extraordinary is a backdrop that can be a translucent glass, a mirror, a video screen or all three at once. Congratulations to the Design Team for creating these most amazing environments.

Placed in amongst the sets and moon beams are the costumes of Renée Mulder. Wild and wacky silhouettes feel very appropriate to the piece. There is never a dull moment and always something new to see. The supernatural wood nymphs might easily been imagined in 1901 as slim little female singers with bare legs and very long hair, flitting amongst the forest branches, teasing the Water King. Mulder’s version of the nymphs are as moving trees with “Bendy Man” 7 foot long arms and fly away head dresses like the roots of the tree stump inverted.

At the human ball, Mulder gives both male and female chorus members broad heads with wide apart eyes and hair styles you are more likely to spot in the movie “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”. From Rusalka’s point of view, it would make sense that this alien species called humans all look the same with only minor variations.

The Artists

First and foremost, we must congratulate management on presenting a fully Australian cast. This is what should be representing Australia at the Opera House.

Our Leading Lady in the title role is soprano Nicole Car. For many years now, Car has starred the leading roles of La Scala, The Met, Covent Garden and Wiener Staatsoper. Her voice is simply superb. You will not hear a better soprano anywhere in the world. Expressive, powerful and drawing on all the vulnerabilities of the character. Rusalka is a “meaty” role with complexities and room to develop as the story progresses. Car was magnificent and deserved her own standing ovation given by the opening night audience.

Bass Warwick Fyfe played the Water King. Still on top of his game, his voice dominated the theatre. It’s a fierce character with bobbling head and a deep concern for his daughter as she sacrifices so much to enter the human world. Fyfe was masterly his music, demonstrating his hatred for the human race and mourning the loss of his daughter. Heavy makeup made it more difficult to see his facial expressions. Fyfe compensated for this by amplifying each expression.

Another who amplified her expressions perfectly was Ashlyn Tymms playing Ježibaba the witch. Her dazzling costume and Cirque du Soleil makeup removed the classic “baddy” vibe, making her more magical and endearing. Tymms used the platform shoes to make her body tall and angular, walking as if she were 9 feet tall. She would stoop to leer at Rusalka and impart the rules to the trade. Tymms was the perfect pick for the role.

Tenor, Gerard Schneider is making his debut for Opera Australia in the role of The Prince. He is Australian and trained in Guildhall, London and Julliard School, New York. Schneider has a fine, lyrical tenor voice though, at times, was overwhelmed in volume by the orchestra (conducted by Johannes Fritzsch). His tone was pure and expressive.

Natalie Aroyan played an uppity Duchess. It’s a difficult role with very little exposure yet, the script demands much from the character. She must pass through jealousy and hatred; yet, be seductive enough to distract the Prince and for Rusalka to comment on the passion in her eyes. There didn’t appear to be much passion or seduction though the vocals were strong and clear and the comedy was excellent.

All the minor roles were brilliant as well. Featured were wood sprites Fiona Jopson, Jennifer Bonner and Helen Sherman (bouncing in from the current season of Carmen); Andrew Moran as the Gamekeeper (also in Carmen), Sian Sharp as the Kitchen Boy and Malcolm Ede as the Huntsman.

The audience erupted by the close of the opera. The only brief moment of horror came when the Production team arrived on stage for their own bows. On stage right, the members spread out and integrated with the singers. On stage left, they decided they all wanted to be as close to centre stage as possible which knocked back all the artists towards the wings, nearly dropping Schneider off the back of the boardwalk. It was an appalling way to treat a Principal Artist. I’m sure Schneider will be relieved to be only sharing the stage with the artists for the rest of the season.

Summing up

This production is astounding. The special effects blend beautifully without upstaging the artists. There is just the right amount of movement in the set pieces to change our perspective. All of it makes sense! This is a great relief in an era where pointless change is often implemented into opera just for the sake of something new to do.

The music is glorious and split into 3 acts with an interval between each. These bite size performances mean you have plenty of time to grab a wine and a sandwich at the bar, pop down to the box office level for a coffee or gaze down into Sydney Harbour from the Northern Foyer to see if you can find any local water sprites.

It’s a must see event from Opera Australia.

Five Stars.

Cast

Conductor: Johannes Fritzsch
Rusalka: Nicole Car
The Prince: Gerard Schneider
The Water King: Warwick Fyfe
The Duchess: Natalie Aroyan
Ježibaba: Ashlyn Timms
Wood Sprites: Fiona Jepson, Jennifer Bonner, Helen Sherman
Gamekeeper: Andrew Moran
Kitchen boy: Sian Sharp
Huntsman: Malcolm Ede

Production

Director: Sarah Giles
Set Design: Charles Davis
Costume Design: Renée Mulder
Lighting Design: Paul Jackson
Video and Content: David Bergman
Movement and Intimacy Co-ordinator: Lyndall Grant

Related Links

Tickets available in Sydney until 11 August: https://opera.org.au/productions/rusalka-sydney/
More about Nicole Car: https://www.nicolecar.com/biography