Met premieres lavish production of
Prokofiev epic based on Tolstoy novel
MIKE SILVERMAN, Associated Press Writer
Friday, February 15, 2002
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(02-15) 11:59 PST (AP) --
An AP Entertainment Review
NEW YORK (AP) -- Composed during the darkest days of World War II
to help inspire the Soviet people's resistance to Hitler, Sergei
Prokofiev's last opera soon fell victim to peace. His adaptation
of Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" ran afoul of
Stalin's censors and was never performed in full until after the
dictator's death in 1953. Sadly, the composer died the same day.
Since then the work has gradually gained a foothold on the world
stage, though productions will always be limited by the demands
of mounting 13 scenes spread over four hours with more than 60
singing roles and hundreds of choristers and extras -- not to
mention the technical difficulties of depicting battle scenes
from the Napoleonic Wars and the burning of Moscow.
The Metropolitan Opera had briefly talked of giving Prokofiev's
epic its U.S. premiere as far back as 1943-44. In recent decades,
touring companies have performed it on the Met stage. But until
Thursday night, the Met had never put the work into its
repertory. Now, at last, the company has given "War and
Peace" the recognition it deserves. The production -- a
joint venture with St. Petersburg's Mariinsky Theatre -- combines
the marvels of modern stage technology with the highest musical
values. It has sweep and grandeur without losing the intimacy of
sharply etched characters, beautifully sung and acted.
Prokofiev wisely did not try to set all of Tolstoy's sprawling
text to music. Instead, he and co-librettist Mira Mendelson (his
common-law wife) broke it into two parts. The first six scenes
focus on the young, headstrong Natasha, her love for Prince
Andrei and her seduction by the unscrupulous Prince Anatol; the
final seven scenes depict the battles of 1812 between Napoleon's
armies and the Russian people, led by the heroic Field Marshal
Kutuzov. This scenario inevitably gives the evening something of
a split personality, but Prokofiev has welded the two parts
together with remarkable artistry, so that the personal dramas of
the characters from Part I continue to play out against the
backdrop of war. Musically, the intimate scenes of the first half
may be superior to the bombastic patriotism of the martial arias
and choruses in Part II -- but the latter are undeniably stirring
and theatrically effective.
Producer Andrei Konchalovsky (best known as the director of such movies as "Runaway Train") and set designer George Tsypin have covered the vast Met stage with a steeply sloping dome. It makes for some awkward movements in Part I as the actors scramble up and down the inclines, but pays off in Part II by simulating the look of a rugged battlefield. Not without cost, however: On opening night, an extra playing a retreating French soldier slipped down the hill during the final scene and fell off the stage -- luckily into a safety net. The ballroom and parlor scenes of Part I are decorated with bits of scenery that descend from above on wires and are quickly withdrawn to permit fluid scene changes. In Part II, film projections at the rear of the stage suggest the gathering storm clouds and then the burning of Moscow.
But technical wizardry goes only so far in bringing an opera to
life. Happily, the Met's production is superbly cast, starting
with the two lovers. Baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky is familiar to
Met audiences for a variety of roles, but he's done nothing to
match the elegance and pathos of his Andrei. In her Met debut,
Anna Netrebko made an ideal Natasha -- spirited, beautiful, a
graceful dancer and a supple and expressive soprano. Their
reunion scene amid the chaos of war had an almost unbearable
poignancy.
As Kutuzov, the savior of the Russian people, bass Samuel Ramey
brought dignity and vocal weight to his two arias, while baritone
Vassily Gerello was suitably oily as his counterpart, Napoleon.
Other standouts from a long list of fine performances included
tenor Gegam Grigorian as the clumsy but sympathetic Pierre
Bezukhov, the man Natasha eventually marries in the novel; tenor
Oleg Balashov as Anatol, and mezzo Elena Obraztsova, as Madame
Akhrosimova, Natasha's godmother. Bass Vladimir Ognovenko, one of
many performers who sang two or even three roles, had an
indelible moment as Andrei's aged, haughty father.
Advancing Prokofiev's reputation has been a special mission
for Valery Gergiev, who runs the Mariinsky Theatre and is
principal guest conductor at the Met. Last year his performances
of the composer's first mature work, "The Gambler,"
were a season highlight. Thanks to his enthusiasm and ability to
convey Prokofiev's vision to the orchestra, the same is
sure to be true this year about "War and Peace."
There are nine more performances through March 19, including a live radio broadcast on Saturday afternoon March 2.