https://www.heraldsun.com.au/lifestyle/melbourne/salome-is-a-boiling-pot-of-emotions-and-brilliance/news-story/985d0944c454251eba9f3cd626413f62
Published online at Herald Sun 24th February 2020.
Opera serves up ample tragedy, crazed characters and violent deaths but few boil over quite like Richard Strauss’ Salome.
Combining drama and music in a disturbing brew, evil festers in playwright Oscar Wilde’s twist on a macabre biblical tale. The Judaean princess Salome is spurned by the incarcerated prophet John the Baptist (Jochanaan) for ignoring her lustful approaches. Disturbingly, her stepfather Herodes can’t keep his eye off her, offering Salome anything she desires if she dances for his pleasure. To Herodes’ shock, Salome demands Jochanaan’s head on a platter.
In one of Victorian Opera’s finest quality productions, director Cameron Menzies gives it genuine potency in a curious multifaceted concept. Herodes looks like a cross between a lion and a clown. He’s a drunkard unfit to rule and his palace, a striking set that mimics the Palais itself, is a world in decay. As both objectifier and objectified, Salome is an identity in flux.
The famous Dance of the Seven Veils barely hints at seduction and is more a character essay in self-doubt, mental pain and humiliation. Tellingly, it highlights the tension between sympathising for a victimised teenager and deploring a demonic victimiser. Truth is seemingly in short supply.
The drama unfolds in a thematically dense 100-minute work without feeling overwhelming. The same can be said for conductor Richard Mills’ interpretation of the score, which fired with intensity from a pumped Orchestra Victoria. Sung to Hedwig Lachmann’s German libretto, the voices are awe-inspiring.
In her Melbourne and role debut, Lithuanian soprano Vida Miknevičiūtė delivered the demanding vocal lines with stunning colour and dramatic engagement. Right up to Salome’s demented end, there are reserves of power and stamina to intoxicate. Welcoming her back to sing more Strauss opera would seem utterly natural.
Starting offstage, Australian bass-baritone Daniel Sumegi boomed with threatening enormity as Jochanaan. On stage, strung up like a beast, he’s a force to reckon with. English tenor Ian Storey and local mezzo Liane Keegan contrast brilliantly and theatrically as Herodes and his ruffed-up wife Herodias. James Egglestone sings with passion as the besotted Narraboth and the remaining ensemble turn on excellence.
Salome
Victorian Opera
Palais Theatre
Until 27th February 2020
4.5-stars
Production Photos: Craig Fuller
Published online at Herald Sun 24th February 2020.
Opera serves up ample tragedy, crazed characters and violent deaths but few boil over quite like Richard Strauss’ Salome.
 |
| Vida Miknevičiūtė as Salome |
In one of Victorian Opera’s finest quality productions, director Cameron Menzies gives it genuine potency in a curious multifaceted concept. Herodes looks like a cross between a lion and a clown. He’s a drunkard unfit to rule and his palace, a striking set that mimics the Palais itself, is a world in decay. As both objectifier and objectified, Salome is an identity in flux.
The famous Dance of the Seven Veils barely hints at seduction and is more a character essay in self-doubt, mental pain and humiliation. Tellingly, it highlights the tension between sympathising for a victimised teenager and deploring a demonic victimiser. Truth is seemingly in short supply.
 |
| Liane Keegan as Herodias and Ian Storey as Herodes |
In her Melbourne and role debut, Lithuanian soprano Vida Miknevičiūtė delivered the demanding vocal lines with stunning colour and dramatic engagement. Right up to Salome’s demented end, there are reserves of power and stamina to intoxicate. Welcoming her back to sing more Strauss opera would seem utterly natural.
Starting offstage, Australian bass-baritone Daniel Sumegi boomed with threatening enormity as Jochanaan. On stage, strung up like a beast, he’s a force to reckon with. English tenor Ian Storey and local mezzo Liane Keegan contrast brilliantly and theatrically as Herodes and his ruffed-up wife Herodias. James Egglestone sings with passion as the besotted Narraboth and the remaining ensemble turn on excellence.
Salome
Victorian Opera
Palais Theatre
Until 27th February 2020
4.5-stars
Production Photos: Craig Fuller
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