First review: Lise Davidsen triumphs as Salome

Hugh Kerr of Edinburgh Music Review reports overnight from Paris:

The Bastille was packed for the first night of ‘Salome‘. The large numbers were perhaps not attracted by the production, which was harshly received two years ago. Tonight we were all waiting to see how Lise Davidsen, whom many consider the world’s finest dramatic soprano, would fare in this modern production.

The answer is she triumphed – she turned it into a love story between her and Jochanaan, superbly sung by Johan Reuter They ended up clinging together in an iron cage as Salome sang of her kiss tasting of blood.

There is lots of sex and nudity, but it all happens upstairs behind a glass screen. Our focus was on the front of the stage, where Salome was serenading Jochanaan. It was fabulous singing from them both. Pavel Breslik was also very good as Narraboth – until he (unconventionally) shot himself.

There was no dance of the seven veils. Instead Herodes stripped Salome down to her slip, but then she ravished him and since she towered over Gerhard Siegel this seemed quite believable. Gerhard Seigel was a very convincing nasty little Herod. Ekaterina Gubanova was excellent as Herodias, flouncing around in fake breasts but singing well. Other minor parts were well sung, but the other star of the evening was conductor Mark Wigglesworth and the excellent Paris Opera Orchestra who gave this great Strauss score a superb rendition.

The production by Lydia Steier does major damage to the opera with lots of silly business. The power and the beauty of Lise Davidsen overcame all. Her reception in the Bastille was ecstatic; she took half a dozen curtain calls.

photo: Lise Davidsen takes her bow

Hugh Kerr is the editor of the Edinburgh Music Review. A fuller version of this review will appear there later.