#Corona-classics I: Le Dernier sorcier Pauline Viardot

When corona measures were declared on Thursday, March 12, it felt surreal at first. The next day, the world premiere of the opera fell Ritratto by Willem Jeths in the water. I had been looking forward to this immensely, just like all those other productions in the Opera Forward Festival. Besides, I was in the midst of preparations for numerous introductions over the next few months. All at once, everything was cancelled until 1 June. Slightly disbelieving, I left for my little hut on the heath: surely it would not be such a rush?

The rest is history as they say. That's how fast it was. - Well, 'speed': from tenth gear I suddenly had to downshift to first. I acutely resolved to finally review the huge pile of CDs, under the title #Corona-classics. But instead, I took long cycling and hiking trips; the elimination of deadlines and commitments felt like a holiday.

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Upon returning home, I found increasingly worrying press releases in my mailbox. One festival after another that was supposed to take place after the doom date went black. Even the Gaudeamus Music Week in September. While many organisations come up with online alternatives, these are still surrogates for a live experience. Moreover, these do not call for concert leaders. After the May 6 press conference, it is unclear whether my already booked performances will go ahead next season. What concert hall can run with a maximum of 100 people in attendance?

That is why I decided to turn the knob. Anxiously looking at the future and compulsory holidays is no life. Today, I start my series after all #Corona-classics. And right away with a cheerful note in these anxious days: the chamber opera Le dernier sorcier by Pauline Viardot. The world-famous mezzo-soprano in her time (1821-1910) composed it in 1867 to a libretto by her heart friend/lover Ivan Turgenev.

Effective and contagious

He tells the story of Krakamiche, 'the last magician' from the title. The latter has lost his magical powers and lives with daughter Stella in a shabby hut. This stands in the forest that Krakamiche once took from the elves as a powerful man. They constantly bully him and laugh at his powerless anger. When Stella falls in love with Prince Lelio to his annoyance, the elf queen jumps to the couple's aid. She gives Lelio a flower that makes him invisible.

As it goes in fairy tales, everything comes together in the end. Stella and Lelio are allowed to marry and Krakamiche repents for his past misdeeds. The forest returns to its rightful owners, natural order is restored.

Viardot made an equally effective and catchy setting for piano, six singers and a choir. By 1863, she had bid farewell to the opera stage and had moved to Baden-Baden, followed by Turgenev. Four years later Le dernier sorcier. In it, it is easy to hear that Viardot was widely admired for her great vocal range and dramatic eloquence. Composers such as Hector Berlioz, Charles Gounoud and Camille Saint-Saëns were inspired by her. She was also a gifted pianist, often playing duets with Chopin. With his consent, she even made song arrangements of his mazurkas.

Pompous versus nimble

Le dernier sorcier was premiered at Turgenev's villa in Baden-Baden on 20 September 1867. Viardot herself sat at the piano, her four children and two students performed the roles. Among the guests were Liszt, Brahms, Clara Schumann and even Kaiser Wilhelm I, who called the opera "a masterpiece". Liszt helped realise a professional premiere two years later at Weimar's Hoftheatre. This was less favourably received. Critics denounced the libretto translated into 'laborious German' and the unwieldy arrangement for symphony orchestra.

The CD recording presents the original version for piano, but translated the connecting texts into English. British actress Trudie Styler recites these engagingly, with a neat English diction. The constant switching between spoken English and sung French is a bit jarring, but gets used to it quickly. Especially since the vocal lines are so fluent and the piano parts so compelling.

The short overture already tells the story in a nutshell. Signal motifs and burping chords in the low registers symbolise the pompous Krakamiche and his servant Perlimpinpin. They keep simpering about their lost powers. In contrast, mercurial strings of notes in the high registers are the musical translation of the light-footed frolicking elves and the young love couple.

Swinging and sing-along

In over an hour, Viardot irresistibly transports us into the fairytale world of the troubled Krakamiche and his adversaries. Bouncy piano loops accompany the elves who make him spin around and throw water down his chimney. Their rhythmic laughter contrasts with his angry sputtering, performed with verve by bass Eric Owens. Daughter Stella (the soprano Camille Zamorra) sings in jaunty lines the raindrops that make her plants grow. The mezzo-soprano Adriana Zabala is a deliciously in love Lelio and Jamie Barton is a majestic elf queen. Sarah Brailey (Verveine), with her agile voice, puts all the acts in context, like a Greek chorus.

Le dernier sorcier has a lot of momentum and brims with pointed rhythms and sing-along vocal lines. The piano part is extremely varied and Myra Huang knows how to accurately convey all the nuances. From playful doubles to low rumbling doom sounds, from sensual sweetness to heady pounding rhythms. The Manhattan Girls Chorus follows her closely and splashily - without a conductor. Finally, they perform an ode to their beloved forest, accompanied by triumphant piano guitars all over the keyboard.

Feminist eco-fable

The CD booklet describes Le dernier sorcier as a 'feminist eco-fable' avant la lettre. After all, the women outwit Krakamiche and the forest is allowed to be the forest again from now on. The invaders are gone, the old order returns. That seems a bit too far-fetched but a parallel with our times can certainly be drawn. Now we fear the power of the Corona virus that we are trying to drive out of our realm at all costs. - Whether we will be as successful as the elves, the future will tell.