The last of six successful collaborations by Richard Strauss and Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Arabella is a gem of an opera, underperformed and under-appreciated. Full of nostalgia for mid-19th century Vienna before the fin-de-siècle tidal wave carried the country – and the rest of Europe – into a tumultuous new century, the work is an intimate portrayal of characters making the best of the limited choices offered in life.
The heroine must choose to marry not so much for love but for an opportunity to save her fading aristocratic family’s fortunes. Her younger sister, raised as a boy to reduce expenses, is hopelessly in love with one of her sister’s admirers. A wealthy but lonely country gentleman falls in love with a portrait of a young woman sent by her desperate father. After misunderstanding and confusion, the opera ends with a moving scene of understanding, reconciliation and love with Arabella pledging herself to her chosen husband, Mandryka.
Otto Schenk’s 1983 production, a faithful representation of the three scenes of the opera – hotel suite, coachmen’s ball and hotel lobby – is cluttered with period furniture in fading colours. It serves as an inoffensive and well designed setting to focus on the music. The excellent cast and Met Opera Orchestra under the inspired conducting of Nicholas Carter presented an unforgettable revival, rich in emotional details that are sometimes marred in the opera’s better known older sister, Der Rosenkavalier, with the latter's many comic moments obscuring the characters.
Rachel Willis-Sørensen, making her role debut, was a creamy-voiced, elegant Arabella, with sympathetic characterisation which perfectly suited the character as a focus of calm and wisdom amid her chaotic family. The soprano projected her lines with clarity and precision, and her singing should certainly gain in confidence as the run continues. As her sister Zdenka, Louise Alder made a successful Met debut, impressive with her beautifully rich voice and genuine stage presence. Her Act 1 duet with Willis-Sørensen was one of the highlights of the evening, both soprano voices blending and soaring easily above the orchestra.
Mandryka, Arabella’s wealthy suitor and her chosen fiancé, differs from Baron Ochs in the former’s depth of feelings and willingness to be humble in the face of his mistakes. In his vocal and physical performance, Tomasz Konieczny embodied the character’s clumsiness mixed with his budding affection for Arabella. His bass-baritone dominated with power but he also showed tenderness and modulation as needed. The final duet of Arabella and Mandryka, now reconciled and looking forward to their life together, was sung with breathtaking beauty, aided by ravishing orchestral playing.
The secondary characters were all very well cast, an infrequent and welcome surprise of this revival. Pavol Breslik brought his radiant tenor and youthful acting to the thankless role of Matteo, an officer who mistakes Zdenka for Arabella but makes amends in the end. As Arabella’s parents, Brindley Sherratt and Karen Cargill sang with authority as well as charm. In her Met debut, Julie Roset as the Fiakermilli was an appealing and coquettish party favourite.
As good as the vocal performances were, the success of the evening owed much to the masterful conducting by Nicholas Carter. Strauss’ detailed, yet sumptuous score came alive with each instrument clearly articulated and highlighted throughout. Carter’s leadership never overwhelmed the singers but rather supported and followed the contour of their voices. The orchestra came alive in the prelude to the third act, a more sophisticated update of the Rosenkavalier prelude. The performance came to a happy and satisfying closure, offering a sense of solace and hope.
