The Netherlands Opera’s production of William Tell, directed by Pierre Audi, has proved a daunting endeavor, captivating the audience through its colorful treatment of Rossini’s final opera. From the cast of characters on stage and the musicians of the orchestra to the sound, lighting, stage and costume departments, the roughly four-and-a-half-hour event couldn’t have been more stimulating.
Opening with the instantly recognizable overture (think The Lone Ranger theme song and the grim scenes in A Clockwork Orange), the orchestra, conducted by Paolo Carignani, exhibits the first whims of virtuosity drawing the attention to the scene taking place in the background, a haunting foreshadowing of William Tell’s dreaded future amidst a backdrop of misty waters and stormy landscapes. A mournful cello sets the scene with wailing glissandi and voluptuous vibrato. The despair draws to an end only as a storm breaks on the horizon, as we hear the strings swell with a hyperbolic wave of tremolos passed throughout the section. A soothing English horn and an optimistic flute break the tension of the storm in the Ranz des Vaches, a call to the dairy cows, and the final “cavalry” charge perks up the ears as the percussion can be seen in a visual display of their valiant efforts.
At this point the lustrous work of architect George Tsypin and set and light designer Jean Kalman is on display. The representation of a ship suspended above the stage marks the entire atmosphere, revolving around a community of fishermen. At the top right corner hanging high above it all is a gemstone made from agate, with a cow glancing into its reflection which pops out from the other side. The surrealist design begs one to ponder whether or not we are seeing things clearly, if perhaps our world onstage exists below the waters; it is indeed a direct challenge to the spacial dynamic.
The love story between Arnold and Mathilde is, personally, not so affecting in its believability – but the delivery of the American tenor John Osborn certainly is. Tormented by his love of country and his love for a woman in the ranks of his enemy makes him the most conflicted of the characters in the opera, and thus the most interesting. His consistent and heart-jerking solos in the final act are some of the most memorable in the entire work, hitting high Cs one after the other like clockwork.
The chorus of the Netherlands Opera is considered one of the highest quality in all of Europe at the moment. The musical and physical demands on the ensemble were gracefully and ingeniously balanced through the efforts of each member, of course, but also in the movement conceptions of choreographer Kim Brandstrup. Depicting the struggle of Switzerland in its efforts to regain independence and freedom from its oppressors, the Austrian Hapsburgs, required several large groups of mass choruses (from opposing factions) and ballet dancers, and the incorporation the main characters into these scenes.