World-renowned soprano Iréne Theorin is a regular performer in the most important opera houses in the world, an acclaimed interpreter in the late-romantic repertoire of Wagner, Puccini and Strauss. However, she is rarely heard in her native Sweden, having made her debut at the Konserthuset in Stockholm only last January in a Lieder concert held at the Grünewaldsalen. Now she returns for a concert in the main hall, which is featuring a programme mainly by Richard Strauss.
The concert opened with an orchestral piece, Pan, composed for BBC National Orchestra of Wales by the Swedish contemporary composer B. Tommy Andersson, whose world première was during the BBC Proms of 2015. The piece, scored for organ and large orchestra, is a musical portrait of the Greek god Pan, a mythological figure featuring a wide range of traits, which the music tries to convey by evoking an equally wide range of atmospheres. Pan raised terror in classical times, and the beginning of the piece focused on this chaotic, panicky feeling: the sound is overwhelming, communicating an enormous power that is hard to contain. The wonderful, large organ of the Stockholm Konserthuset, the centre of the musical action, evoked the largest set of panpipes ever seen on a stage. The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra gave us a remarkable and committed description of Pan's strength, also following Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård in the more subdued and lyrical description of other traits of the Greek god, his sensuousness, his closeness to nature.
The first part of the concert was concluded by the final scene from Salome, one of the most intensely written by Strauss. Salome, inebriated by power and sexual desire after dancing for Herod and requesting John the Baptist's execution as her reward, kisses John's severed head. Theorin commanded Strauss' style with great skill; she was clearly at ease in this music, her powerful voice soaring over the orchestra in beautiful high notes and spine-chilling pianissimi. The interpretation of this scene is a challenge for any singer; it is extremely hard to convey all the nuances of Salome's character. Theorin gave a credible and moving account of her madness and sensuality. It was a very enjoyable performance. What was perhaps lacking was the young girl's surprise, her incredulity about her own power, which is one of the drivers of her madness. Theorin's Salome was more evil and scheming than reckless.