Ariadne auf Naxos, opera review: A tangled web finely woven

Lothar Koenigs coaxes splendid sounds from the orchestra and makes good use of his outstanding cast, says Nick Kimberley
Entertaining: Christof Loy’s production updates the action to the present
Nick Kimberley13 October 2015

Richard Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, premiered in 1916, might be the first postmodern opera. Playing slyly with matters of gender and class and flitting merrily between sundry historical periods, it jumbles artifice and naturalism, comedy and tragedy.

It opens in the house of “the richest man in Vienna”. He never appears but is clearly an uncouth dolt: having organised two entertainments for his guests, he insists the serious opera and the commedia dell’arte farce will have to run simultaneously. This offends everyone involved, not least the opera’s Composer (a soprano trouser role), who eventually gives in. The hybrid entertainment takes up the rest of the evening.

Christof Loy’s production updates the action to the present and quickly establishes that the entertainers are mere lackeys of their unseen paymaster. Beyond that and a few comic turns, it’s a rather plain setting for a show in which musical standards are very high indeed.

Lothar Koenigs, coaxing splendid sounds from the orchestra, has an outstanding cast, dominated by the female voices that were Strauss’s speciality. On opening night, Ruxandra Donose’s Composer had the occasional vocal wobble but hers is an amply rich mezzo voice. At the opposite end of the scale, Jane Archibald negotiates the perilous coloratura with a grace that makes the potentially flighty Zerbinetta (the central figure in the commedia farce) into a substantial character. Rising above everything, Karita Mattila’s Ariadne is a fascinating creation.

Latest music reviews

1/168

As she develops from haughty grande dame into a complex and deeply felt figure, Mattila’s radiant voice conjures a complex web of conflicting feelings. It’s undeniably moving. The risk is that the sophistry of Strauss’s dramatic set-up is so arch that the emotions it engenders eventually feel somewhat hollow.

Until October 16, Royal Opera House (020 7304 4000, roh.org.uk)

Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in