In an ultimate venue-bender, the San Francisco Opera is producing a stage
version of a concert piece while, just across the street, the San Francisco
Symphony is offering the "semi-staged" concert version of a genuine
opera.

For the Opera's "Damnation of Faust," there is the Symphony's redemption
of Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman."

The latter opened tonight in Davies Hall, producing one of the most
thrilling events of recent years... but not at first. Michael Tilson
Thomas, who last conducted a Wagner opera 23 years ago (also "Dutchman")
must have built up some pent-up feelings about the work because he
launched into the overture creating something approaching a racket.

With the full orchestra on stage, in a size not likely to be accommodated
in an opera-house pit, there was no need to "punch it up," but it happened
anyway, musicans and conductor (all in black, but shirtsleeves) resembled
an over-eager racehorse, stumbling out of the gate.

And that was the last false note of the evening. Almost immediately,
immense voices soared from the stage (dressed up with a few sails and
some lights), the orchestra became one, Vance George's Symphony Chorus
hit the hall's collective solar plexus.

Loud became powerful, rush turned into vital urgency, and for the rest
of the evening, oceanic sonic waves rolled into the hall, the finale
sent shivers up on the spine, and the audience exploded in ovation at
the end, celebrating a superb performance.

MTT's Wagner is Solti-passionate at times, but he never "stepped" on a
single vocal line - of course, he had voices almost impossible to drown
out. In the quiet passages, he asked for and received a transparent,
filigreed sound, warm and enchanting. Except for several blown notes in
the brass, the Symphony was at his best.

The men's chorus was solid and powerful, the women playful (the spinning
chorus was utterly charming) and glorious.

And so we come to the best part of this grand event, improbably after
all this gushing: the soloists.

Local boy (Merola Program, 1985) makes good, Mark Delavan was a giant
of a Dutchman. (Although somehow ending up in a trench coat, the required
stage wear across Grove Street where the Stuttgart mafia resides. Orson
Wells asked what 500 years of peace and prosperity produced in Switzerland,
and his answer was "the cuckoo clock!" Apparently, 500 years of sturm
und drang in Germany produced one thing: the trench coat.)

His voice solid and projecting perfectly into the huge hall, Delavan
sang as if on fire. A combination of helden-baritone and a lyric voice
with heft, he could do no wrong tonight. In the finale, he took great
risks, allowing his voice to break twice when overcome by grief and
despair.  Delavan's duets with Stephen Milling (simply the best Daland
I ever heard) were resounding through Davies as if amplified... except
that they were not. The amplifier existed only within their throats.

Speaking of amplified voices, Jane Eaglen's performance as Senta opened
so quietly, with so much feeling that one had to look hard to make sure
this is the same lady of the leather lungs we know. It was, and the
trumpet sounded soon enough, but throughout the evening, Eaglen provided
one of the most *musical* performances in recent years. Again, the Act
3 finale, with Eaglen, Delavan, the chorus, and the orchestra driven by
a conductor waiting for two decades just for this - was an amazing
experience.

Jill Grove's Mary fit right in with the power-house principals, Eric
Cutler's Steersman was pleasing. Mark Baker, his voice shifting from
baritone to falsetto and back again, didn't quite live up to the demands
of Erik's role.

Peter McClintock's "semi-staging" was fully realized. Placing the singers
and the chorus was made in the interest of the music. Some of the stage
business might have gone on a bit too long, but the total effect was
ever-supportive of the work. Except for the ballroom lighting to illustrate
redemption, the use of lights was exceptional, giving a sense of the
approaching ship here, illustrating feelings there.

Much can be made with little where there is talent, good taste, and
respect for the work.

Additional performances are on June 13, 15, 19, and 21.

Janos Gereben/SF
www.sfcv.org
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