Music Review: Risky, risque ‘Salome’ is everything you’d expect

When a biblically based, sinfully licentious play by an extravagantly gay male Irish Victorian playwright becomes the basis for an early twentieth century opera by a libidinous yet sexually repressed Teutonic composer, anything can happen - and should. It certainly did Sunday afternoon at the Arizona Opera’s artful, powerful and enrapturing production of Richard Strauss’ “Salome.”

It is rare when all the elements of an opera come together at an equally high level - singing, orchestra, staging. Sunday, it did. Playing to a nearly full house, Arizona Opera did itself not only proud, it did itself “magic.”

Nancy Gustafson as Salome was peerless. Her singing is already without question. She has sung the role often and well around the world. Each sound was pure and true. Her acting always held to her character. The Dance of the Seven Veils was sensuous, as was her playing opposite Greer Grimsley’s Jokanaan and Chris Merritt’s Herod. Not only sexually aroused but willful, her “Ah! Du wolltest mich nicht dienen Mund kussen lassen, Jokanaan” (Ah! You did not want me thy lips to kiss) combines both, verging on the demented. And when the “Ich habe deinen Mund gek�sst” (I kissed your mouth) comes, one knows the prediction by her father - “Something terrible will happen” - must, indeed, happen.

Subjugated yet well taught by her mother, Salome evidenced a febrile sexuality with the men, what the Messiah has come to atone. Strauss wanted Salome played as if by a 16 year old with a voice of Isolde. Gustafson came as close as anyone to that impossibility.

The opening of the opera comes from the familiar words of Isaiah — “Then shall the lame man leap as an hart and the tongue of the dumb shall sing...”

Chris Merritt, as Herod, sang forcefully as a King; however, as his royal wife points out, he is only the son of a camel driver. Though he lusts for his daughter, he has the strength, ultimately, to put the sinner — mad woman to death.

Greer Grimsley’s powerful Jokanaan easily matched the dynamics of the orchestra which might have covered a weaker voice.

Luretta Bybee’s Herodias was seductive and debauched - the whore of Babylon.

Noah Stewart’s Narraboth was convincingly acted and sung. The point is, every member of the cast sounded like, looked like and acted well in his or her role. It was a very, very special production on all those measures.

The score Strauss wrote for “Salome” is, in a word, challenging. The orchestra, under the capable baton of artistic director Joel Revzen, was a major presence in the production. It might have been too large and too loud for Puccini, but the soaring beauty of Strauss, some of the most complex music ever written, must be heard for its drama to engage with the singers.Those who say that Strauss should have quit with the symphonic poems fail to note how he worked the same majesty into “Salome.”

So many metaphors dance around the stage. The “Voice of him that cryeth in the wilderness” juxtaposes with the debauchery of the court. The purity of the virgin moon contrasts with the heat of Salome and her lust for Jokanaan (John the Baptist) whose red lips she will kiss only after his death. The wind (the beating of a thousand wings) forces against Herod who knows in his heart this is all wrong. The language from the prophet’s lips clashes with the lust of the princess — the trumpet v. the strumpet.

Sonja Frisell’s stage direction and co-design were beautifully effective. The set had just the right touch of the Middle Eastern desert. Doug Provost’s lighting was especially well designed. The cloudy sky against the moon, its darkening and reddening with the blood on stage, were ever subtle. Staging was not only effective but hardly noticeable, the best review possible. Gustafson’s Dance of the Seven Veils was well-choreographed by Melissa Lowe.

“Salome” could well turn out to be the highlight of the season. What a triumph for Arizona Opera.

The company takes its traditional holiday now until February when it returns with the always-favorite “La boh�me” on Feb. 6 -7 at Tucson Convention Center. Tickets and information are available at 520-293-4336 and www.azopera.com

donald.behnke@yahoo.com