Kaija Saariaho: L'Amour de Loin. Libretto by Amin Maalouf. Robert Spano, conductor; Peter Sellers, director. With Dawn Upshaw, Gerald Finley, and Monica Groop. Santa Fe Opera. August 9th. (American premiere)
Kaija Saariaho's L'Amour de Loin is the most innovative and mesmerizing opera of the past decade. It was originally commissioned by the Salzburg Festival, where it had its premiere in 2000. This, the second production, is a shared venture between Chatelet Opera, which presented it last year, and Santa Fe Opera. The libretto is based on the true story of Jaufre Rudel, a 12th century French troubadour who gained fame in his day as the poet of "distant love," through songs he addressed to a faraway woman he had never met, identified after his death as the Countess of Tripoli. Just as Jaufre was obsessed with his Countess, Ms. Saariaho has been obsessed with Jaufre, studying him for years and making him the subject of her most important works. As part of her quest, she sought out Amin Malouf, a Lebanese writer and scholar of the Crusades, who became the librettist for the opera.
This is a work that follows it's own path, unlike virtually every major new opera of the past few years, and the libretto is as unconventional as the score. Although it has the essential elements of a linear story, this is a work of poetry and allegory, which lends itself to exquisite song. The libretto is a series of conversations between Jaufre, Clemence (the Countess), and the Pilgrim, a character who encounters both in his travels, carries news of the one to the other, and ultimately accompanies Jaufre to his encounter with Clemence. In this fatal journey, the Pilgrim becomes ill, his condition worsens as he nears his beloved, and he ultimately dies in her arms. One of the many allegorical possibilities is a Christian one, as a Christian pilgrimage involves love and devotion to someone we have never seen, but whom the believer expects to encounter at his death.
Ms. Saariaho is the most daring of new composers. She weaves electronic instruments into the acoustic orchestra so seamlessly that it is sometimes hard to determine which is which. Her score is sometimes tonal and sometimes not, and there are passages when microtonal music is used to fascinating effect.
None
of this is gratuitous; it is essential to her sound. Most surprisingly, given
its radical nature, this is a score with broad audience appeal , primarily due
to the sweeping beauty of the score. There are some Medieval harmonies, some
inspired choral writing, and a relaxing sweetness in her orchestration. And
she writes beautiful melodies for the voice, which are easily understood (assuming
that you speak French), and which underline the definition of each of her characters.
Ms. Saariaho claims to have been inspired to write an opera after hearing Messiaen's
St. Francoise d'Assise, and, indeed, the structure of her work is similar,
with the same narrow, interior focus and static nature. But her score seems
most influenced by Pelleas et Melisande, although much of her sound world
is so original that such comparisons are limited.
Dawn Upshaw was riveting as Clemence. The sweetness of her voice, her magnetic stage presence, and clever acting brought the role to life so vividly that she dominated the opera. (She has sung the role in all performances to date.) The role of Jaufre was sung by baritone Gerald Finley, who had also sung the role at Chatelet. The Pilgrim, a trouser role, was sung here by Monica Groop. Robert Spano, conducting the opera for the first time, led the Santa Fe orchestra in perhaps its most virtuostic performance ever. This cannot be an easy score to get right. But the magical string tone and the integration of the electronic sounds here were close to perfection.
Peter Sellars, who was also responsible for the Salzburg production, was the director, and this was one of the best accomplishments of his career. Despite the co-production with Chatelet, a number of changes were instituted for Santa Fe to great effect. Here, with the open stage and the desert sky, the simple sets (two towers, one for each of the lovers, separated by water), designed by George Tsypin, were set of by the exquisite lighting designs of James F. Ingalls, with wonderful use of color.
After seeing the dress rehearsal of this opera at Chatelet, I found it necessary to come to Santa Fe in order to see and hear the work a second time. Rarely have I encountered a work that rewarded a second hearing so richly. That Richard Gaddes, Santa Fe's new General Director, should have chosen to stage this opera bodes well for the future. Amazingly, all performances sold out early and the company sold tickets to the Dress Rehearsal (a first) in order to satisfy the demand. <>