Die Leiden des jungen Werthers.

NICE JAN.19th2006

BASTILLE MARCH 3rd2009

"The sorrows of young Werther "when published in 1787 (written by Goethe in 1784) had a devastating effect on the readers . These letters written by this young poet to his friend Whilhem composed the first romantic novel.
I had the feeling that this 'mal de vivre' could be outdated, when I set off to Nice opera house on that 19th of Jan 2006.
Massenet 's Werther was a success in 1894 and still is, with a fair display of fine arias for tenor and mezzo which is a nice choice. Charlotte has musical jewels to sing and some duets with Werther are heartbreaking provided you believe Werther can be dying while singing for nearly the length of an act.
I had never seen Rolando Villazon , except for a few glances on television, but had listened to his French arias album which I loved straight away. The juvenile tops glowing with sunshine , the extraordinary breath , the passion, the musicality of it all had conquered me definitely!
I have been familiar with Massenet's Werther since childhood. (with the music and arias if not with the meaning of them by obligation!)
In my students'days I chose my Charlotte (I already had a crush on mezzo) and that was Rita Gorr I saw perform in my teens. The tenor did not interest me much ! I found Albert Lance suitable for the role and listened to my record while working.
So I rediscovered the whole thing that night in Nice, three years ago.
Rolando's voice matched Marie -Ange Todorovich beautiful strong velvety one. They both had an aura through music and elegant attitudes. The setting was also in harmony with the plot, soft shades of lights and colours with bluish and greyish depressing tones. As for the acting,the stage being rather small, it was easy to establish eye-contact and follow all the moods and passions of the characters through their singing, and when I think of it I have the illusion he was just singing for me!
He was so convincing !
I still think it was an amazing night at the opera and certainly my best Werther.
Three years later why did I want to see Rolando in the same role?
To have the magic back?
I should have known it was not possible.
Last night I tried watching the opera on television and I had a strange feeling of
tension which I felt at Bastille that night because Rolando was overacting to compensate his voice problem (Which could be heard ) and also because Bastille is such a huge stage, a 'killer' for operas like Werther (Garnier seems more suitable).
Charlotte had nothing elegant in her, costumes were ridiculous, the setting pretentious and adding no meaning to the story.
At the ouverture the close-ups on the pitt and the musicians were fine .
After all Kent Nagano and the orchestra did a good job that night in March 09.
I stopped watching when Rolando banged at his image in the mirror, very distressing and neurotic to me, not what I really want to see according to the music I love.
Massenet's music has a real seduction. But when acting and singing go off the track it is painful.
That was what I felt, pain, extreme pain, and it is what goes with sorrows and suicide after all.
After the show that night Rolando welcomed us , the first Villazonista party and it was possible to feel how exhausted he was, having given much too much. I would have liked to have the courage to tell him he should try not to get involved so much as his voice was suffering the tension. In fact he was trully suffering .
Perhaps that is another reason why I had to stop watching.
Here he is, worn out, I noticed his palms were still red with 'blood'. Just a poor photo as I have the knack to take, I am short-sighted and that does not bother me.That is how I saw him, between people, always caring and listening. An amazing person really.