April in Paris 20016: The Gürre Lieder at La Philarmonie, A.Schonberg/P. Jordan(II)

Having settled in the 'dodgy end'  (but so human and thriving), to be nearer to this brand new huge concert hall: La Philarmonie de Paris, I carefully planned to get there early to see it in a better state of achievement than when it opened in January 2015.

Only four stops on line 5 to get there  and in the nice sunny light a whole landsacape opened up with

the pebbled way leading to the bluish  silvery rooftop where  thousands of birds  seem to set off from the roof of the Philarmonie! (a poetic architectural expression  of the flood of music  that flows  out each day and night  from this place ?)
 I never found any kind of aesthetic beauty in Salle Pleyel, but here I discovered a planned landscape with a very green lawn and a fountain which reminded me  the Rotonde  in Aix on a smaller scale! In  the soft twilight it was a great view. I had also the unexpected joy of sharing this event with my son who happened to be off duty.  At the last minute we managed to find an extra ticket (better than mine and he insisted to go to my perched seat so I had a fantastic seat for my first time in this new hall).

Arnold Schönberg
Gurre-Lieder

Direction musicale
Philippe Jordan
Chef des Choeurs
José Luis Basso

Waldemar
Andreas Schager
Tove
Iréne Theorin
Waldtaube
Sarah Connolly
Bauer
Jochen Schmeckenbecher
Klaus-Narr
Andreas Conrad
Sprecher
Franz Mazura

Orchestre de l'Opéra national de Paris
Choeurs de l’Opéra national de Paris et Choeur Philharmonique de Prague

 (Enregistrement pour France Musique pour diffusion ultérieure: Broadcast on France Musique will follow on Friday July the 1st 2pm:
http://www.francemusique.fr/emission/le-concert-de-l-apres-midi/2015-2016/philippe-jordan-dirige-les-gurrelieder-de-schoenberg-la-philharmonie-de-paris-le
The Gürre Lieder, Schonberg's last potsromantic work, huge in terms of orchestra and choirs was a perfect match for this wonderful circular  hall, vast, with curved balconies suspended like clouds in the sky. I was impressed by the beauty of the material, the inside doors completely part of the curved walls, but in shining loupe de bois. The quality of the  upholestery is also striking, being very comfortable, the seats  seem too wide,  leaving hardly any space for moving in front.
The stage is huge and it was needed to shelter the colossal orchestral mass for this oratorio.

When I saw the four harpsichords, the eleven double bass, and the numerous tutti and imposing brass section,  the  contrebass tuba and its  combersome  mute, I felt I was going to have an amazing musical event. Indeed it was grand.
The six soloists were all very involved : Wagnerian tenor Andreas Schager -Volmer who acted his part with energy and passion,  Irene Theorin, soprano, also famous for all her Wagner roles, being Tove in love with Volmer the King, more placid at the beginning then  she gave her last love song with very moving accents, the Dove- Sarah Connolly,  who tells us in a poignant aria how Volmer's wife had Tove killed. I enjoyed her rendition best. Then the farmer, (baritone Jochen Schmeckenbecher ) the jester, Andreas Conrad, and the speaker :(I was expecting to see Brigitte Fassbaender, but she was replaced at the last minute)  Franz Mazura. They all added their vocal passion to the event.
The contrebass tuba had a tremendous sort of game with its cumbersome mute part, and in the numerous orchestral peaks I did not have enough eyes to witness the agitation in every part of his huge musical display: not forgetting to say that Phillippe Jordan, this young smart looking conductor  was almost flying over his beloved Orchestre National de Paris, sculpting each sound and yet holding the huge orchestral mass like a blazing furnace. Several times along this tale of love and hatred, I felt the intensity of the music and singing was overwhelming and almost piercing me like a blade .  In part 3, when the two choirs joined in,  it was breathtaking.  It is not an easy musical part to follow but it is so amazing that it is worth attending once in a lifetime, especially when the quality of the whole stage is there.
I have witnessed Philippe Jordan conducting several times now, either in Paris and Munich. He is  great, he shows he can handle Wagner, Schonberg, Strauss... and Berlioz!( to my 'live' knowledge!) But here in this particular hall and with this special Schonberg piece, the match was perfect ! This type of emotion happens only once in a life time, (mine!).
(146 musicians, 136 choir singers, 6 soloists, quite a gigantic musical architecture too.)

At the interval:
 Andreas Schager,  Sarah Connelly, P. Jordan, facing the two singers, and Irene theorin in red, leaving the stage.
Thundering applause:

When we left, coming down the circular alley at the top of the terrasse  overlooking the suburb, it was like following a procession, a happy and very quiet one still under the spell of this tremendous work.