"Marie-Theres..."

No, I am not trying to revive the memory of the Austrian Empress!
It is the name sung three times, almost like a whisper,  by the beloved 'Quinquin', the very young Octavian, confused to be facing his two loved women at the same time: the old one, Marie-Théres and the new one, Sophie,  for whom he experienced for the first time 'love at first sight'. This whisper written in music by Richard Strauss opens the threshold of the most exquisite vocal trio ever written for women's voices: a mezzo and two soprani, a lirico spinto one and a leggero one, which means a mature woman opposite a very young one and a mezzo as a young man, a trouser role,  as we say now.

The third call 'Marie-theres' is more moving, it has no other words attached to it, only his beloved's name, which also happens to be the empress one, as Richard Strauss and his librettist Hugo von Hofmannsthal had it staged during the reign of Marie -Thérèse d'Autriche.

 These four low notes, with the last one held until the next bar, are more moving. The Marschallin starts singing.   I have experienced Sophie-Koch as Octavian facing Anja Harteros-Marie-Theres : they were so delicately close and yet apart. The first one was an intense call  followed by a short sentence, explaining his admiration, the second one also followed by  his doubt. They both use the fact that they do not know what is happening to them, but the third one which sounds longer and deeper is distressing. Is Octavian going to follow his beloved Marie-theres? He is calling her from the bottom of his heart, but is it really a call, or a last intense departing sigh, which in its long appeal sums up all the intensity of their mutual passion, yet perhaps more realistic on her part because more mature and wise, and on its part with the disquieting recent  discovery that love is like a 'flickering candle', which can burn somewhere else without warning, when you are a seventeen year old youngster?
I tried to recall this deep throat 'Marie-Theres' sung by Sophie Koch opposite Anja Harteros  when they sang in Dresden. But in vain! Memory does not retain all the details even when attention was at its best!  It was one of those unforgettable nights and yet I have nothing to go back to these details. I keep the refreshing boyish looks of Sophie Koch-Octavian and the huge stylish Anja Harteros who all of a sudden became totally human and devastasted by these unknown feelngs towards young Sophie and her Quinquin.
That is why I was going to Paris on the 9th, to listen to Anja Harteros in this role a second time, to recall these passages which I enjoy thinking about. But she cancelled on the date I booked which is the opening night... hard luck on me. (and plenty of others).
Then, I also cancelled my train, my hotel room, gave up  trying to resell my ticket and will set off for Rigoletto the next day and have,  I hope,  the pleasure to see Vesselina Kasarova in Maddalena 's aria.
Anja Harteros's new cancellation is discussed on some opera forums, we know she has not sung since her last Ballo in Maschera in Munich. Perhaps she will turn up for the 18th at Paris -Bastille but why should I get into the trouble to launch myself in another 'expedition'and be disappointed again as nothing is clearly stated from the opera house?
This beautiful singer when she turns up,  is even more secret than others:
 Try to find any of the Marschallin she has sung so far ? (and indeed she sang quite a few, as she tackled the role in 2011).
  Youtube has no trace of this role and yet she is really great in this Richard Strauss role.
She belongs to a world of her own and has little to do with showbiz.
 I would not be surprised to find that she has retired to Mount Traostalos to sing to her beehives.
And I would admire her even more...and play her records!

(owing to J. Lange)

"My life belongs to me..." It is worth listening to her in this interview. Quite a lesson in humility and self derision too!
Anja Harteros on Arte (intermission Ballo in Maschera, Munich Staatsoper, March 2016).
(may be I will translate the whole interview)

Dear Anja ( well this is a bit too much but...) I am calling you ( it rings a bell...)
'Marie-Theres..'
can you hear me, us ? from France...!!!, we were expecting you so much...
Keep well !