Over the last few years, the Royal Opera has scored some considerable successes in presenting new operatic pieces with uncompromisingly difficult themes, sometimes inspired by great cinematic works – think Turnage’s Anna Nicole, Adès’ The Exterminating Angel and Saariaho’s Innocence. Now we have another Turnage work adding another troubling work to this list. Based on the Dogme film ‘Festen’, the narrative concerns familial brutality, child-abuse, racism, youthful suicide and the related themes of complicity and culpability. The sequence is triggered by the brutally honest, public toast given by eldest son Christian at his father Helge’s 60th birthday party. Family members of four generations, including very young children, are present for the occasion as are long-standing friends, business colleagues and staff; Helge has had a successful career. Missing is a daughter, Linda, who we learn committed suicide at the family home, seemingly without the family knowing or acknowledging the drivers for that. Christian’s speech unleashes a sequence of actions revealing the complex family dynamics emerging in painful, violent and curious emotional ways. In some it causes terrible self-reflection and shocking self-awareness; others are curiously unemotional about the open secrets and the ending leaves one uncertain, certainly uneasy though, about the long-term ramifications for the family and witnesses at curtain fall.
Lee Hall’s masterly taut libretto allied to Turnage’s singer-friendly orchestration, and a cast of some great operatic stage-animals ensures that every word is audible and that the drama unfolds with ghastly inevitability. The work is not without necessary light and shade; there are some very black-comedic moments, one involving an extended discussion over the culinary base of the first-course soup for example which, alongside telling use of protracted silences, allow the savagery of the revelations to make the greater impact. Turnage’s music is beguilingly rhythmic and propulsive to start, but as each character appears one quickly senses their individual natures though subtle changes of instrumental colour and complexity. It is tuneful, and always aurally beguiling – and Edward Gardner’s taut conducting and the superb playing of the orchestral soloists always given due prominence though never at the expense of the voices.
And what voices! Allan Clayton’s Christian free high tenor somehow makes Christian’s complex mix of vindictiveness and pathos understandable, and Stéphane Degout’s incisive vocal qualities perfectly characterised Michael’s aggressively misogynistic and racist outlook – his own family unit stretched to breaking point as a result. Gerald Finlay’s suave and oddly restrained manner and vocal interventions were chilling until finally triggered. Natalya Romaniw’s sympathetic Helena is an operatic gem as is Susan Bickley’s perfectly sustained calming interruption to the fierce verbal quarrelling at the dinner – one of the most haunting moments of the evening. Some great vignettes added light and shade.
Richard Jones’ production in bright designs by Miriam Buether that cleverly separated the public and the intimate was full of clarity and subtlety – the wallpaper screens telling an effective, and ongoing, story in their own terms.
An unsettling and brilliant experience all told, and a masterpiece by Turnage in a staging that deserves quick revival.
Further performances on February 24th and 27th 2025
The post Mark Anthony Turnage – Festen appeared first on The Classical Source.
