The diabolical Samiel, with whom the huntsman Kaspar and Max enter into their deadly pacts for the sake of the free balls that always hit, takes on a whole new meaning.
In Alexander Nerlich's new production of the opera “Der Freischütz” by Carl Maria von Weber at the Mainz State Theater, he becomes a completely new, scenic figure.
The small speaking role, for which in other productions in the Wolfsschluchtszene sometimes only a sinister voice is played from the tape, remains silent there, but is otherwise omnipresent.
Guido Holze
Editor in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.
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The Canadian-Italian dancer and performer Alessia Ruffolo clarifies in Jasmin Hauck's choreography, which uses modern means of expression to blend in with the music very suitably and sensitively, namely all the inner, often dark desires, longings and motifs of each individual main character. As an androgynous, Mephistophelian appearance, Ruffolo seduces with feline suppleness, reveals the subtext of the seemingly naive libretto or winds with artistic skill through the uniform set design by Wolfgang Menardi, which remains the same in all three acts.
Like the costumes by Zana Bosnjak, this fulfills conventional expectations with only slight stylization.
The whole thing is set as it is, shortly after the Thirty Years' War in a rural, hunter's, here dark atmosphere: uniforms, expansive skirts, hats, muzzle-loading rifles, three tall trees that make the forest a threatening place in the sense of black romanticism Permanently into the field of vision, a couple of beer tables and, as a central element on the revolving stage, a large frame with a wooden staircase.
More psychological depth than modernity
All of this can immediately be identified as classic "Freischütz" equipment and at first glance it looks all too familiar. But Nerlich, who, as in-house director at the Mainz State Theater, is now staging a large opera production there again for the first time after several drama productions and after a pandemic program reduced by 20 months, with his strong emphasis on the Samiel role, leads much more into psychological depths than superficially blatant modernized interpretations.
He does not offend the audience with the Nazi uniforms that have become almost common nowadays for the hunters or with gang rape and does not counter Weber's music. Rather, he gives her space to unfold, significantly leaves the curtain down for the overture and, thanks to the dynamic energy of the dancer, can sometimes let static prevail in the large choir scenes.
The approach, as Nerlich outlined in the program booklet, quickly becomes clear and is easy to understand: "Samiel does not embody evil for us, but the threatening subconscious." It is therefore about "a counterforce that brings ambivalence into scenes, the characters." Creates problems or liberates something in them ”. That everyone has this ambivalence in them is also evident early on in other images: for example, when the chorus of ordinary people laughs at poor Max at the shooting festival because he missed and virtually freezes the scene with nasty underlight.
The fear of failure drives the good hunter's boy who is only supposed to receive the court of the hereditary forester and the hand of his daughter Agathe after a successful test shot.
This makes Alexander Spemann noticeable as Max, who is not at all tight, although his vocals are rather unintentionally sparse, nasally pressed and not really in the tone of the youthful heroic tenor.
A nice director's idea is that Max kisses the androgynous Samiel lovingly at the very end and the hermit leads the astonished Agathe away from him again.
Production listens to the music
Nerlich wrestles noticeably with the very passive figure of Agathe in order to make her appear more active as a seer and warner.
But she remains the pious, chaste virgin, whose pure, simple melodies precisely match Nadja Stefanoff's character.
Samiel is also soothed and adapts to her, along with the classic blonde Agathe wig.
Such moments even show the strength of the production in particular: it listens to the music.
If, however, the joyful Ännchen (ideally: Julietta Aleksanyan) in the form of Samiel is danced to erotic fantasies, it fits surprisingly well.
In this way, the determined villain Kaspar could perhaps have been assigned a few more facets or doubts.
In any case, Derrick Ballard gives the part a sonorous, dark bass voice and the character a strong stage presence.
General Music Director Hermann Bäumer with the well-organized Philharmonic State Orchestra pays particular attention to the dark colors of the music, but at the same time to a simple, folksong-like tone.
The famous hunter's choir sounds more relaxed than martial blaring.
The choir, prepared by the choir director Sebastian Hernandez-Laverny, and the extra choir of the Staatstheater are also very well organized and fully committed after the long compulsory break.
"Der Freischütz", next performances on November 28th at 2pm, on December 8th and 21st at 7.30pm, 2 G.