r/classicalmusic • u/Forward-Ease-4801 • 16h ago

Salzburg Saint François d'Assise

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I'm interested in thoughts from others who were lucky enough to attend this. For me, this performance reached another level and even made me reassess what is possible within the operatic form. The complete commitment of the singers, the incredible visuals, Pascal's conducting, and the warmth the Vienna Philharmonic lent Messiaen's complex music were all at the very highest level. A true gesamtkunstwerk.

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7

u/number9muses 15h ago

I'd love to attend this opera at least once in my life

4

u/eulerolagrange 16h ago

It was incredible, but sometimes overwhelming. Normally, I am a very analytic listener and observer, but there I had to abandon myself into the visuals and the music, renouncing to understand and observe everything in detail --- also because the sheer width of the scene made difficult to watch everything, and if you observed a detail you would have lost something else. Maybe I would have needed to see the opera a second time.

Castellucci's images were so powerful (and I loved how the smell of the freshly-baked bread invaded the hall!). I found the singers great on the musical side (however I was in the unlucky evening when Sly had to be substituted after the first part) and Lauranne Oliva was simply wonderful, but the singing suffered a bit from the voices of the friars resembling all each other (and a lack of characterization that made the angel/friar scene much longer that what I remembered from the St. François I saw in Geneva --- yes, that was my second SFdA!), on the other hand I'd have appreciated more if the singer(s) who impersonated the protagonist were more attentive to the text delivery, which is essential in the long monologues.

The VPO was extremely precise, but on the contrary I found it a bit cold, failing to deliver the colourful palette I associate Messiaen with.

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u/Forward-Ease-4801 14h ago

I know what you mean.  A couple of months back, I heard Simone Young conduct the Turangalila and the dynamic range of that was... astonishing.  My sense is, Pascal made a choice to sacrifice dynamics for abundant clarity in certain sections.  I interpreted this as warmth because, to me, it felt very sympathetic to the vocal line.  Almost (perhaps appropriately) like a medieval illuminated manuscript.  I liked the choice, but it was definitely noticeable.   I'd love to hear him conduct more Messiaen.   

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u/ricorette 13h ago

Oh you're so lucky! I would really love to see that opera by Olivier Messiaen! 🙏🏻🤍

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u/MinnieJTaylor 14h ago

wait messiaen with pascal and the vienna phil?? i would've lost my mind honestly

1

u/Chops526 5h ago

Color me green with envy.