Salome should always be an overwhelming Musical & dramatic experience, and this production delivered. Superb singing from the whole cast, including the smaller roles, here taken by members of the ON chorus ... at this point, I was going to put "a special mention for", but I quickly realized that I'd have to "specially mention" all of them! Of the principal roles, Katarina Karneus was aptly sour and spiteful in tone as Herodias, and Robert Hayward's rich, resonant Jokanaan glowed and glowered impressively - perhaps a smidgen uncertain at the start of notes in the higher register. The best all-round singing I thought came from Arnold Bezuyen as Herod, a powerfully secure tenor who coped easily with all the vacillations of mood and tone that Strauss demands of him - this easily matched the best portrayals of the role on favourite recordings.
But the opera isn't called Herod, and any performance stands or falls on the singer in the title role, and American soprano, Jennifer Holloway (who has previously sung the role in Dresden, where the opera was premiered in 1905) was astonishing - both vocally and physically. Perhaps a little disappointing in the very lowest notes (surprising, as Holloway began her career as a Mezzo) and sometimes lost in the tidal surges of Strauss' orchestration, for the most part, her clean, ringing voice carried clearly and thrillingly and fully deserved the audiences roar of approval and gratitude when she took her solo bow.
The production was conducted magnificently by Richard Armstrong who conducted the opera for Welsh National Opera many years ago - and this long experience of the work revealed itself both in countless details brought out from the score, and in the surge and thrust of the overall Musical structure. Maybe - just maybe - his enthusiasm for the many moments of sheer orchestral sonority overtook consideration of what the singers he was working with were capable of matching, as if he were conducting for Nilsson or Cabballé. The last time ON presented Salome (also in Leeds Town Hall - about ten years ago) Richard Farnes was the conductor, and he managed the impossible task of realizing a tremendous strength in the orchestral sound whilst at the same time ensuring that the singers were never drowned out by it.
But the ON orchestra is one of the world's great Strauss orchestras, so it is hardly surprising if Armstrong succumbed to the temptation to let them resound. And what a fantastic ear for instrumental and orchestral timbre Strauss had - and how this band revelled in presenting this to the audience - and how the score resonated in the Town Hall acoustic; a visceral experience for the whole audience who, rightly, gave their loudest, most appreciative applause, shouts and foot-stamping for the orchestra. Tremendous.
I can't really comment on the limited staging - there seemed to be less action than in the Ring cycle and last year's Turandot, with the stage bathed in different coloured lighting effects. I say "seemed to be", because my "restricted view" seat turned out to be slap bang in front of a pillar, which meant that over a third of the stage couldn't be seen!
A bit of a mini Forum gathering, too, with at least four Forumistas attending - all of us more than a little blown out of our seats by the experience; just as it should be.
But the opera isn't called Herod, and any performance stands or falls on the singer in the title role, and American soprano, Jennifer Holloway (who has previously sung the role in Dresden, where the opera was premiered in 1905) was astonishing - both vocally and physically. Perhaps a little disappointing in the very lowest notes (surprising, as Holloway began her career as a Mezzo) and sometimes lost in the tidal surges of Strauss' orchestration, for the most part, her clean, ringing voice carried clearly and thrillingly and fully deserved the audiences roar of approval and gratitude when she took her solo bow.
The production was conducted magnificently by Richard Armstrong who conducted the opera for Welsh National Opera many years ago - and this long experience of the work revealed itself both in countless details brought out from the score, and in the surge and thrust of the overall Musical structure. Maybe - just maybe - his enthusiasm for the many moments of sheer orchestral sonority overtook consideration of what the singers he was working with were capable of matching, as if he were conducting for Nilsson or Cabballé. The last time ON presented Salome (also in Leeds Town Hall - about ten years ago) Richard Farnes was the conductor, and he managed the impossible task of realizing a tremendous strength in the orchestral sound whilst at the same time ensuring that the singers were never drowned out by it.
But the ON orchestra is one of the world's great Strauss orchestras, so it is hardly surprising if Armstrong succumbed to the temptation to let them resound. And what a fantastic ear for instrumental and orchestral timbre Strauss had - and how this band revelled in presenting this to the audience - and how the score resonated in the Town Hall acoustic; a visceral experience for the whole audience who, rightly, gave their loudest, most appreciative applause, shouts and foot-stamping for the orchestra. Tremendous.
I can't really comment on the limited staging - there seemed to be less action than in the Ring cycle and last year's Turandot, with the stage bathed in different coloured lighting effects. I say "seemed to be", because my "restricted view" seat turned out to be slap bang in front of a pillar, which meant that over a third of the stage couldn't be seen!
A bit of a mini Forum gathering, too, with at least four Forumistas attending - all of us more than a little blown out of our seats by the experience; just as it should be.
) apart from not having noticed anything lacking in Salome's voice. Did the pillar restrict some of the sound as well, I wonder, or was the fact that I could see her singing help me hear what it was, even if the sound was buried in the lush orchestral soundworld? 
What on earth .... 
- this time next year: I have my ticket already 
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