The MET have truly revolutionized the watching of opera. You feel very much as if this was some sporting event.... limbering up before going on stage... wishing everyone good luck... it did lead to some anticipation. What wasn't so successful was the wince provoking skit when Deborah Viogt accosts Karita Mattila as she exits her dressing room which ends with Mattila saying 'Let's go and kick ass'... great Mattila! And really the rest of the filming of the opera was no better....the filming was just too intimate. I just don't want to see saliva in the midst of an important scene. Furthermore, the camera crew had got a little too excited in anticipation about the 'Dance of the Seven Veils' I feel and we were left with some unfocused shots.
I have to freely admit that Strauss is not one of my opera favourites and Salome is certainly difficult to like. It is an ugly story with ugly characters. Where the lead character performs a striptease for her step-father and rolls around on stage with a severed head you know that this is not a happy story. But of course it is intensely dramatic, the orchestration drips with lushness and the libretto can be achingly beautiful.
Mattila's performance was insanely intense and if the camera had not been shoved in her face all the time I might have been able to believe Mattila's portrayal of a young Salome; teasing and coquettish. Mattila's 'Dance of the Seven Veils' was fine.... an interesting take on this famous of stripteases; Marlene Dietrich like Mattila teased off her suit until the final unveiling where we see Herod's reaction rather than breasts. I preferred it that way... at least for film. Thankfully there was no embarrassing flitting about in floaty things. The final 'severed head' scene was truly disturbing and beautifully sung; I could not reconcile the sight of the severed head and the words from the libretto.
"If you had seen me you would have loved me. I am thirsty for you beauty. I am hungry for your body. Not wine nor apples can appease my desire."Beautiful and disturbing or silly and salacious. I still cannot decide.
Salome - October 11th 2008
Salome Karita Mattila
Herodias Ildiko Komlosi
Herod Kim Begley
Narroboth Joseph Kaiser
Jochanaan Juha Uusitalo
Conductor Patrick Summers
Production Jurgen Flimm
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