SF Opera: Idomeneo

The production is almost laughingly low tech. We admit we got spoiled by the latest new productions. There was a giant snake-y monster in the Rheingold, there were fires in the Bonesetter, all the ingredients similar to those created here in Idomeneo through the magic of ... lighting. Stroboscopic flashes for the monster, and yellow and orange spotlights for the fire. It's a cute throwback to a different era, but not as effective. Overall, the uninspired stage direction lacked effectiveness as well, with a lot of bored standing around. Actually, the staging ended up unintentionally funny at the worst time: you don't want your audience to giggle when the dad is about to lift his ax to chop his own son. Idomeneo is an early Mozart opera, with da capo repeats of most arias, and this production's pedestrian staging drags the whole show down.

While our telling of the story focused on the father-son relationship, it's a subplot who stole the night: Genia Kühmeier, in her SF Opera debut, delivered the most impressive performance. She was Ilia, a Trojan princess held hostage in Crete, who has a bad case of Stockholm syndrome for Idamante. Our taste in voice leans toward the rich and creamy, the lush velvety tones and the clear pitched: she was it all. She does not need a lot of vibrato to project far and wide, she's agile in the trills, and a sweet and seducive melancholy emanates from her acting. We were hooked. We resented Mozart for whisking her off stage for the whole first Act after her opening aria.

Kurt Streit, the other stand-out, brings a bright, brilliant, vibrant voice which blended wonderfully when doubled by a background of cellos. He amazed us in some long winded melismas which seemed to last for ever. He seemed a bit bothered, we're not sure if he had a fit of cough, or if that was his acting during a bit of Act II.

Alice Coote fares pretty nicely vocally, her voice vivid and passionate, but her awkward mannerism distracted us. In an interview, she says she tried to soften her male roles (The part of Idomeneo's son, Idamante, is written for a mezzo). However no male would wiggle his tush like this when singing an ornamentation. She's gone a step too far beyond singing with the whole body, to break-dancing along. Also, we found a resemblance with French President Sarkozy in her appearance, and, well, that won't predispose us too nicely.

Elettra (Iano Tamar) was the razor voice to Ilia's shaving cream: her metallic edge and sharp tone fared nicely in the initial angry phase of her character's evolution (she'd be an amazing knife wielding Queen of the Night), but we wish she'd imbue it with more warmth when comes the heart-broken stage.

Alek Shrader, last seen at length here, impressed us with his part of Arbace: not too shabby for a stage debut by an Adler fellow. The amplification of his other Adler compadre, Kenneth Kellog, the deus ex machina, sounded terrible. It might be that we got accustomed to the previous sound system, it looks like they put smaller speakers higher up. It looks less intrusive. Hopefully we get used to it. The distinctly nasally voice of Chester Pidduck, in a tiny part of a Trojan man, still came out quite intriguingly out of the ensemble.

Runnicles found majesty and grandeur in the score, yet created delicious moments of intimacy. He took a pace that was more expansive than vigorous. The chorus was splendid all throughout.

Idomeneo
San Francisco Opera, War Memorial Opera House,
4 more performances, tonight 8 pm, Sun Oct 26 2008 2 pm, Tue Oct 28 2008 7:30 pm, and Fri Oct 31 2008 8 pm.
Box office: 864-3330