2024.10.25, 27 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra : Arnold Schoenberg 150
I was very happy to return to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in the Netherlands for the second time in six years. This time, instead of singing, I performed. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of Schoenberg’s birth, Pierre Audi directed “Begleitungsmusik zu einer Lichtspielscene”, Mono Opera “Erwartung”, and the symphonic poem “Pelléas and Mélisande”. I originally worked with Pierre in 2013 at the Teatro Real in Madrid for Wolfgang Rihm “The Conquest of Mexico”. This time, I performed in “Pelléas and Mélisande”. It was a big challenge for one performer to perform a 40-minute romantic masterpiece. The Concertgebouw is where Schoenberg himself conducted “Pelléas and Mélisande” in 1912. It was an honour to be on the stage for “Pelléas and Mélisande” at this historic venue.
Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra : Arnold Schoenberg 150
Main Hall, Royal Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, Netherlands
25 October 2024 20:15-
27 October 2024 14:15-
Begleitungsmusik zu einer Lichtspielszene
Erwartung
Pelléas and Mélisande
Ryan Wigglesworth, conductor
Sara Jakubiak, soprano
Ryoko Aoki, noh performer
Pierre Audi, creative partner
Urs Schönebaum, light & decor
I played the role of Mélisande in this performance. The characters of Pelléas and Golaud are presented through Mélisande’s eyes. I followed all of Mélisande’s movements as written in the score, in accordance with the musical narrative. This included dropping the ring, mourning Pelléas’ death, and ultimately, my own demise. The director, Pierre Audi, was torn about whether to include subtitles to explain the scenes, but ultimately decided against it. He wanted to leave it up to the audience’s imagination, similar to the Noh theater. I would be delighted if, through the movements of Noh, I was able to take theaudience on a journey into the world of “Pelléas and Mélisande”.
“In this part of the performance, Audi features Noh actress Ryoko Aoki. She moves across the stage with a creeping, shuffling gait, her expressionless mime making it all the more poignant. Her gestures contrast sharply with Schönberg’s swirling, lustful, yearning notes in the orchestra.
She carries a fan, which she examines, folding and unfolding it, before finally leaving it behind as she walks away… The fan remains, illuminated by a white spotlight. Does it symbolize abstract beauty, or art, born from human joy and sorrow, that endures?” Theaterkrant by Neil van der Linden
“The orchestra returned with four harps and a quintet of wind instruments for the late-Romantic “Pelléas et Mélisande,” Op. 5 (1902-03). Schönberg’s symphonic poem is based on the then-popular play of the same name by Maurice Maeterlinck. Dressed in a white kimono, Ryoko Aoki performed a dance inspired by Japanese Noh theater to the impressive fin-de-siècle music. Noh is a classic Japanese musical drama that has been performed since the 14th century. She had not only a wide strip of stage in front of the orchestra at her disposal but also moved almost weightlessly among the orchestra members, up the stairs, and onto the rear balcony.
The music is richly layered and imposing. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is one of the few orchestras in the world capable of performing Schönberg’s exquisitely beautiful score with such life and depth, nurtured by their rich tradition. In fact, it was Arnold Schönberg himself who conducted the first Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra performance of “Pelléas und Melisande” in 1912.” by Michael Klier
Photo: Milagro Elstak
We were greeted with a standing ovation by a full house at the performance.
We were also honoured to have Hiroshi Minami, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the Netherlands. Together with Pierre Audi, the creative director, and Dominik Winterling, Managing Director.
With the conductor, Ryan Wigglesworth.
We all had a lot of fun at the post concert dinner and talked about many things. I was honoured to have had the opportunity to work with the great master director Pierre Audi and the world’s top orchestra the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra again. I am very grateful for this precious opportunity.