A 'Werther' for history

PalmaThere are moments in opera that, always and without exception, are absolutely memorable. These are the ones when the singer has just finished performing the most famous aria of the composition, and the audience's applause has a special, very eloquent, even demanding tone. And, if it almost always loses intensity, in these cases the decibels increase exponentially. The protagonist first remains silent, respectful and grateful, without any movement, not even the slightest that could interrupt the celebration that the spectators from above have initiated and have spread to the rest. He looks at the conductor. He, attentively, waits for the protagonist to nod affirmatively, corroborating what everyone already had clear. And thus begins anew the apotheosis, the encore. For the Majorcans who were there, it had added value, the first thing Xabier Anduaga did, with Una furtiva lagrima, was at the Principal Theatre in Palma. On Sunday, at the third performance of his first Werther, the Liceu erupted and turned the evening into a memorable one, one of those that are not forgotten. Xabier Anduaga encored, for the first time in his debut of the tragic character par excellence, the very famous and legendary Pourquoi me réveiller. A circumstance that could have made the rest of the performance a mere anecdote.

It would be very unfair. This production, with Anduaga and the two female partners Cristina Stanek and Sofia Esparza, was sealed with the mark of the great ones, not only for having been able to hear this encore that is well on its way to becoming a custom for the rest of the performances, but because Cristina Stanek was a Charlotte of immense level, both dramatically and vocally, with an impeccable Werther!, Werther! Who would have told me, the crux of the matter. Similarly, Sofia Esparza performed a Sophie with much more specific weight in the narrative than most of those who have designed not a few artistic directors. It goes without saying that the characters of Schmidt and the Mayor, with their unnecessary Vivat Bacchus!, someone could consider saving them. The orchestra, conducted by Henrik Nánási, at the service of the singers, although without losing personality or prominence. Christoph Loy was better in the direction of actors than in the conception of the set design, which was there because it had to be there, but without much narrative relevance. The best that can be said is that it gave total and absolute freedom of movement to the protagonists of a Werther for the history books.