Vec Makropolous Nationaltheater München

© Bayerische Staatsoper

Leos Janacek was fascinated by the play of Karel Capek in 1922 and immediately started to compose his before last opera. It is the story of never ending life, eternal youth and beauty, the search of the recipie to overcome death and the question about the sense of death. Hungarian Arpad Schilling is the director of this new production at the Bavarian State Opera. His interpretation lacks an intelligent concept or clear conclusion. He portrays Emilia Marty or ever young Elina Makropolous as a femme fatale and puts her artistic career into a brothel like ambience. The connection to the familiy dispute Gregor Prus, which is crucial to the story is weak and not feeding the run of the plot. So the evening is more a series of images without the development of excitement. The final disclosure of Emilias tragic story of a 337 year lifetime culminates in her movielike whipping in a kind of Greek temple to be finally lay out .Both actions without real context, whereas Krista graps the mystic document to ascent into a strange world of iceage. Stage designer Marton Agh creates a monumental environment in a fairytale style. The first act happens in a huge staple of chairs and shreddered paper symbolizing years of legal actions. We get introduced to the main characters to meet them again in Act 2 in a brothelike wardrobe. Emilia Marty dressed in a Greekstyle toga, a sexy vamp with a lot of flesh to see. Good looking Nadja Michael knows how to implement her well trained body as Emilia Marty and flatters with all the men to achieve her goal. She even does not hesitate sells her body for it. This excessive ruthless woman and her heartless agitation is central in the interpretation including her punishment and final conversion. It is a perfect fit. Nadja Michael incorporates this idea of Arpad Schilling and her play and singing is convincing and thrilling. Her domination makes it difficult for the rest of the cast to integrate. Pavel Cernoch is an elegant colourless Albert Gregor. A young spoiled nobleman without appropriate spirit. John Lundgren tries to be a cool and dominating Jaroslav Prus but his appearence and voice lacks dramatic. Tara Erraught sings Krista nicely but remains clumsy in her play. Tomas Hanus elaborated a new edition of this opera. The unreadable handwriting of the composer as well as undetailed composing has been revised and the original sources received new dynamics. He digs into a full selection of sound colours and sensitive tempi to bring a new reception. Next to the voluminous presentation on the stage his conducting in the pit is fine, simple and effectless. It is epic, melodic, very Bohemian but not loud or explosiv. The audience celebrates Nadja Michael and offers bravi for the director and his team. 

Helmut Pitsch