Spirited 'Tristan' from Virginia Opera

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The Virginia Opera entered and exited George Mason's Center for the Arts this past weekend with its first-time-ever production of Richard Wagner's magnificent "Tristan und Isolde." As has become customary for the company, the production premiered at its Norfolk headquarters, will play in Richmond this coming weekend and will return to Norfolk for its final performances.

Dating from 1865, "Tristan" revealed a mature composer both impetuous and commanding -- a true innovator in the world of musical entertainment who spurred a more dramatic and sexually frank style of opera as well as a grander style of orchestral writing that required top-notch musicians, and a new generation of specialist singers whose successors can even today fill a huge auditorium without a microphone.

The opera tells the tragic love story of a bold Irish princess, Isolde, and the heroic warrior, Tristan, who have been enemies since Tristan beheaded Isolde's fiance in battle. But they fall passionately in love after drinking a magic potion when Tristan brings Isolde as a bride to his uncle, King Marke of Cornwall. Mortified at his loss of honor, Tristan allows himself to be mortally wounded, dying in the arms of Isolde, as the King arrives to forgive them.

"Tristan" is difficult to mount. But the Virginia Opera has made a largely successful effort not only to stage the work with slightly less than optimal forces, but to find singers within its budget who could do the work justice. They also shaved a modest chunk from the opera's running time, primarily by eliminating some of Wagner's exasperating repetitions.

As Tristan, Brad Pitt look-alike tenor Thomas Rolf Truhitte, sported a buff, heroic physique in addition to his fine voice. The role frequently plumbs the lower depths of the range where many tenors are unconvincing, but Mr. Truhitte transcended this difficulty, sounding at times like a natural baritone, although his voice did occasionally strain at climactic moments.

Soprano Marjorie Elinor Dix was a feisty, appealing Isolde, demonstrating considerable dramatic range in her performance. On opening night, the audience was informed via surtitles that Miss Dix was indisposed but would be performing anyway. Whatever her malady, Miss Dix and the company dealt with it bravely and skillfully. The orchestra pulled back judiciously so Miss Dix could sustain her grueling four-hour performance with an unusually nuanced approach that was refreshing in its own way.

In smaller supporting roles, bass-baritone Charles Robert Austin as King Marke was somber and thoughtful, his lower registers an anchor of wisdom and understanding in a time of chaos. Baritone Nmon Ford was dashing and vocally acute as the loyal Kurwenal, breathing real heroic fire into the final act. And mezzo Mary Ann Stewart turned in a gracious performance as Isolde's troubled lady-in-waiting, Brangane.

While the horns did not distinguish themselves in Act II's hunting calls, and the strings at times sounded thin, music director Peter Mark conducted the company's orchestra and singers skillfully, coaxing a nearly full-throated Wagnerian sound out of his smallish forces.

Combined with understated 19th-century costuming by Robert Morgan, set designer Michael Ganio's jagged and tastefully phallic modernist backdrop for the production proved highly effective, permitting director Lillian Groag to focus attention on Wagner's magnificent score as well as the singers.

Problems were few. Fortunately, like the struggling horns, the faintness of the offstage chorus and the amateurish miking of a distant voice in the finale were but momentary distractions.

It is by no means certain that the Virginia Opera is ever going to compete with the Met and its much greater resources, but the Norfolk-based opera company has clearly found its niche. Each modestly sized season seems to raise the bar a little higher, and this production of "Tristan" has just kicked it up another notch.

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MAXIMUM RATING: FOUR STARS