Like most Viennese operas, “The Princess of Czardas” is originally about small and medium-sized problems within the upper echelons of society in Central Europe in the pre-war period. world war. This is an environment where the champagne flows, and where young nobles enjoy themselves in the small hours with kick girls in fishnet stockings in dubious establishments. We meet the young Edwin, who faces opposition from his princely family because he wants to marry a woman who is too low on the social ladder: the cabaret singer Sylva. It is hardly surprising that many opera managers think this scheme needs an overhaul in order to communicate with today’s audiences. “The Princess of Czardas” Operetta in three acts with music by Emmerich Kálmán (1882-1953) and libretto by Leo Stein (1861-1921) and Bela Jenbach (1871-1943). Called “Die Csárdásfürstin” in German and “The Gypsy Princess” in English. Premiere in Vienna 17 November 1915. Combines spoken dialogue with song numbers. Next to “Flaggermusen” (1871) and “The Merry Widow”, “Czardasfyrstinnen” is the most played of all operettas. Found in a number of film adaptations, the oldest from 1919. Queer theater people and transphobic financial princes Director Hanne Tømta’s ambition is obviously to make the “Czardas Princess” highly relevant for our time. The basic conflict in her updated version consists of the opposition between a quirky and free-spirited theater environment and a tight-knit and conservative financial prince family. The family puts a stop to the relationship between their son Edwin and the singer Sylva because of the rumors about the latter’s identity as a trans woman. The financial tycoon fears that the relationship will affect the company’s reputation and cause share prices to plummet. SKEIVE: The radar couple Feri (Martin Hatlo, TV) and Boni (Rickard Söderberg) have, under Hanne Tømta’s direction, gone from being womanizing aristocrats to becoming members of Sylva’s free-spirited theater milieu. Photo: Erik Berg / DNOB TILKNEPPET: Finance tycoon Leopold Maria (Lasse Lindtner) and his wife Anhilte (Mari Maurstad) have little to spare for their son’s relationship with a trans woman. Photo: Erik Berg / DNOB IN THE CONFLICT LINE: Edwin (Magnus Staveland) is threatened with disinheritance if he does not end his relationship with the trans woman Sylva (Eli Kristin Hansveen). Photo: Erik Berg / DNOB Eventually, it will turn out that prejudices stand for failure, the fear of loss of reputation is significantly exaggerated, and that the “financial princess” has a norm-breaking past. Tame and stagnant Much positive can be said about the National Opera’s renewed version of Kálmán’s popular operetta. Set designer Olav Myrtvedt gives each of the three acts a clear and elegant visual expression. Alva Brosten’s costumes are small works of art in themselves. However, the performance looks significantly more creative and colorful in the press photos than it is experienced in reality. Too much of what plays out on stage is surprisingly tame. Admittedly, there is a lot of virtuosic and innovative dancing from the small group of professional dancers. The rest of the ensemble, on the other hand, becomes conspicuously stagnant for large parts of the time. I can’t remember the last time I saw a performance where the opera choir is so passive on stage. INNOVATIVE: Dance choreographed by Jonas Øren is a positive contribution in an otherwise somewhat connected performance. In the middle: Rickard Söderberg and Martin Hatlo. Photo: Erik Berg The song numbers, which bubble with life musically, almost all have something connected to them visually. It must be said to be a paradox in a show whose message is precisely to be yourself and be able to choose what you want. Gender political social realism Much of the show’s problem lies in the newly written text by Gurdun Glette. This gets the message across, but does not exactly flourish with linguistic creativity and boldness. At times this appears as social realism from a kind of gender-political Soviet Union. The right teaching must be conveyed, even if it goes beyond both mood and stage magic. The impression is reinforced by the fact that the humor kicks, so to speak, exclusively in one direction: towards the greedy, old-fashioned and transphobic financial environment. Glette is also unable to wrap her head around the fact that “The Czardas Princess” basically tells a rather heteronormative story. Musically convincing On the musical level, there is fortunately much to enjoy in this production. The opera orchestra plays with real Viennese schwung under Stefan Veselka. The opera choir sings magnificently, perhaps precisely because this time it does not need to move so much. Eli Kristin Hansveen gives the Sylva character a lot of temperament and a great emotional range. Hansveen has a great voice, even if it gets a bit fluttery in the top register for my taste. Despite a good-sounding tenor voice, Magnus Staveland is unable to give the portrait of Edwin any clear direction. Nor does he get any help from Brosten’s costume, which in this particular case appears unflattering. More convincing is the Swedish tenor Rickard Söderberg, who has been a champion of queer identity both on and off the opera stage. Söderberg has a key role in the performance as Boni, the most important comic character on stage. ADDING LIFE: Frøy Hovland Holtbakk (Stasi) and Rickard Söderberg (Boni). Photo: Erik Berg / DNOB Söderberg gets a lot out of a somewhat skimpy text material and stands out as a genuine comic operetta tenor. He is the only one who at times really manages to break free. In second place comes Frøy Hovland Holtbakk in the role of Stasi. Her bright and flexible soprano suits this role, and she adds much-needed life and charm to the performance every time she is on stage. Uncontroversial message A good operetta is like a well-produced pop album, where sentimental ballads alternate with catchy dance tunes. A good set-up can transform the most horn-rimmed and aesthetic-reading curmudgeon into a whistling idiot. The problem with Hanne Tømta’s staging of “The Princess of Czardas” is not the constant repetition of a relatively uncontroversial message that everyone must be allowed to be who they are and love who they want. The problem is that this performance does not succeed as entertainment, or art, if you will. news reviewer Photo: Erik Berg / DNOB Title: “Czardasfyrstinnen” Venue: Den Norske Opera og Ballett, Oslo Music: Emmerich Kálmán Libretto: Leo Stein and Bela Jenbach, Norwegian retelling by Gudrun Glette Conductor: Stefan Veselka Director: Hanne Tømta Set designer: Olav Myrtvedt Costume designer: Alva Brosten Lighting designer: Øyvind Wangsteen Choreographer: Jonas Øren Dancers: Sebastian Biong, Ulf Nilseng, Tone Kittelsen, Natanya Helena Kjølås, Putli Hellesen Choirmaster: Martin Wettges Cast: Eli Kristin Hansveen/Agneta Eichenholz (Sylva Varescu), Magnus Staveland/ Audun Iversen (Edwin), Frøy Hovland Holtbakk/Lina Johnson (Stasi), Rickard Söderberg/Marius Roth Kristensen (Count Boni Kanscianu), Martin Hatlo/Sakarias Fredriksen Tranvåg (Count Feri von Kerekes), Mari Maurstad (Anhilte), Lasse Lindtner ( Leopold Maria), Robert Skjærstad (Eugen von Rohnsdorff), Changhui Tan/Robert Johannes Näse (Kisch), Lars Jacob Holm (Miska), Gjertrud Økland (stage musician), Tom Karlsrud (stage musician), Georg Reiss (sc solo musician), the Opera Choir, the Opera Orchestra. Game period: 25 November-18. January
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“The Princess of Czardas” at the Norwegian Opera and Ballet – Reviews and recommendations
