Aveline Kirana
(Photo: Valentin Daniel Preissler)
The annals of Baroque opera are a treasure trove of forgotten masterpieces, works that once captivated European courts with their grandeur and innovation, only to fade into obscurity as musical tastes evolved. Amidst this landscape of lost operatic worlds, the period ensemble Barockwerk Hamburg has carved a unique and indispensable niche. While their performance schedule is deliberately selective, appearing only a few times annually, their dedication to unearthing and reviving rare Baroque compositions is unparalleled. Their recent performance at the Hamburg State Library Atrium served as a potent testament to their mission, highlighting their role as the foremost champions of the composer Carl Heinrich Graun.
The opera brought to life, Carl Heinrich Graun’s 1735 work "Pharao Tubaetes," boasts a fascinating and complex lineage that underscores the collaborative and transformative nature of operatic creation during the Baroque era. Its journey began not in Egypt, but in Vienna, as Apostolo Zeno’s 1724 libretto, "Gianguir," set against an Indian backdrop. The subsequent adaptation for a performance in Brunswick saw the libretto undergo a significant metamorphosis. Johann Samuel Müller, a rector tasked with creating a piece for a scholastic exercise, translated Zeno’s Italian text into German. Crucially, Müller reimagined the setting, transplanting the narrative to ancient Egypt. This shift was deeply influenced by the Enlightenment’s burgeoning fascination with hieroglyphs and the mystique of Egyptian civilization, a cultural current that permeated intellectual and artistic circles of the time. The result was a drama deeply embedded in biblical antiquity, yet infused with contemporary intellectual curiosity.
Within this meticulously crafted Egyptian setting, "Pharao Tubaetes" unfolds as a dramatic exploration of power, love, and vengeance. The central conflict ignites with the rebellious Prince Ramesses, who, driven by ambition and a secret passion for the captive Princess Nitocris, challenges his father, Pharaoh Tubaetes, for the throne. Nitocris, forced to conceal her identity at court, harbors a burning desire for retribution for the murder of her family. The ensuing narrative is a tapestry of courtly intrigue, masterfully woven with the machinations of the cunning Asaf and the wisdom of the elder statesman Hermes. As the political tensions escalate, the drama hurtles towards open warfare. However, the true power of the opera lies not in the clash of armies, but in the profound moral and emotional agency of its female characters. It is through the selfless mediation of Queen Zama, the Pharaoh’s second wife, that the destructive cycle of revenge is ultimately broken, paving the way for a grand reconciliation. This resolution powerfully asserts the moral superiority of the female characters over the impulsively driven male protagonists, a theme that resonates with enduring relevance.
The undertaking of performing a work as obscure as "Pharao Tubaetes" presents considerable challenges. With no readily available modern scores or established recordings to guide interpretation, both the performers and the audience embark on a journey into uncharted operatic territory. To bridge this informational gap and render the narrative accessible, the Barockwerk Hamburg production employed a multi-faceted approach. A sophisticated visual presentation, featuring evocative Baroque stage designs, served to immerse the audience in the historical and aesthetic context of the opera. Textual elements and live narration were strategically integrated to illuminate the intricate plot, ensuring clarity amidst the historical drama. Furthermore, the performance adopted a judicious approach to the German recitatives, compressing them to maintain a propulsive narrative pace. This strategic decision allowed the evening’s energy to be directed towards what Graun excelled at: the virtuosic and emotionally profound expression found within his spectacular arias. This focus on the arias, the emotional heart of Baroque opera, proved to be the most effective way to showcase Graun’s genius to a contemporary audience.
Stellar Cast Illuminates Graun’s Masterpiece
The success of any operatic revival hinges on the caliber of its performers, and Barockwerk Hamburg assembled a stellar cast capable of breathing life into Graun’s complex characters. In the pivotal title role of Pharaoh Tubaetes, Matthias Vieweg delivered a nuanced and compelling portrayal. Far from a one-dimensional tyrant, Vieweg captured the deep-seated indecision and inherent weakness that plagues the Pharaoh, a ruler often depicted as reliant on his wife’s counsel. His rendition of the Act Three aria, "Nel mio cor stanno a consiglio," was a masterclass in vocal and dramatic interpretation. Vieweg navigated the aria’s intricate melodic lines with profound emotional depth, vividly illustrating the monarch’s internal conflict between the demands of revenge and the paternal love for his son. His voice provided a grounding force for the production, a steady anchor against the high-stakes rebellion orchestrated by his son.
As the impetuous Prince Ramesses, countertenor Terry Wey served as the production’s emotional lightning rod. Wey’s performance was characterized by a ferocity that perfectly matched his character’s testosterone-fueled impulsiveness. He tackled Graun’s technically demanding vocal passages with breathtaking agility, his voice soaring through the challenging high-wire acts of the score. This youthful exuberance and defiance were evident early in the opera when Ramesses rejected the counsel of Hermes, prioritizing his love for Alinda (Nitocris) over his duty to the crown. Wey was particularly impactful during the battlefield scenes of Act Four. His aria, "Sù è pugnar forti guerrieri," transcended mere vocal virtuosity, transforming into a powerful call to arms, capturing the spirit of a young man desperate to prove his mettle through both sword and song. This aria, with its martial rhythms and heroic melodic contours, effectively conveyed the youthful bravado and eagerness for glory.
The operatic rivalry between Ramesses and the scheming Asaf was sharply delineated by Matthias Dühling. Dühling, utilizing the same vocal range as Ramesses, engaged in a compelling musical duel that mirrored the characters’ on-stage antagonism. He effectively portrayed a favored courtier who ruthlessly exploited his influence over the Pharaoh to advance his own personal ambitions, specifically his desire for marriage to a royal princess. Dühling’s rendition of the Act Two aria, "Mi dirai, spera?", was a chilling display of manipulative charm, his vocal delivery dripping with insinuation and veiled threats. Providing the production’s moral compass was Mirko Ludwig as the wise minister Hermes. As the sole tenor in a cast dominated by lower voices and countertenors, Ludwig’s voice stood out as a beacon of reason and clarity. His dramatic intervention in Act Three, drawing a sword to metaphorically protect the Pharaoh from his son’s wrath, was a shocking and pivotal dramatic moment. Ludwig executed this scene with a perfect blend of urgency and gravitas, underscoring Hermes’s unwavering loyalty and his deep concern for the stability of the kingdom.
Musical Highlights and Dramatic Resolution
However, the emotional and intellectual core of the evening truly belonged to the female characters, whom Graun masterfully positioned as the primary drivers of the plot. Sarah Hayashi, stepping into the demanding role of Nitocris as a last-minute replacement, delivered a powerhouse performance that belied her unexpected entry into the production. Hayashi fully inhabited the character of a woman consumed by a burning thirst for vengeance for her murdered family. Her arias were structural marvels, unpredictable and complex, mirroring Nitocris’s internal struggle between her sworn oath of vengeance and her burgeoning, genuine love for Ramesses. A particularly standout moment occurred in Act Two with her rendition of "Vanne… sì… di al mio diletto." This aria, notable for its irregular structure and dramatic shifts in mood, saw Hayashi skillfully navigate a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Her voice darted between hesitant pauses, reflecting inner turmoil, and sudden bursts of resolve, showcasing her impressive vocal control and dramatic expressiveness. By the time she reached her Act Four duet with Wey, "Placide a میرے migliori vita," her voice had undergone a profound transformation, shifting from the sharp edges of fury to a sublime and tender loyalty, a testament to her character’s evolving emotional landscape.
Complementing Hayashi’s fierce portrayal was Hanna Herfurtner’s depiction of Queen Zama, the Pharaoh’s second wife. Herfurtner embodied the ideal of virtue, a rational and generous presence amidst the courtly chaos. While the male characters postured and plotted, Zama emerged as the true architect of peace and reconciliation. Herfurtner’s lyrical soprano shone brightly in Act Four as she eloquently pleaded for mercy for her stepson, demonstrating that her character’s sincere love was the only force capable of breaking the cycle of violence that threatened to consume the royal family. Her performance powerfully underscored the libretto’s subtle yet profound commentary: that the stability and well-being of the state ultimately rest on the wisdom and compassion of its women.
Under the sensitive direction of conductor Ira Hochman, Barockwerk Hamburg masterfully captured the essence of the so-called "Empfindsamer Stil" (Sensitive Style), a musical movement that emphasized emotional expression and refined sensibility. The orchestra played a delicate supporting role, allowing the vocalists’ emotional interpretations to flourish. The transparency of the string section, complemented by the plaintive tones of the baroque oboes, created an intimate sonic landscape. The rhythmic pulse provided by the theorbo, bassoon, and twin harpsichords offered essential harmonic support, grounding the intricate vocal lines and dramatic narratives.
The meticulous preparation for this performance was evident, reflecting extensive archival research and painstaking scholarly work. The choice of the Hamburg State and University Library as the venue was particularly fitting, lending an academic gravitas and historical resonance to the proceedings. Without the use of traditional scenery, the singers ingeniously utilized the atrium’s two-story architecture for dynamic movement, delivering an emotionally direct performance that relied solely on the power of the human voice. While this concert-version trimming proved highly efficient in showcasing the dramatic arc of the opera, the transition from the soul-stirring Act Four duet between Ramesses and Nitocris to the final "lieto fine" (happy ending) felt somewhat abrupt. This suggests that a future, unabridged recording or staged production might allow the complete dramatic arc to unfold with the full weight and breadth it deserves, offering audiences an even deeper immersion into Graun’s rediscovered masterpiece. The successful resurrection of "Pharao Tubaetes" by Barockwerk Hamburg not only honors the legacy of Carl Heinrich Graun but also serves as a compelling argument for the continued exploration and performance of neglected works from the Baroque era, enriching our understanding of musical history and its enduring emotional power.
