This production of Werther shows a director giving free rein to his ideas, which fortunately are not as outlandish as those that have informed other San Francisco productions -- I think particularly of Macbeth, which is remembered for the egg beater and hula hoop and the typewriter atop the prompter's box. The same set is used for all four acts: a metal wall on three sides, featuring a strip of fluorescent lighting from one end to the other; a gigantic stack of boxes taking up most of the rear left quadrant, "trees" with bare limbs and aluminum trunks, an out-of-view (from the orchestra section) staircase by which people enter and leave, and in front and below the floor level of Charlotte's home, a scruffy hotel room or apartment for Werther with an unmade bed and lots of books on the floor. We see much more of Albert than is called for in the text. In particular, he reads over Charlotte's shoulder as she reads Werther's letters at the beginning of Act 3. He even tears one of them up. But, as mentioned, not excessively outlandish. Even having seen the dress rehearsal, I wasn't able to comprehend the director's vision, but at least I was willing to believe that he had some sort of consistent vision, even if I didn't get it. Oh yes, I should mention that when Werther returns to Charlotte's home at Christmas, there are three of him, each carrying a torch. They all three shoot themselves (in Charlotte's home). One falls out of sight, one falls where Charlotte can mourn the body, and the third (the tenor) gets to wander around the stage singing.
My favorites were Brian Mulligan as Albert, with a fine baritone, and Christian Van Horn. I'm quickly becoming a CVH fan! He was the King of Egypt in Aida, and he will be the Bonze in Butterfly. The other singers (Ramon Vargas as Werther, Alice Coote as Charlotte, Heidi Stober as Sophie) acquitted themselves well though not memorably. We were originally scheduled to hear Elina Garanca as Charlotte. Having seen the Met HD broadcasts of her Carmen and Cenerentola, I was really looking forward to hearing her in person, but apparently her agent managed to get her double-booked, and San Francisco lost.
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