Germany Dvořák, Rusalka: Soloists and Chorus of Theater Osnabrück, Osnabrücker Symphonieorchester / Andreas Hotz (conductor). Theater Osnabrück, 9.2.2025. (DM-D)
Production:
Director – Christian von Götz
Set and Costumes – Lukas Noll
Lighting – Ingo Jooss
Dramaturgy – Juliane Piontek
Chorus director – Sierd Quarré
Cast:
Rusalka – Tetiana Miyus
Prince – Sung Min Song
Foreign Princess – Susann Vent-Wunderlich
Witch – Nana Dzidziguri
Water sprite (Vodník) – Dominic Barberi
Spa doctor – Jan Friedrich Eggers
Spa nurse – Susanna Edelmann
First sprite – Susanna Edelmann
Second sprite – Chihiro Meier-Tejima
Third sprite – Kathrin Brauer
The curtains opened to reveal a semi-circular raised platform towards the front of the stage, with an underwater rocky seascape: the rocks in various layers and with different rugged shapes and surfaces. Behind that seascape was a picture frame projection screen in the shape of an arch. Vague wave patterns could be seen and a landscape with full moon appeared for Rusalka’s signature aria. The Witch came from above, announced by a giant single claw of a bird of prey landing on the rocky surface.
The scenes on shore were not set in a palace, as suggested by the libretto, but in a spa, more specifically an art-nouveau-style room where the well with spa water was the centre of attention. A doctor and nurse tended to the rich and decadent spa guests, including the Prince (here more of a bohemian painter) and the Foreign Princess, handing them beakers of water from the well and patting their backs affectionately when the guests had their quite severe fits of coughing (tuberculosis?). Some moments also showed the very obvious, explicit and clearly unwanted sexual advances of the doctor towards the nurse.
Lukas Noll thus successfully created a fairy-tale environment for the fairy-tale, with matching costumes, while Ingo Jooss added to that effect with his imaginative lighting design. Christian von Götz’s production emphasised Rusalka’s longing for a human soul and her desire to be able to return to her genuine roots as she realises how futile her wish was. Götz stringently developed the interaction between characters on this basis. The setting in the spa emphasised the decadent nature of human existence, compared with the healthy water world. The details of the relationship between doctor and nurse were slightly jarring in this context: the decadence of human life would have been sufficiently obvious without them.
Tetiana Miyus was excellent as Rusalka: her voice was bright, with ringing top notes and superb breath control. Her ability to cover a wide range of shades of volume stood out. Sung Min Song sang the demanding role of the Prince with considerable ease; he did not have to strain for the more dramatic material and displayed playful lightness elsewhere. Dominic Barberi as the Water Sprite (Vodník) competed in the 2017 Cardiff Singer of the World competition. He used his voluminous, broad bass voice to full effect. Nana Dzidziguri was very convincing as the Witch, combining tremendous stage presence with a voice that she was able to mould in such an agile manner that even sounds meant to show the character’s evil nature sounded beautiful. Susann Vent-Wunderlich provided a good vocal contrast to Miyus as the Foreign Princess, her voice thrilling and secure on the basis of a very well-developed lower register. Jan Friedrich Eggers was a robust spa doctor, while Susanna Edelmann, Chihiro Meier-Tejima and Kathrin Brauer sang the three water sprites with compelling joyfulness.
The auditorium of the theatre in Osnabrück is on the smaller side, with 585 seats spread across the stalls and two tiers. Acoustically, the space seems to absorb or dampen some of the lower frequencies, giving the orchestra’s sound a tendency to favour higher pitches, resulting in leanness. General music director Andreas Hotz worked well with this given condition, ensuring an even and well-rounded sound that gently highlighted the fairy-tale plot.
Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe
Featured Image: Theater Osnabrück © Sameer Al Doumy