Spain Paul Dukas, Ariane et Barbe-Bleue: Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro Real / Pinchas Steinberg (conductor). Teatro Real, Madrid, 15.2.2026. (JMI)
French composer Paul Dukas is well known to music lovers for The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. He also made a brief foray into the world of opera with Ariane et Barbe-Bleue which is now at Teatro Real, on the same stage where the opera’s Spanish premiere took place in 1913, six years after its world premiere in Paris. The opera is based on the drama by Maurice Maeterlinck for whom Paul Dukas had great admiration. It is a musically superb work with a rich orchestral sound.
This co-production of Teatro Real and the Opéra de Lyon, directed by Alex Ollé, premiered three years ago in Paris. The production brings the story up to the present day, with the arrival of Ariane, Bluebeard’s new wife, and her nurse at the castle where a group of angry peasants has gathered outside. Despite Bluebeard’s warning, Ariane decides to open the seventh door of the castle and finds a grand hall inside where the previous wives and their companions are gathered. Ariane decides to free them, and in the second act, they all attempt to escape the castle by stacking pieces of furniture on top of each other and eventually reaching the light. In Act III, we are back in the same furniture-stacking scene, where Ariane tries to persuade Bluebeard’s wives to leave with her. She is unsuccessful – they choose to stay and attend to their husband who has been badly wounded in an attack by the peasants.
The production works better as it progresses, but it does feel rather monotonous. I recall with greater interest the Claus Guth production which was at the Liceu in Barcelona in 2011.
The musical direction was in the hands of Israeli maestro Pinchas Steinberg, who has returned to Teatro Real after a 15-year absence. When last here, he conducted a superb version of Korngold’s Die tote Stadt, and on this occasion, his interpretation was the best part of the opera. Although there were some ups and downs, Act III was exceptional, and the performances of the Teatro Real Orchestra and Chorus were excellent.
It is well known that this opera has a single protagonist, Ariane. The role was sung by mezzo-soprano Paula Murrihy, who gave a competent performance though her voice lacked brilliance and was somewhat short in power.
The other characters are all secondary. Among them, the most important is the Nurse, who accompanies the protagonist throughout the opera. The role was sung by Valencian mezzo-soprano Silvia Tro Santafé, who has a well-suited and sufficient voice.
Bluebeard’s wives were well covered vocally and moved appropriately on the stage. Aude Extremo was a remarkable Sélysette, and María Miró as Mélisande was also good. Jaquelina Livieri (Ygraine) and Renée Rapier (Bellangère) were both vocally adequate. Finally, the role of Alladine was covered well by the actress Raquel Villarejo Hervás.
Bluebeard appears in the opera’s title, but the character is more episodic than secondary, although in Act III he appears on the stage, mute and badly wounded. It surprised me to see Italian bass Gianluca Buratto in such a role.
José M. Irurzun
Featured Image: Cast of Teatro Real’s Ariane et Barbe-Bleue © J. del Real
Production:
Director – Alex Ollé
Sets – Alfons Flores
Costumes – Josep Abril Janer
Lighting – Urs Schönebaum
Chorus director – José Luis Basso
Cast:
Ariane – Paula Murrihy
Barbe-Bleue – Gianluca Buratto
Nourrice – Silvia Tro Santafé
Sélysette – Aude Extremo
Mélisande – María Miró
Ygraine – Jaquelina Livieri
Bellangère– Renée Rapier
Alladine – Raquel Villarejo Hervás