The Stage

Der Rosenkavalier

Published Tuesday 8 December 2009 at 12:45 by George Hall

John Schlesinger’s production of Richard Strauss’ romantic Viennese comedy is 25 years old and neither its original director nor its costume designer, Maria Bjornson, are still with us, but happily set designer William Dudley is. His traditional visuals still provide good value in this latest realisation, directed by Andrew Sinclair, though they could be more subtly lit. Though the staging has lost focus - the Marschallin’s levee scene is fuzzy and the crucial Presentation of the Rose scene lacks brilliance - the principal roles are well sung.

Peter Rose (Baron Ochs Lerchenau) in Der Rosenkavalier at the Royal Opera House Photo: Mike Hoban

As the Marschallin, Soile Isokoski offers taste and discretion, though not enough charisma for this starring role. Unusually, she cedes the final bow to Sophie Koch’s Octavian, which is nominally the title role but not generally understood to be the central point of the audience’s sympathies. Koch too is strong vocally, her firm mezzo fleshing out the lines with impact, but she never convinces as a teenage boy. Lucy Crowe enhances her reputation with a sweetly sung Sophie, though again, rarely touches the heart. Peter Rose’s Baron Ochs has an impressive evening vocally, but he fails to get to the heart of a monster who must retain some sympathy. Even Thomas Allen’s amiably camp Faninal misses the point.

The score is part magic, part note-spinning - a good performance can disguise its weaknesses. Kirill Petrenko’s conducting is determined, but charmless. On this occasion, the trick does not work.