Lyric Opera 2018-2019 Issue 3 Idomeneo

O P E R A N O T E S | L Y R I C O P E R A O F C H I C A G O October 13 - November 2, 2018 | 33 e season at the Metropolitan Opera when Idomeneo was first to be presented was my fourth season with that company. I was given the great privilege and daunting task to assist the famous director/designer Jean-Pierre Ponnelle on this production. I didn’t really know what to expect, but I was terror-stricken. Ponnelle’s reputation as a tyrant and perfectionist preceded him. Word was that he chose to design the sets and costumes for his productions because no designers could reflect his vision or tell the story he wanted to tell. At that time, few designers had his knowledge of historical period, and rarely did he find a designer who shared his impeccable taste and refined sense of style. His set designs derived from his knowledge of and approach to the great work he was undertaking, and his costumes demanded historical accuracy not only in appearance, but also in the way they were constructed. By example, before Ponnelle, women’s period corsets were constructed with zippers. After him, historically accurate (boned) undergarments and corsets with laces became standard in all period clothing. Jean-Pierre’s approach to Idomeneo developed over time, and the version that arrived at the Met had been conceived in a tiny opera house in Zurich. ere he first decided to set the Cretan story within a unit set, reminiscent of classical Greek and Roman architecture, in the style of Andrea Palladio, whose drawings and sketches reflected the quintessence of the High Renaissance. Inspired by Palladio, the set’s backdrops suggested the story’s locations and complemented the look of decaying architecture. For the clothing, wigs and makeup, Ponnelle chose to reveal the characters’ personalities through the inspiration of Mozart’s 18th century. Chain-smoking Gitanes and sipping glasses of fine Bordeaux incessantly, Jean-Pierre, a trained conductor, worked directly from the orchestra score, staging the characters by interpreting the musical themes as they jumped from the page. e story of Idomeneo revolves around the title character’s vow to Neptune, in which he agrees to sacrifice the first person he encounters on land in exchange for sparing his life during a raging storm at sea. Unfortunately, the person he meets is his son, Idamante, and the story’s tragic conflict is set in motion. For Ponnelle, the omnipresence of Neptune in the story is visualized by an enormous head which dominates the stage, appears whenever the attention turns to this vengeful god, and eventually opens its eyes to finally grant Idomeneo forgiveness. In rehearsal, Ponnelle was something to behold. Chain-smoking Gitanes and sipping glasses of fine Bordeaux incessantly, Jean-Pierre, a trained conductor, worked directly from the orchestra score, staging the characters by interpreting the musical themes as they jumped from the page. He staged and motivated the action as often from the music as from the spoken text. Speaking fluent Italian, German, and French, he was able to nuance every word of the spoken/sung recitatives and speak to each artist always in his/her native tongue, therefore facilitating easy communication. Once established, Jean-Pierre demanded precision and expected repetition of staging to be exact. Jean-Pierre often discovered gestures and movements in the slight pauses between musical phrases. He also motivated and built body language using musical accents. His chorus staging was highly choreographed and often the movement of musical phrases was approached as if like a dance. A stocky non-dancer by type, Jean-Pierre created staging at times that could have the frenzy of Béjart’s Bolero or the lyricism and grace of Petipa’s Swan Lake. To each dramatic situation, he demanded full involvement of body and mind. To this day, I often refer to Ponnelle’s ensemble and chorus staging as “Ponnelle Aerobics.” The movements are always dramatically and musically motivated, precise in their detail and musicality, and above all, in execution they require the performers’ full commitment. As an added bonus, performing his staging is energizing and fun! After Idomeneo I also worked with Jean- Pierre on his productions of Rossini’s L’italiana in Algeri and Massenet’s Manon. I’ve extensively studied his Così fan tutte , e Marriage of Figaro , and Falstaff from videos, and I never cease to be amazed at his inventive original approach to these great works. Trained as an architect, conductor, set and costume designer, Jean-Pierre was always the ultimate expert when it came to creating opera productions. Idomeneo is one of his finest achievements. Although a taskmaster, Jean-Pierre nevertheless had a wicked sense of humor and an abundantly infectious laugh. He loved every minute of his work and he adored working with artists. In most instances, he brought out the very best in the greatest singers of his generation. I like to think that Jean-Pierre brought out the very best in me as well.  David Kneuss Revival Director, Idomeneo e late Jean-Pierre Ponnelle (standing, left of center) in an Idomeneo rehearsal at Lyric, 1977. A Note About Director Jean-Pierre Ponnelle