10
October
October
2011
China’s National Holiday week pretty much coincides with the start of the Opera and Classical Music season, which is good news as most venues with a decent opera house or concert theatre usually begin the season with something of an extravaganza. I’ve spent this past week in Beijing (which is where I’m based, although I travel a lot, so it’s nice to be at home for over a week at any one time) which has a somewhat controversial, but nonetheless quite spectacular national theater just to the West of Tiananmen Square. In true Communist style, its officially named the rather pragmatic and tedious “National Center for The Performing Arts”, but to locals it is simply referred to as “The Egg”. Strangely enough, the architect responsible had intended to portray a Pearl – and it does look like one when lit up at night – but the oval, rather than round shape has changed the way it is perceived. Beijingers, not known for their romanticism, and being somewhat loathe to indulge in plaudits, dubbed it alternatively, and the name has stuck.
Actually an ellipsoid dome of titanium and glass surrounded by an artificial lake, it seats 5,452 people in three halls and is almost 12,000 m² in size. It was designed by French architect Paul Andreu, and this, coupled with the design, proved controversial tot many in China as they felt the design was not in keeping with the Stalinist style of surrounding buildings, and that a foreigner should be chosen above Chinese architects. China’s President of the time, Jiang Zemin was having none of it however – he was a major force behind getting the project off the ground – and it took some time. Construction started in December 2001 and the inaugural concert – delivered by the Mariinsky, the first Russian company to play in China for 40 years - was held in December 2007.
For this new season, it was a return by the Mariinsky that set the stage for the coming months – and fronted naturally by Valery Gergiev. I’m a big fan of both – I’ve seen Gergiev conduct in London, Milano and Tokyo the past 12 months – and to have this most Russian of St. Petersburg orchestras in Beijing is a real privilege. Plus the featured composer – Tchaikovsky, and a cycle of all six of his symphonies, played over three nights. There is no doubt in my mind that if you want to hear any composer at his best – it needs to be from a prime orchestra from the same country as the composer. In this, the Mariinsky – who originally premiered several of the symphonies upon their debuts in Russia – could not be a finer choice.
The first evening was given over to Symphonies 1 and 6, the first being Tchaikovsky’s ode to Russia itself, subtitled “Winter Daydreams”. It’s a remarkable early work (opus 13) which does capture the mood of wintersreicche in Russian. Snow falls, mists descend and troikas rush through the December gloom. It’s not a bad way to introduce the new season, preparing us for the chilly days just lurking in Beijing from next month. Tchaikovsky’s sixth, his most famous, is a different matter altogether. Often considered his suicide note, the symphony possesses great moments of beauty as the composer looks back on his life, Imperial balls and love, yet descending into a powerful statement of regret and loss. Tchaikovsky premiered and conducted the work at the Mariinsky in 1893, nine days later he would be dead. Gergiev then is a direct link back to Tchaikovsky, and it is one he obviously feels. As the last notes of the anguished final movement faded away, Gergiev kept his right hand raised, in a signal to the audience to absorb what they had heard. It was a full minutes silence until he dropped his hand and turned to face the theatre. Eight calls followed.
The second days program featured symphonies 2 and 5, with two being a paean to “Little Russia” and once again, musically descriptive. Tchaikovsky would continue this just for one more symphony (although it could be argued that “Manfred”, not included in this program, also qualifies as a symphonic depiction of Byron’s poem), while numbers 4-6 all deal with his personal emotions. Again, the second is a more than fitting tribute to Tchaikovsky’s homeland, and it includes Ukrainian (then part of Russia) folk songs within its score. The fourth movement is usually considered the best, and certainly the Mariinsky gave their all in what is an uplifting and magical movement, with a catchy melody impossible to resist. Symphony #5 is a journey through Tchaikovsky’s state of mind at the time, and although generally on good form, with waltzes and mazurkas added in to reflect St. Petersburg’s social life, also drops in elements of self doubt and the ever present hand of fate in life. Along with the extraordinary sixth, it is generally considered one of Tchaikovsky’s’ best compositions, and certainly brings matters to a rousing, marching close. Because the topic of the Fifth Symphony is Providence, Tchaikovsky himself, when describing the introduction, said it represents "a complete resignation before fate, which is the same as the inscrutable predestination of fate." The changing character of the main theme over the course of the symphony seems to imply that Tchaikovsky is expressing optimism with regard to providence, and the final movement defines this very well. Quite simply, it makes one feel as if triumph over adversity has been accomplished. Given the upbeat nature of this performance, we were also treated to two encores, the first a flurry through the waltz from Sleeping Beauty, the second the Polka from Eugene Onegin.
The third program featured two of Tchaikovsky’s lesser performed symphonies. Number 3, subtitled “Polish” includes peasant folk dances in the final movement, but is generally regarded as ‘difficult’ overall and devoid of the romanticism the composer is renowned for. I disagree. It may be flawed, but is deserving of greater and more detailed listening. It also contains one of Tchaikovsky’s most beautiful pieces, the second and third movements, based upon a slow waltz, are sublime, and were appropriated by the choreographer George Balanchine for the “Diamonds” sequence in his ballet “Jewels”. Tchaikovsky’s third symphony may be his least popular, but it contains some wonderful music. Miss out, and you’ll omit from your life one of the most beautiful serenades ever written.
Symphony # 4 is again based on Tchaikovsky’s own emotions, and he let very little slip about the theme for this symphony, or the inspiration. In this, it remains one of his most enigmatic works. It’s also one of his loudest – the composer quite literally introduces lightning bolts as the symphony begins, to an extent that the unprepared may jump in surprise! Fate however intervenes, and the next two movements represent a more melancholic perspective of life, before the final movement, based upon a Russian folk song “In the field stood a birch tree” reintroduces us to lightening blots and claps of thunder – maybe the wrath of the Gods of symbolizing the certainty of occasional abrupt changes occurring in life. Number Four is Tchaikovsky on his second bottle of vodka, singing at the top of his voice.
Two more encores followed this performance, a waltz from Romeo & Juliet, and a manic run through from the Dance of the Tin Soldiers from The Nutcracker. And that was that. I met Gergiev afterwards, he’s taking the Mariinsky on a stop start world tour, featuring the Six Tchaikovsky symphonies from now until next March. Catch them if you can.