Dialogues of the Carmelites: Not your ordinary opera - but extraordinary

By Francis Poulenc
Vancouver Opera
November 26, 29, December 1 & 3, 2005
All performances 7:30 pm  Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Conductor                 Jonathan Darlington
Director                    Tazewell Thompson   
Blanche de la Force    Kathleen Brett
Prioress                    Judith Forst
Madame Lidoine        Measha Brueggergosman
Marie Mere                Claire Primrose          
Constance                 Nathalie Paulin

I walked out of Vancouver Opera’s 2005 serving of Dialogues of the Carmelites simply amazed.  It was a production you either loved or hated. It pushed buttons. It wasn’t traditional. It was inspiring. It was beautiful. It made you think. There was no love story between a man and a woman.

There were no familiar songs that would ever appear on Opera’s greatest hits.  But it provided extraordinary showcase performances for Judith Forst, Kathleen Brett, Measha Bruggergosman and Claire Primrose.  How strange it is to see an opera where all the main characters are women, and where men play only secondary and supporting roles. But while there are no sexy tunes between men and women, there are many arias that deal with the relationship of spirit and to God. 

It is 1789, the dawn of the French Revolution.  After an incident in which her carriage is surrounded by The by mobs fin the street, a young agitated aristocratic woman named Blanch de la Force decides to join the Carmelite Order seeking refuge from both her family and the social turmoil happening in France. 

Blanche discovers an inner journey that is challenged once again by inside forces when she befriends a fellow initiate named Constance who shares with Blanche that they will die together.  Blanche is again challenged when  she is present at the death of the Pioress, who wails that Death is ugly, unforgiving and unspiritual. Soon after, outside forces come to play when the New French Republic orders that all Religious Orders become outlawed, and the nuns are forced to leave their home. It is at this point that Blanche flees the convent to find refuge as a servant in an aristocratic house.

Judith Forst sings a knock-out performance as the Prioress, while sitting in her death bed.  Kathleen Brett readily captured the agitated psychological state of Blanche de la Force, although her voice was weak at points - perhaps due to playing Blanche's weak state of mind, because in Act 2 & 3, as Blanche matures psychologically in her convictions, her voice becomes stronger.  Nathalie Paulin provided a clear and calm foil as Constance, to Brett’s Blanche.  And when finally Measha Bruggergosman came on stage in the 2nd Act, her voice and movement had so much presence it was hard not to be enthralled.

This is not a "pretty opera" despite its beatific moments where the nuns pledge themselves to martyrdom.  It is indeed a psychological drama that questions our own relationship to spirit, heroism, totalitarianism, religious order and self-sacrifice.  While watching I could not help but compare the exiling of the nuns from their convent to the internment of the Japanese-Canadians in 1942, which was nicely explored in Vancouver Opera's production of Naomi's Road.  Nor could I not draw comparison to the Vancouver Opera's past production of Beethoven's only opera Fidelio, also set during the French Revolution.

The final climatic scene is difficult to tear one's eyes away from.  Here is a spoiler - but good to know as the real story was first published by Marie Mere as a memoir.  Despite first suggesting martyrdom to her fellow nuns, it is she alone who somehow survives the imprisionment of the nuns, and their final walk to the guillotine.  Musically it is very powerful, as the cast sings Salve Regina, each one walks up, across and finally off-stage, one  by one, until you hear the metalic sound of a guilotine.  The choir of voices becomes smaller one by one until only Constance remains.  It is then that Blanche appears to hold hands with her friend Constance and to fulfil Constance's vision that they would die together.

Here was a modern opera written by Francis Poulenc, sung in French, set during the French revolution, about Carmelite nuns – and directed by African-American theatre and opera director Tazewell Thompson.  As a 9-year old boy, Thompson was sent by his grandparents to live in the convent of the Sisters of St. Dominic, in Blauvelt, N.Y. where he spent six years.  He says he learned Gregorian chants before he ever knew pop, jazz, folk or opera music.  What an extraordinary experience to learn and develop a relationship with a spiritual diety, as well as evolving one’s own spiritual development!  It makes sense that Thompson was asked to help create this particular production first with Glimmerglass Opera and New York City Opera.

Poulenc's music is indeed both beautiful and spiritual. I was moved by its thoughtful passages, and found myself humming Stravinsky's Infernal Dance of King Katschei from the Firebird Suite.  As well, I found myself thinking of Gershwin's American in Paris, and Porgy and Bess.  It was not a surprise then to read in the progam notes that Poulenc named Stravinsky as one of his greatest influences, as well as Gershwin.

Donald Eastman’s set design is beautiful in its simplicity.  A simple wall, stands halfway back on the stage, creating the interior of the Church.  Muted light enters through a high window.  At scence changes the pillars come forward to become walls, and to create individual rooms.  Later they recede, and the lighting changes to create and exterior scene.  The lighting changes again, and it is another scene in the Church, this time the harsh early light of morning.  The walls move again, and the nuns are in a prison cell.

Classical music has always been kind to colour-blind casting, as opposed to theatre or film. Casting New Brunswick born Afro-Canadian Measha Bruggergosman has absolutely no negative impact.  In fact, I think it speaks loudly about the multicultural ease that opera moves with.  The opera audience listens to French, German, Italian easily, and there has even been an opera now in Cree.  The settings are from around the world such as China in Vancouver Opera’s production of Turandot.  I look forward to the January 2007 production of Mozart’s Magic Flute reconstructed with a First Nations theme blending western and First Nations traditions together and designed with a team of First Nations artists.

In the end, it is the inspiration of the performances that moves us.


check out these reviews and links
Dialogues of the Carmelites
Georgia Straight review by Jessica Werb
Divine inspiration behind Vancouver Opera's latest
Vancouver Courier Review by Louise Phillips
All Praise to the singing nuns
Globe & Mail review by Elissa Poole
Religious Reflections
Georgia Straight interview with director Tazewell Thompson by Colin Thomas

Vancouver Opera Insight Articles
Facing the World Inside the Walls
Notes on the production of Dialogues of the Carmelites
by Stage Director Tazewell Thompson
Measha!
by Doug Tuck
Francis Poulenc, Graceful Composer
by Doug Tuck
Hearing the voice of Grace, Poulenc's Musical Style
by David Shefsiak