His opera productions between 2004 and 2009 --when
Gerard Mortier was at the head of the Paris Opera [
and when Paris Opera mattered in the world of regular theaters too]-- spurred many strong reactions among public. Those who liked his shows loved them, and those who didn't they hated them.
At the very core of his theater is a generic notion of human suffering -- even if the shape or form changes, deep down it's always about suffering. He was already an important theatrical name before producing operas, but the way he shook the opera world was quite extraordinary.
My first encounter with his work was his production of
Iphigénie en Tauride in Paris, which for many inexplicable and often irrational reasons, remains one of the most fascinating shows I've ever seen. It was emotionally and mentally disturbing even though there was nothing shocking in or about the show. Add to that a weird scene of Krzysztof coming up on stage after each show to rake all the angry boos -- it all made the event memorable and surreal. His goal is clearly not to please everyone, but rather to invite us to explore something new. That magic often works, but sometimes it doesn't -- in any case his audacity and the way he resets theatrical language to reconnect it (in his own way!) to the antique theater is most certainly fascinating.
His theater is modern on many levels, with many contemporary references (especially cinema related), but with most disturbing rhythms you could find in theater: most of the "action" is faster/slower than you'd want it to be.
When he produces a show for some theater in Paris (that is not an opera) it's not only
strange that his so peculiar shows are sold out long in advance, but for an opera-goer like me it's like a shock to see a massive presence of young and very-young people in the crowd.
Why all this story about Krzysztof Warlikowski? His new opera production is to be premiered next Friday at
La Monnaie/De Munt in Brussels [the exemplary well managed opera house!]. It will be
Macbeth, with
Scott Hendricks,
Carlo Colombara,
Andrew Richards, and
Iano Tamar.
