William Styron's acclaimed 1979 novel about a Polish émigré tormented by a terrible choice forced upon her at Auschwitz (made into a 1982 film starring Meryl Streep) also inspired this opera by Nicholas Maw, captured here in a 2002 Covent Garden premiere, which was broadcast on BBC. Due to the composer's reverence for the original, Sophie's Choice runs nearly four hours (Maw later cut it by a quarter), with a libretto that mimics Styron's combination of narration, action, and flashback, lifting much of the text directly from the book. The first two acts chronicle the young writer Stingo's encounters with Sophie and her volatile lover, Nathan, while the third and fourth reveal her tortured past in Poland, as well as the truth about Nathan's fits of temper, before proceeding to the tragic close. While the material carries as emotional a wallop onstage as in the earlier iterations, Maw's music—largely undistinguished note-spinning with a vaguely modern feel—doesn't add much, although the cast performs admirably, with Rod Gilfry a stalwart Nathan and Gordon Gietz and Dale Duesing impressive as the younger and older Stingos. The standout, however, is Angelika Kirchschlager, who brings supple and strong vocalism to her portrayal of Sophie, which is as wrenching as Streep's Oscar-winning turn. Conductor Simon Rattle draws committed performances from the Royal Opera House Orchestra and Chorus (in a short bonus interview, Battle proclaims the opera an instant classic, which seems an exaggeration in hindsight). Presented in DTS 5.1 and PCM stereo, other DVD extras include an illustrated synopsis and a cast gallery. Optional. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)
Sophie's Choice
(2002) 2 discs. 223 min. DVD: $39.99. Opus Arte (dist. by Naxos of America). Volume 25, Issue 4
Sophie's Choice
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