Ariadne auf Naxos

Richard Strauss' off-kilter opera receives a decidedly peculiar staging in this Zurich Opera production. Claus Guth's interpretation places the prologue, which is supposed to take place in a Vienna millionaire's mansion, instead before massive curtains on an empty stage, as rival entertainers—from a chamber opera production and a burlesque troupe—flit in and out after learning they are supposed to work together for the evening's entertainment. Once the curtains open, the opera itself—a reworking of the Greek myth of Ariadne, who helped Theseus defeat the Minotaur and was later abandoned on the island of Naxos before being rescued by the god Dionysus—is staged in a meticulous reproduction of Kronenhalle, the famed Zurich restaurant. Quite frankly, this modernized approach creates major distractions, since the busy prologue is presented barebones but the Ariadne drama and its rumination on isolation and loneliness features splendorous and intricate set design. Even worse, the updated characterizations (the water nymphs become waitresses, the clowns busboys, etc.) find the ensemble falling back repeatedly on shtick-heavy antics rather than the genuine elements of farce and tragedy that Strauss' librettist, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, envisioned for the work. However, the production is single-handedly saved by Emily Magee's stunning star turn as Ariadne: offering a complex interpretation of a woman drowning in self-destructive anguish, Magee gives the role a level of drama and gravity that resonates with subtle intelligence. Presented in DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1, and LPCM stereo, this is a strong optional purchase, if only to witness Magee's brilliance. Aud: P. (P. Hall)