Konsertrecension: Rich and bill to the opera for our time

It starts with a lightning strike. At the side of the stage hangs the singer Dietrich Henschel of her jeans and dons the role of Martin Luther. The morally stern and the music-loving monk who in the year 1517 nailed his theses in Wittenberg, and eventually set Europe on fire. Even good intentions can lead to uproar. At the Malmö Opera to emphasize the reformationstidens similarities with our own. It is about how we repeat history's mistakes with violence, oppression and extremism as consequences. ”Europe is torn apart, as a sail”, is one of the nyckelreplikerna in the spring of his opera.

the First act ends dramatically with titelfrasen: ”Schlagt sie tot!” – Slay them! – calls Luther to put an end to the peasant revolt he himself turned to. As for the story moving forward is reformation various events. From the printing machine pamphlets and bildstormandet to a bloody separation from the catholic church in Rome. But also the story of the man Luther, who both live out their fantasies and grapple with dubbelmoralens devils.

Bo holten's musical idiom live both a tondiktande Richard Strauss as a Carl Nielsenskt temperament. But above all, a great körkompositör that pours out of a ”heavenly harmony of voices” – to talk with the text. Luther's own hymns are woven into the score, but the instrumental parts can push the drama forward with both jazzbas that dissonant effects. All välmanövrerat by Patrik Ringborg in the orchestra pit.

Peter Holms stately renässansscenografi are in constant movement with removable table, paintings and flames in Per Sundins hazy lighting. And figuranter choreographed by Caroline Lundblad, effective draws inspiration from the japanese butohdansen.

the Roles are occupied by a rich spectrum of voice-type. Dietrich Henschels bass-baritone offers many shades, even if Lutherrollen, in parts, had required a greater degree of vowel authority. But both he and the other singers a lot of wind to fight against in some sångpartier. And here is another vokalprakt to rejoice about. Including tenor Thomas Volle as the humanist Philip Melanchthon and Reinhard Hagens Lucas Cranach with rumbling bass, flanked by Inger Dam-Jensen's intense Barbara Cranach. The women subside more often in the collective, but the mezzo-soprano Emma Lyrén makes a clear and sharp woven Katharina von Bora, the nun who marries Luther.

hours dove opera in German is a hearty task, but Eva Sommestad holten's libretto is straight, tight and informative in Jana Hallberg's German translation. The singers ' diction is generally good (a indisponerad Bengt Krantz may be excused for mumbling a little in his beard). There is also a massive köruppbåd that takes place on stage. The director Peter Oskarson and his artistic team handles this rich flow of impressions, moods and contemporary issues, with attention to both historical events and contemporary currents. It is a strong and thought-provoking musical drama, in which both the words and the tone reaches beyond operagenren.