A No-Frills Passion Play

We will never know what it would be like to experience an opera by J.S. Bach because he didn’t write any. But his consummate ability as a musical dramatist is abundantly evident in his two passion settings – the comparatively terse “St. John Passion” and the more contemplative “St. Matthew Passion” – which relate the events leading up to and including with Jesus’s crucifixion.A stage director might gravitate toward the St. John, but Sir Jonathan Miller long ago accepted the challenge of the “St. Matthew Passion.” His celebrated production made a highly welcome return to the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Harvey Theater on Saturday evening in the first of six performances that are billed as its “final run.” It was previously seen at BAM in 1997 and 2001 after being staged initially in England.Some would argue that neither of the passions ought to be given operatic treatment because the secular art form, with its costumes and scenery, is at odds with their devotional nature. Mr. Miller goes a long way toward muting this view, for his production has neither costumes nor scenery. Even the Harvey Theater, with its cultivated rundown look, furthers a no-frills ambience.Moreover, Mr. Miller deploys the double chorus and the double orchestra specified by Bach in a communal way by grouping them in a large circle, with the two choruses on the left and right sides and the two orchestras in the front and back of the stage. Props consist of wooden straight-backs and a table,which in Part I had a glass of wine and a loaf of bread on it. Most of the action takes place within the circle.The action is often shattering.The visual reinforcement supplied by discreet, sometimes stylized stage movement adds a new dimension to the experience. And it is a simple but major step to dispense with the scores and music stands that singers depend on in normal concert setting. Not only did they sing from memory here, but the players of obbligato instruments in the arias also rose from the orchestra to join their respective soloists.Mr. Miller makes telling use of the singers – both soloists and choristers – in the way they react to the drama. For instance, in the scene when Pilate asks the angry crowd what should be done with Jesus and they cry, “Crucify him!” the soprano soloist, overcome with grief, turns away and walks to the side of the stage.Then, when Pilate asks what evil this man has done,she returns and unexpectedly begins to enumerate Jesus’s sublime earthly accomplishments.The preparation for this moment makes it all the more poignant.The crucifixion scene is also vividly handled. Jesus walks through the audience and disappears in the rear of the auditorium.The performers then direct their attention to the audience,as if the crucifixion is taking place in its midst. This makes two choral moments especially, moving. The “Passion Chorale,” already sung several times, is now heard with unusual chromatic harmonies and delivered with heartfelt simplicity; the brief chorus, “Truly, this was the son of God,” is overwhelming.Much like a baroque opera, the “St. Matthew Passion” has a lot of arias that don’t advance the plot. But they were in capable hands on Saturday night. Suzie LeBlanc sang the soprano arias with little vibrato yet with a pure, expressive tone. The rich-voiced mezzo Krisztina Szabo launched Part II powerfully as she bewailed the absence of Jesus, who has been taken away. The fine countertenor Daniel Taylor sang affectingly in some of the other alto solos. Tenor Nils Brown was vocally uneven but highly expressive. Only baritone Stephen Varcoe seriously disappointed, for he simply lacks the requisite vocal quality for the three marvelous bass arias in Part II.Curtis Streetmen, dressed simply in a red polo shirt, did not always sound comfortable as Jesus, but his baritone has a fullness and depth that imparted an element of spirituality to his singing. Best of all was tenor Rufus Muller, as the Evangelist who relates the story in recitative. His every word could be understood – the late Robert Shaw’s English translation was used – and his singing was striking for the breadth of its dramatic range.The 24 choristers, some of whom sang the smaller roles, were excellent. Paul Goodwin, conducting a fine period-instrument band assembled from the ranks of New York freelancers, moved the piece along smartly without overly fast tempos. Nor did not underplay the music’s emotional power. He ensured in particular that the chorales were wellaccented and artfully phrased.“St. Matthew Passion” will be performed again on April 11, 12, 14 & 15 at the Harvey Theater (Brooklyn Academy of Music, 651 Fulton Street, between Ashland Place and Rockwell Place, 718-636-4100).

A No-Frills Passion Play

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