Dialogues-Des-Carmalites:

The nuns at war

by Gwen HeratAt the Royal Opera, London

Francis Poulenc scored for the voice and not for the keyboard.

Yet, Poulenc's opera, Dialogues-Des-Carmalites was more than an attraction. What unfolded was fantastic. I thought I was lost among screeching penguins but as one by one fell into place, the whole episode ended in one mighty operatic drama.

The singing was wondrously beautiful as one voice blended into another in sheer vibration of pure musicality.

Royal Opera is never wrong at what they put on the boards of The Main Stage. They induce music lovers like me to embrace opera we are not used to especially coming from a country such as Sri Lanka that see very few such singers even among touring ensembles. Even if they do the response is not encouraging.

This is one reason if I am in London or New York I make it a point to attend performances of ballet and classical music. Seeing them live is such an extraordinary experience. They are all unmissable.

It is not an easy drama or opera to be enacted on stage and hugely not so with operatic singing at different levels and pitches. All singers were mindful of their individual contribution both in body and soul.

Traumatic drama

Action and melody to a still, quiet audience whose breathing even could have been picked up. Such was the response. I am not sure whether this is a true story or not but the introduction of the guillotine makes me think so. It can be even an adaptation or a myth but the fact that Poulenc created its score which became a masterpiece in the 20th-century stands up for authenticity.

The heroic and doomed Blanche de la Force along with the fervent Madam Lidoine and the down-to-earth Mere Marie including the tortured Old Prioress and of course, the charming Soeur Constance make up the story.

The ever faithful nuns whose exploration of faith in the presence of violence is devastating and the final scene terribly shocking as the God-fearing Carmelites ‘Salve Regina’ is menacingly punctuated by the sliding guillotine.

The power-packed story and spectacular performances lived up to Poulenc's magnificent score. It is a supreme opera of them all. Salve Regina was written in 1941 followed by Stabat Mater in 1951 which lit the Christian world and awakened spirituality in faith.

Solo singers and the groups went through Poulenc's work with liquid form at different levels; his florid lyrical songs developed for opera had very talented singers on stage. Sally Mathews in the central role was gloriously perfect as she pitched into counterpoints in one part against the other in a tightly mixed musical texture. She took on the sacred oratorio as meant for a solo voice like an aria. She was the star of the evening. The nuns were no second to her. Their adagio, choral and more church-style had the evenness of tone and style.

The young star Anna Prohaska with her magnetic personality as the charming Souer Constance and Deborah Polaski as the tortured Old Prioress matched each other equally in voice and generation gap. Sophie Koch was a real Mother Marie.

Brilliant set designs by Michael Levine and sensitive music by Canadian Music Director, Robert Carsen who intricately manoeuvred the three- hour program, sung in French with English subtitles, was one glorious episode in perfect opera classicism. Everyone lived up to expectation.

Francis Poulence

Born to a wealthy family and who were music lovers, encouraged the young Poulenc to take up to the keyboard and when put him under one of the leading pianists, Spaniard Ricardo Vines who was closely associated with Debussy and Ravel. Poulenc was later to admit that all what he achieved belonged to Vine's guidance and encouragement, as an opera composer and virtuostic pianist.

He quickly rose to be the avant-garde lead figure in Paris and joined a group of composers known as Les Six. In time, he embraced the gay social life in Paris but was disappointed with the outcome of what it had to give him. The one who came to his salvation was the gifted baritone, Pierre Bernac and their friendship continued to inspire each other. However, by 1935, Poulenc's religious faith diminished after his father's death but was revived following a visit to the shrine of Notre de Rocamadour. With this inspiration he was to score some of the best religious operas and suites the world ever knew.

He died suddenly in Paris in 1963.