Brilliant season finale with Czech opera

In two famous literary essays, Bruno Bettelheim, on the one hand, and Gianni Rodari, on the other, explored the psychoanalytic keys to children's rondallistics. Rusalka, Christoph Loy seems to have had this in mind, because the show moves away from the fantasy imagery inherent in The Little Mermaid Andersen's work to delve into a reading in which the subconscious and many of its revealed taboos contribute to understanding the hidden background of Antonin Dvořák's opera. The production, co-produced by Dresden, Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona, ​​does not leave anyone indifferent, and is one of those that makes you think, apart from its plastic beauty thanks to the set design by Johannes Leiacker and the lighting by Bernd Purkrabek. To all this we must add some winks, such as the unresponsive feet of the dancer, which in a certain way evoke the protagonist of Chaplin's Limelight, while the roles of Hajny and Kuchtik also fall somewhere between Chaplin and Beckett. Overall, the show perfectly sculpted the characters and is a marvel of action and stage movement, thanks to Klevis Elmazaj's choreography.

This Rusalka, above all, ends up being the result of a true astral conjunction, thanks to the theatrical machinery but also (and I would say above all) to the musical team led by Josep Pons. The maestro from Puig-reig signs one of his best works as musical director of the Liceu, with a maximum reading and a sensational response from the pit and the heart. Certainly, Pons occasionally tends to drown out some voices, but here it is minimized by the intelligence of the conductor, who, on the other hand, has known how to extract the thousand colors of this score of intense beauty.

There are no Rusalka without a good Rusalka. And soprano Asmik Grigorian exceeds all expectations: a beautiful, full-bodied voice, sensitive interpretation, excellent acting... and a masterful dancer. A Rusalka that will be difficult to forget and that displaces other distinguished interpreters who have preceded her in the title role of the work.

We know Piotr Beczała very well, and the Polish tenor's version of the Prince was not surprising, but I would say that this may also be the best performance we have heard from him on the Liceu stage. The voice displays a simply enviable maturity and quality, and the expressive involvement has also been one of the reasons for the Slavic singer's triumph.

The Jezibaba of Okka von der Damerau (who played Ortrud in the controversial production of Lohengrin from that same season) and an effective Foreign Princess by veteran Karita Mattila, who knows how to conceal the passage of time with intelligence and command of the stage.

Alexandros Stavrakakis is Vodnik, a role that shines brightly in the second act, amply exploited by the Greek bass, who is making his debut at the Liceu and whom we would like to see in future seasons due to the tonal quality of a truly important voice.

The couple formed by the Forest Ranger and the Marmitó, Manel Esteve and Laura Orueta respectively, is extraordinary, well-matched and with successful stage movement. The performers who complete the rest of the cast are reliable.

The performance in question was the second of seven scheduled until July 7. There was unanimous applause and ovations from the musical team at the end of the performance. A must-see show, surely the best of this Liceu season.