Review: DAPHNE IN CONCERT at McCaw Hall

Daphne in Concert, Seattle Opera’s latest offering in their series of concert presentations initiated in 2023, proved that the series concept is a successful one.

Filled with virtuosic opportunities for singers and orchestra alike, this rarely performed Richard Strauss opera is a true tour de force for all the artists involved. Seeing it performed in person is a life changing experience. The work is so transformative that Richard Wagner’s grandson Wieland is said to have named his youngest daughter Daphne out of his love for the piece.

Based loosely on a mythological figure from Ovid’s masterpiece Metamorphoses, one of the most influential works in Western culture, the Daphne episode of this epic poem embodies one of its key elements, that of transformation. The story chronicles the tragic journey of a woman (or nymph, depending on the interpretation), the daughter of a river god who, rejecting the advances of the sun god Apollo, is transfigured into a laurel tree, forever honoring her by declaring it sacred. “Since you can never be my bride,” Apollo tells her, “At least, sweet laurel, you shall be my tree.”

At its 1938 premiere, legendary maestro Karl Böhm, to whom Strauss dedicated the work, subtitled it “Bucolic Tragedy in One Act.” Indeed, the requirements in this pastoral setting for the most skilled performers possible were fulfilled in every aspect of this performance, from its expert singing to its dazzling orchestra playing. The ensemble as a whole accomplished their mission with Olympian expertise.

As in most Strauss operas, the focal point of the drama and vocality lay in the principal roles, and the casting of tenors in two of them was an enjoyable variation. In this case, three debuting singers formed the lead ensemble that met the vocal challenges of their central roles with impressive assurance and control. American soprano Heidi Stober as the heroine Daphne and British tenor David Butt Philip as the sun god Apollo were taking on the roles for the first time. American tenor Miles Mykkanen has sung the role of Daphne’s childhood friend Leukippos elsewhere.

Stober’s interpretation of the fisherman’s daughter Daphne was superb, vocally and dramatically. Despite the immense difficulties of the role, She used the gorgeous melodies of her opening monologue to spin the high notes with great delicacy. She maintained her tone quality throughout the long and arduous performance and her stunning final monologue left the audience breathless.

As the sun god Apollo, tenor David Butt Philip burst on the scene with panache, reflecting the energetic leitmotif the composer created for him. He negotiated the fiendish tessitura with strength and muscle, never wavering or allowing the massive Strauss orchestra to overpower him.

Miles Mykkanen expressed his ideal love for Daphne with sincerity and passion combined with engaging bits of humor. His voice was perfectly suited to the role: lighter than a dramatic tenor but full and round in its sound and consistent from top to bottom.

Mezzo-soprano Melody Wilson’s voice was appropriately lush for the role of Daphne’s mother, Gaea, though dramatically she was a bit lacking in passion.  

British bass Matthew Rose was wholly impressive in the pivotal role of Daphne’s father, Peneios. The voice was beautiful, generous, and powerful: everything the listener could have desired.

Though their appearance onstage is briefer than that of Daphne, Strauss’s vocal writing for the two maids is still demanding. Debuting Soprano Meryl Dominguez and mezzo-soprano Sarah Coit made every note sparkle and could not have been more charming dramatically.

As the four shepherds, baritone Ilya Silchukou, tenor Martin Bakari, baritone Micah Parker, and baritone Michael J. Hawk sang well and with authority.

One of the advantages of a concert version of an opera is to be able to watch the conductor’s every move. In his debut with the company and with the score, David Afkham demonstrated his considerable expertise as a Strauss specialist. The German native conveyed the composer’s musical word painting of the sounds of nature, the power of the Divine, and the tragic nuances, with sureness and Mozartian sensitivity. He conducted the richly orchestrated Bacchanalian interlude with the keen understanding and breadth of a Strauss tone poem, providing a consummate showcase for the orchestra. The musicians performed magnificently, highlighted by sweetly played violin and cello solos and the use of a real Alpenhorn to add authenticity.

Chorus Master Michaella Calzaretta elicited a unified choral sound and a gamut of emotions from the chorus men: declamatory and convincing, tonally excellent, but never shouting.

David Gately, who previously directed the company’s Samson and Delilah in Concert, fulfilled the difficult mission of finding creative ways to provide action in a concert setting. The performers’ entrances and exits flowed seamlessly, and their gestures and facial expressions provided dramatic interest.

Lighting is of the utmost importance in this opera, since the plot and the characters’ declamations revolve around the set's transformations from sunrise to sunset. Debuting Lighting Designer Ranleigh Starling created stunning images in the colors of the background, ranging from blue to purple, awash with sunlight, lightning darting across the sky during a tempestuous storm, and other visual splendors. Especially magical was the light moving from the stage over the heads of the first several rows of audience members during Daphne’s climactic transformation at the end, as the stage background morphed into the green of her laurel leaves.

Seattle Opera deserves its own laurels for bringing this rare treat to their stage, the first Strauss opera to be performed here since Elektra in 2011. One hopes for more Strauss in the near future, and the audience is sure to look forward to the next in the company’s concert presentations.

Photo credit: Sunny Martini