Review: Edmonton Opera Presents An Adaptation of BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE

Over 300 years after its publication, Charles Perrault’s Bluebeard remains a staple in gothic literature. The story follows a nobleman who brings home his much-younger bride, Judith, for the first time. He forbids her from entering seven different locked rooms only to give in to her curiosity, handing her the keys. To Judith’s horror, she discovers the bodies of her new husband’s three past wives. The chilling tale has been adapted time and again, inspiring books, movies, paintings, and stagings including the 1918 Hungarian opera, Bluebeard’s Castle. 

Created by librettist Béla Balázs’ and composer Béla Bartók, it is only one act long and traditionally sung in Hungarian.

In Edmonton Opera’s English-language production, Bluebeard and Judith are re-imagined as a modern elderly couple. Instead of a murderous womanizer, Bluebeard is a devoted husband grappling with his wife’s dementia. Judith, no longer recognizing their own home, begs Bluebeard for the keys to its seven locked rooms. Instead of dead wives, Judith comes face-to-face with her own memories of her younger self. 

As the two leads, Krisztina Szabó and Russell Braun are captivating to watch. Szabó’s portrayal of Judith is often heartbreaking, particularly when Judith paces restlessly, lost and disoriented in her own home. Braun’s Bluebeard is hypervigilant towards his wife; he addresses her lovingly, removes her coat for her, and rarely leaves her side. 

Joining Szabó and Braun are Sawyer Craig, Nicole Gaskell, and Cathy Derkach as the three younger versions of Judith. Judith sees herself a blushing bride, a new mother, a beaming parent of two pre-teens, Meadow (Ellie Morrison) and River (Sammy Ivany), and a woman experiencing the darkest chapter of her life. To Judith, these scenes play out as vividly as a movie; Bluebeard sees nothing but his increasingly distressed wife. The darkness of the couple’s sparsely-furnished living room emphasizes both Judith and Bluebeard’s emotional turmoil. Instead of unlocking doors, Judith opens a trunk seven times, removing single items before a younger version of herself appears. 

Audiences will have much to ponder while watching this striking production. Its director, Daisy Evans, and music arranger, Stephen Higgins, navigate the sensitive topic of dementia, drawing upon their experiences caring for loved ones. The result is a clever and haunting testament to love, devotion, and fortitude. 

Bluebeard’s Castle plays at Edmonton’s Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium on February 4, 6, and 7. After each performance, audiences are invited to attend a panel discussion featuring medical professionals and members of the show’s cast and creative teams.