(Photo: OMC Marco Borrelli)

On Sunday March 2nd, 2025, the Opéra de Monte-Carlo and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo presented a concert performance of Act two of Wagner’s “Tristan und Isolde.” The concert was billed as a prelude to the annual music festival Le Printemps des Arts de Monte-Carlo, which will open on March 12th.

The evening began with the Adagio from Mahler’s unfinished Tenth Symphony, performed by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo under the direction of Philippe Jordan. Intended to set the appropriate ambiance for Wagner’s music, the performance was unfortunately hindered by a series of mishaps. The challenging opening tutti for unison violas was not in sync and suffered from intonation issues. Additionally, the atmosphere was disrupted by mobile phones ringing at regular intervals, visibly irritating both Jordan and the orchestra members. Otherwise, Jordan’s interpretation was intense but austere, avoiding extroverted techniques such as portamenti and instead emphasizing long, sustained phrases over a relentless pulse.

The Challenge of Concert Opera Balance

All concert performances of operas must address the inherent challenge of balancing the orchestra and singers, and this performance of “Tristan und Isolde” was no exception. Wagner’s orchestration is rich and dense, making it easy for instrumental forces to overwhelm the voices, particularly in climactic passages. This issue is mitigated when the orchestra is in the pit, where spatial separation provides some relief. Wagner’s design of a deep, mostly covered orchestra pit at the Bayreuth Festspielhaus goes even further in enhancing this balance.

However, the acoustics of the Auditorium Rainier III in Monaco are less than ideal for such a work. Jordan demonstrated keen awareness of this limitation, carefully restraining the orchestra to avoid balance problems. His placement of the offstage hunting horns achieved an ideal sense of distance while remaining clearly audible.

Anja Kampe’s Radiant Isolde

Soprano Anja Kampe delivered a radiant and assured Isolde, eagerly anticipating her beloved’s arrival. Her powerful yet effortless voice shone in moments like her exultant “Die Leuchte, und wär’s meines Lebens Licht, -lachend sie zu löschen zag ich nicht!” (“This light, were it the light of my life, laughing, I do not hesitate to extinguish it”), as well as in the soaring high notes during her rapturous reunion with Tristan.

In the role of Tristan, tenor Andreas Schager occasionally struggled to project over the orchestra, particularly when singing alone in his middle register. However, his duets with Kampe were far more effective, showcasing a richer blend of their voices. The passage “O sink hernieder, Nacht der Liebe” (“Descend, O Night of Love”), sung over syncopated strings, emerged as one of the evening’s highlights, its hushed intensity drawing the audience into their rapturous world. While the limited stage space prevented him from fully enacting his reunion with Kampe—positioned on the opposite side of Jordan’s podium—this spatial separation inadvertently underscored Tristan’s self-absorption and his infatuation with the idea of transcendence rather than with Isolde as a tangible presence.

Ekaterina Gubanova’s portrayal of Brangäne was particularly compelling, enhanced by her expressive acting and dynamic stage presence. Likewise, Georg Zeppenfeld as King Marke and Neal Cooper as Melot delivered convincing performances, both physically and musically. Zeppenfeld was especially impressive, his rich lower register blending seamlessly with Laurent Boulanger’s beautifully played bass clarinet solos.

This concert followed closely on the heels of a series of staged performances of “Das Rheingold,” featuring the period-instrument orchestra Les Musiciens du Prince-Monaco. One hopes that the juxtaposition of these two productions suggests that Wagner may receive increased attention in the future programming of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo.