Asmik Grigorian as Salome. Photo credit: Chris Paradise 

(5 / 5)

I’ve really been savouring the stupendous opera concerts from LSO. We had sweet La Rondine back last year, Janáček’s brilliant Excursions of Mr Brouček in the spring and now an absolute belter. This concert version of Salome is their last concert of the season and what a fine choice to end with.

Rivalling the heat in London, this difficult opera by Richard Strauss is an acquired taste. This twisted,  biblical tale is seen through the eyes of Oscar Wilde, a play which alone cause riots. The opera also added to the chaos with audiences losing it over the depictions within. Arguably Strauss’ masterpiece is an unflinching one act tale, stunning in its expressive delivery, anaconda grip tension and an unrelenting scope of the future.

LSO always wow with their playing, here was no different. Some of these wild passages were caught with raw power, musicians who seem thrilled to play and doing so with fevered totality. Conductor Antonio Pappano never fails to make his players shine, his ear is one of the best today. Hearing this opera fully for the first time in over a decade, there stood out several moments. Herod’s interchanging bouts of hot flushes and cold bursts are brilliant orchestrated by the German composer. The image of dark flapping wings are also the chilling harbinger of dread which permeates the drama. It can only end badly…

The Dance of the Seven Veils is a famous, rollocking highlight, Salome dancing rather disturbingly for Herod, her step-father. Proposing she could had whatever she wants in doing this act, her obsession with John, the Baptist compels here to have him killed. After rejecting her advances, John is killed, his head being served on a silver platter. Herod, sickened by this, compels his guards to have them killed Salome. It was never a light story!

The cast did everything and more. As the seductress, Asmik Grigorian has all the right moves and get a huge rest bite in the middle. This is an exceptionally demanding role, post Wagner and the break from singing can only ever feel warented. Some acting is there, it’s more cold and calculated than total bursts of passion. Her ringing, chants and grace in the calmer bars remain noteworthy. Herod is Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke, with moments of humour, fury and through kingly demands he crowns himself as a fine singer indeed. His annunciation with the spilling words are exemplary.

Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke as Herod and Violeta Urmana as Herodias. Photo credit: Chris Paradise 

As John (Jochanaan), Asmik Grigorian had heaps of proud religious bouts and furious scorn for Salome and her mother. His one major scene defines the rest of the story, before and after is only heard in his prison cell off stage. Herodias is a glamourous Violeta Urmana who is perfect casting. The squabbles with her husband, support for John’s killing and general vampish tone were special. Highly gifted with grand voice the elements of acting was also present. Many other small roles feature including Jews, soldiers and more (there is no chorus proper), all these bit parts were cast with the right people, keen to impress.

Naturally, it all leads to the devastating ending, Gregorian soaring in this sick soprano role. The famous finalising chord Strauss concocted is loud, tangy and a complete revelation. No wonder audiences were disgusted…just imagine being there. This dark thrill ride has still got it well over a hundred years later.