Bluebeard’s Castle/Oedipus Rex review – gory, gruesome and gripping double bill

Welsh National Opera (WNO), a prominent opera company in the United Kingdom, is marking its 80th year with a challenging and thematically dark season opener at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff. The production, directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins, features a compelling double bill comprising Béla Bartók's "Bluebeard's Castle" and Igor Stravinsky's "Oedipus Rex." This ambitious pairing, described as "gory, gruesome and gripping," confronts audiences with profound psychological dramas and stark symbolism, eschewing any "feelgood factor" in favour of a powerful, albeit grim, theatrical experience.

Bartók's "Bluebeard's Castle," his sole opera, is presented with a "claustrophobic staging." The opera's libretto, penned by Béla Balázs, draws inspiration from Charles Perrault's fairytale but transforms its narrative into an "intense psychological drama." The castle itself, with its "weeping walls and seven locked doors," functions as a potent metaphor for the "secret inner workings of the male psyche." Judith, Bluebeard's fourth wife, embodies the "archetypal woman" whose insatiable "curiosity" ultimately leads to her tragic fate. The opera, composed between 1911 and 1917, is known for its rich harmonic language and its exploration of hidden desires and fears.

Complementing Bartók's work is Stravinsky's "Oedipus Rex," an opera-oratorio that delves into the ancient Greek myth of Oedipus. The production highlights a "superb" performance by Peter Hoare in the titular role of the tragic hero, whose destiny is irrevocably shaped by prophecy and his own unwitting actions. Stravinsky, a towering figure in 20th-century music, composed "Oedipus Rex" between 1926 and 1927, employing a neoclassical style and a Latin libretto derived from Sophocles' play. The opera-oratorio format, with its blend of operatic grandeur and oratorial narrative, amplifies the sense of inescapable doom.

The double bill's thematic resonance, encompassing "serial murders, patricide and incest, blood and more blood," underscores the company's commitment to presenting challenging repertoire. Despite the grim subject matter, the review emphasizes that the "gripping performances" and the strength of the direction by Joe Hill-Gibbins anchored the audience's engagement, making the evening a "powerful experience" and a significant artistic statement for WNO's anniversary season. The choice of these two seminal works, known for their complex musical and dramatic structures, showcases the company's dedication to exploring the depths of human psychology and symbolic representation within the operatic form.