The Makropulos Affair review

Welsh National Opera has a long history with Janáček, championing his operas in the 1970s when they were unfamiliar to UK audiences. Back then, the company sang The Makropulos Affair – as the original Czech title is translated here – in English.

These days the original language is preferred – sensibly, given that Olivia Fuchs’ production tours to the festival of the composer’s works scheduled to be held in his hometown of Brno in November.

Yet with a programme synopsis plus surtitles in English and Welsh, it seems otiose to include a ‘story-so-far’ spoken-English explanation of the plot of Act I, partly to cover the scene change to Act II. Well and wittily delivered though it was by tenor Mark Le Brocq, it nevertheless felt more than a little patronising.

It was good to see a staging set elegantly in period (the 1920s) and conveying so convincingly the fantastic narrative in which Emilia Marty (or Ellian MacGregor, or Elina Makropulos, or one of the central character’s various other identities) has lived an existence of 337 years with the aid of a mysterious potion. Regaining this elixir is at the heart of the plot but, ultimately, Marty no longer wishes to extend a life that has hollowed her out as a human being. When she has the potion in her hands once again, she allows it to be destroyed in front of her.

Soprano Ángeles Blancas Gulin triumphantly takes on the complex challenge of the fascinating, flawed star of the show, her fearless top register in total command of Janáček’s taxing writing, and her multifaceted characterisation dominating the drama.

All the other roles are subsidiary to this epic creation, but they fit perfectly into the larger picture. Vocally ideally suited to Janáček’s arduous lines, Nicky Spence fleshes out the insecure Albert Gregor, half in love with the woman he only belatedly learns is his distant but direct ancestor.

David Stout gives a brash account of Gregor’s opponent in the centuries-old legal battle of Gregor versus Prus – on which the seemingly supernaturally well-informed Marty casts unnervingly accurate light.

Alan Oke supplies more than a touching cameo as the elderly, dotty Count Hauk-Šendorf, who rediscovers Eugenia Montez – his lover of 50 years before – and prepares to run off with her yet again. Alexander Sprague’s tragically lovestruck Janek, Harriet Eyley as his Marty-fan girlfriend Krista, and the legal personnel – Le Brocq’s solicitor Vitek and Gustáv Beláček’s Dr Kolenaty – fulfil all requirements.

But, equally, it’s the contribution of the company’s orchestra under their Czech music director Tomáš Hanus that raises the evening to something special: rarely has Janáček’s punchy orchestral writing sounded so thrilling, and so expertly integrated into his idiosyncratic and indelibly potent vocal lines.

The Makropulos Affair is on UK tour until December 2. Details: wno.org.uk