Leevi Madetoja’s opera ”Juha” has not been seen in Finland in a very long time, so when Duo Suokas Vasama performed it as a melodrama in the Camerata stage of the Helsinki Music Centre, I had to go and see it. It was my first melodrama, which added to the interest. In the programme leaflet melodrama is described as an independent form of art music, where music supports and leads the text interpreted by the reciter from one event and atmosphere to another. Maria Suokas played the music of Juha on the piano (and acted occasionally the role of Marja) and actor-reciter Tuukka Vasama acted the remaining roles (and occasionally also Marja).
”Juha” tells
about a young wife Marja and her older husband Juha. Marja is not happy
with her marriage and leaves with the wandering salesman Shemeikka only to
notice later that he tends to take his women home to become his mother’s
servants when he has grown tired of them. Marja gives birth to Shemeikka’s son
and regrets leaving her home and dreams of returning back. Juha finds Marja and assaults Shemeikka, since he
believes the man has kidnapped Marja. When he hears that Marja has left voluntarily,
he drowns himself.
I would have preferred to hear the work as an opera, but I
liked this melodrama also a lot. The music played by Suokas was powerful and
colourful and it would be great to hear it also played by an orchestra. Vasama
was a good actor, and he made the characters live. The paintings of Dmitri
Zudov, that changed with each scene, also brought a nice addition to the
performance.
I can, based on this performance alone, recommend Duo Suokas
Vasama’s future melodramas and I am a bit sorry that I haven’t seen their
previous works.
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti