MONTREAL — During the late 19th century, Ambroise Thomas was nearly as popular in Paris as Charles Gounod. Thomas’ two most enduring operas, Mignon (1866) and Hamlet (1868), are — like Gounod’s two most popular, Faust and Roméo et Juliette — based respectively on Goethe and Shakespeare, and both composers used librettos prepared by the team of Jules Barbier and Michel Carré.
Within five years of its premiere, Hamlet could be seen in London, Leipzig, Berlin, Budapest, Brussels, Prague, Vienna, New York, and St. Petersburg. By the end of the century, it had racked up some 300 performances in Paris alone (Mignon made it to 1,000 in the same period). Both Mignon and Hamlet were given at the Metropolitan Opera in its first season (1883-84). Faust opened the house on Oct. 22, 1883. Subsequent performances of Mignon and Hamlet there starred the likes of Marcella Sembrich, Nellie Melba, Emma Calvé, and Giuseppe Kaschmann.
Neither Mignon nor Hamlet enjoys anywhere near the popularity it once had, though Hamlet has shown signs of renewed interest in recent years, largely through the championing of stars like Natalie Dessay, Simon Keenlyside, and Sherrill Milnes. Both Washington National Opera and the Met (for the first time in more than a century) staged it in 2010, it received a new production at the Opéra de Paris in 2023 (the first time since 1938), and there was a concert performance at this year’s Salzburg Festival. In its 43-year history, Opéra de Montréal (OdM) has never done Mignon, but it bravely offered Hamlet for the first time for four performances (seen Nov. 19). According to one source, Hamlet was otherwise last seen in Montreal in 1928.
Unfortunately, there was little to get excited about in this new production by Alain Gauthier. Characters moved about stiffly, often far apart from each other or barely relating. As a single example, when Hamlet demanded that Ophelia return his engagement ring, she responded as if she were handing him a screwdriver. The single set by Frédérick Ouellet consisted of a large box flanked by large movable structures. Depending on the scene, the box became a stage within a stage, a funeral bier, or what looked like the service entrance to a warehouse. In keeping with the tone of the story line, it worked, though it all seemed rather drab. Far more successful was the intricate and highly evocative lighting design of Renaud Pettigrew and even more so the splendid costumes of Sarah Balleux.
Hamlet is not an opera of great melodic interest, catchy tunes, or tension-filled ensembles. Aside from the drinking song, the Mad Scene, and perhaps one or two other moments, there is not a lot to send most listeners hurrying back to see the opera again. For a successful production, the singers, more so than in many other operas, need to act with their voices as well as with their bodies; this crucial element was sadly lacking in OdM’s enterprise. The sole exception in this respect was the Gertrude of Karine Deshayes, particularly in her powerful scene with Hamlet in Act III.
Sarah Dufresne made a memorable OdM debut as Ophelia, particularly for her stunning coloratura work in the Mad Scene, but there were too many high notes that were shrieked rather than sung. Otherwise the voice is pleasant, and one admired how every note was precisely centered and how well she projected the sound, even at pianissimo level. Nevertheless, she left the impression less of a sympathetic character than of a perfectly trained instrument. Deshayes commands a richly hued, robust voice, but she resorted to screaming in the upper register while barely audible in the lower. Antoine Bélanger strutted about the stage seemingly intent on making Laeretes into a Heldentenor on steroids.
As Claudius, Nathan Berg got off to a weak start but eventually turned into a believable King with a fine, sturdy voice. Alain Coulombe was a decent Ghost, though most of his writing is in a monotone. One could only feel sorry for Elliot Madore, cast in a title role for which he was obviously unsuited. His undernourished voice rarely made it past mezzo-forte. The small roles of Horatio, Marcellus, and Polonius were filled well by Alexandre Sylvestre, Rocco Rupolo, and Matthew Li.
Though most operaphiles are content to listen to what’s coming off the stage, it is worth lending an ear to what’s coming out of the pit in Hamlet. There are significant solos for the horn, trombone (where else in opera does this instrument get a long solo?), clarinet accompanied by a quartet of cellos, English horn, and alto saxophone, the last having been invented barely two decades earlier. Additionally from the workshop of Mr. Sax, Thomas employed a saxhorn. The Orchestre métropolitain under Jacques Lacombe provided adequate support, but the chorus did not sing at anywhere near the level it used to. It was certainly loud, but the sound was harsh, and too many high notes were yelled.
