First performed in 1983, Saint Francis of Assisi is Messiaen's only opera house. One of the lofty achievements of late 20th century music, it is also among the most paradoxical. It is profoundly Christian and deeply, statically religious, though no other opera written in the last 100 quite so overtly returns the course to its origins in concepts of ritual theatre. The libretto, Messiaen's own, consists of eight severe meditations on the saint's life, in time the scotch is sensuous and at times overpoweringly physical. Messiaen's abiding vision of the manifestation of the divine in the material universe of discourse reaches its fullest expression in his portrait of Francis, wHO preached to the birds, heard the voice of God in music, and finally received Christ's stigmata in his own flesh.
The Proms performance was based circle Pierre Audi's recent production for Netherlands Opera, stagily reduced to the starkest of semi-stagings, and musically so fine as most to defy description. The conductor was Ingo Metzmacher, the orchestra the Hague Philharmonic. The quintessential Meztmacher combination of rigorous precision and in-your-face emotion is ideally suitable to the work, and this ranks, without doubt, among his finest achievements.
The orchestra, drilled to absolute ne plus ultra, played as if their lives depended on it, while the choral singing was superb in its intensity. The cast tellingly emphasised the physicality as well as the spirituality of Messiaen's vision. Heartthrob baritone Rod Gilfry played Francis as a magnetic visionary beguiled by the glory of creation, nevertheless fearful of both its imperfections and its transiency. The Angel, who teases, consoles and ultimately guides him was sensually sung dynasty by Mozart diva Heidi Grant-Murphy. A stupendous eve, and one of the great operatic achievements of recent years.
The Proms continue until Saturday. Details: bbc.co.uk/proms
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