Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – Kaija Saariaho’s CIRCLE MAP dares us to encounter music in a new way, and succeeds

• By drediman
• October 14, 2016
• No Comments

Clarinetist Kari Krikku, conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen, and members of the New York Philharmonic in Kaija Saariaho’s “Circle Map” at the Park Avenue Armory

I’ve long been fascinated by the intersection between space/perspective and performance. What better venue in New York, really, than the cavernous Park Avenue Armory, particularly its 55,000 square foot drill hall, to explore this dynamic. Over the years, the space has hosted a number of striking, out-of-the-box theatrical and musical “experiments” – from recreating the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Stratford-upon-Avon auditorium and presenting the Bard in repertory, to Kenneth Branagh’s epically-scaled Macbeth, to The xx’s impossibly intimate and expansive concert, to the Berlin Philharmonic’s deeply moving immersive rendition (staged by Peter Sellars) of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, and so forth. It was therefore with great anticipation that I approached last night’s program of contemporary classical music by Kaija Saariaho entitled Circle Map, as played by the New York Philharmonic and conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen.

Ms. Saariaho, whose opera, L’Amour de Loin (“Love from Afar”) will be staged at the Met this winter, is represented this fall at the armory with a program comprised of four pieces of shimmering yet deeply unsettled quality.  The site-specific presentation, put together by armory artistic director Pierre Audi, dares its audiences to encounter classical music in a new way. Musicians of the Philharmonic were often times mobile, utilizing the armory’s plethora of space, encircling the audience. The results are sonically dynamic, imbuing the act of hearing with a pronounced three dimensional component. It’s a fascinating staging, one that made me think more thoroughly about the sense of hearing (much like Simon McBurney’s The Encounter, which is currently running on Broadway, did). To enhance the immersive-ness of the experience, projection designer Jean-Baptiste Barrière has assembled a fluid series of dreamlike images that mirror the elemental quality of the music.

Like her 2000 opera, Circle Map continues Ms. Saariaho’s fascination with medieval times and sensibilities, in this case art, literature, and the metaphysical. The four pieces played last night were “Lumière et Pesanteur” (2009), “D’om le Vrai Sens” (2010), “Lonh” (1996), and the titular “Circle Map” (2012). Each were played by the Philharmonic with great sensitivity, thanks to Mr. Salonen’s engaged conducting, despite some stretches of monotony (particularly towards the end of the 90 minute program in “Circle Map”). Standouts include Finnish clarinetist Kari Kriikku who strutted and performed in a playfully theatrical fashion around the drill hall in “D’om le Vrai Sens”. Soprano Jennifer Zetlan contributed her warm, lovely voice to “Lonh”. She too slowly roamed the space, bringing her gorgeous soprano throughout the room. If Mr. Audi’s intention was to bring aural intimacy to a huge stage, well, his mission was sensationally accomplished. There’s only one more performance of Circle Map tonight. Let’s hope the future brings similar immersive classical music experiences to the fore.

RECOMMENDED

CIRCLE MAP
Classical Music
New York Philharmonic at the Park Avenue Armory
1 hour, 30 minutes (without an intermission)
Through October 14