A Norwegian Lady Macbeth and her Ton of Fish

I walked in Den Norske Opera not knowing anything about this opera. I didn't check Wikipedia or YouTube any part of it. I went in as a blank slate, ready to take in whatever was going to be presented to me. Why did I do that? Simple. I wanted to experience opera as a first-timer. Opera companies typically present well-known operas, because they're crowd pleasers and they'll fill the house. So when I go to the opera, chances are I've either already seen it, or I've at least heard about it. But Lady Macbeth fra Mtsensk was completely new to me, and I wanted to keep it that way. No preconceived ideas, no spoilers, no expectations.

The Aftermath
Now this was a textbook "Do NOT attempt. Should only be done by a professional" type of experiment. If you are thinking or planning of attending this opera, you are gonna need some sort of preparation.

Lady Macbeth fra Mtsensk, Den Norske Opera, 2016. Photo: Erik Berg

THE HIGHLIGHTS
A Norwegian Adaptation
This production is set on a Norwegian coast, instead of in Russia. This fact alone brings the opera closer to its audience. You can easily imagine the northern landscape; wet, slippery, grey, and slightly eerie (just wait till you see the bride to be.) Plus, there's 800 kilos of fish used, but don't worry, it doesn't come with the smell.

The Norwegian National Opera Chorus
They just never fail to impress. Vocally on point at all times, the opera chorus is just as much convincing as drunken wedding attendees or as freezing prisoners. They never look awkward or out of place. Two thumbs up! #ascornyasitsounds

The brass ensemble on stage
My brother plays the trumpet, and my dad, the flugelhorn, so my appreciation for brass ensembles was probably drilled in my DNA ages ago. I'm extremely satisfied that they were actual musicians playing on stage (dressed school girl looking uniforms and Sia blond wigs, which adds to the humoristic side of the opera) and not supernumeraries pretended to know what they're doing. During these moments, the expressionism of Shostakovich's music is front and center, and you are surrounded by it. ​​​

OTHER REASONS TO GO
Dramatic heroines are your thing.
If you're into characters like Madama Butterfly, Lucia di Lammermoor, or Lulu, then Lady Macbeth is your type too. Unhappily married, and bored out of her mind, she falls in love (with the wrong guy, obviously) which leads her in a downward spiral to adultery, murder, and of course, death. It's passionately tragic all the way. As the director Ole Anders Tandberg says, "This is the story of a strong woman's rebellion in a male-dominated hell, which plays out against wonderful music."

A critique of censorship in Soviet Russia.
Two years after its premiere in 1934, Lady Macbeth was condemned and banned from the Soviet Union by Stalin and the Communist Party. It was described as vulgar, distorted, and against the desired cultural development. Throughout the opera, you can identify parts that are meant to expose the downsides of the Soviet Union, such as the corruption in the police force, or the barely dressed prisoners walking through Siberia.

JUST SO YOU KNOW
This baby is long.  
This 3 hour long opera has one intermission, and the first part lasts 105 minutes. So have something to eat before you attend the performance.

It's graphic. It's raw.
Lady Macbeth is sexually explicit, both visually and musically. At first, I thought "maybe it's just a Norwegian thing", since all the operas that I have attended so far at Den Norske Opera had some sort of sex scene included. But no. After a little youtubing, I realized most productions are similar in this. But be warned, there are things done with fishes you'd never have imagined, some funny, and others disturbing.

THE GERMAN SHEPHERD
There's a live dog on stage, but don't be like me and squeee when you see it. It's supposed to be a Russian guard dog, not an adorable pooch (although it totally is. #feelingtorn).

 Three performances left of Lady Macbeth fra Mtsensk at Den Norske Opera. April 5th, 9th, and 15th. Tickets still available at operaen.no.