Opera Award Karen Kamensek
Philip Glass
Akhnaten (DVD)
Zachary James, Richard Bernstein, Aaron Blake, Will Liverman, Anthony Roth Costanzo, Dísella Lárusdóttir, J’nai Bridges; Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra/ Karen Kamensek; dir. Phelim Mcdermott (NYC, 2019)
Orange Mountain Music OMM5011
‘It’s a huge honour,’ says Karen Kamensek of her win in this year’s Opera category. ‘It took me a while to even comprehend that we were nominated! If this award reflects the love of the public, then that’s a job well done.’ The American conductor is at the helm of this unforgettable production of Philip Glass’s Akhnaten, his 1983 opera on the life of the ancient Egyptian pharaoh. The DVD, released by Orange Mountain Music, captures a live performance by The Metropolitan Opera in New York in November 2019. ‘With something big like this, you don’t think about the fact that they’re recording it live,’ says Kamensek, ‘but this production is a well-oiled machine with very trusted and worthy colleagues. We all supported each other – and didn’t sleep for three days afterwards!’
The opera is classic Glass. It’s the final instalment in his trilogy exploring historical figures and uses his trademark minimalist style to create music of hypnotic beauty. Texts in their original Egyptian, Hebrew and Akkadian add atmosphere and authenticity. The orchestral score pulses with repetitions, while the singers’ parts demand pure intonation and fierce concentration.
‘Everyone wants to sing it as purely and perfectly as possible, and after a while, the bar is raised so high that it becomes like an ultra-sport,’ says Kamensek, laughing. ‘I remain very calm and try to take the pressure off the musicians. I’m very alert when conducting it, yet even though Akhnaten is quite long I’m actually energised at the end.’
And this production features a cast that’s hard to beat, including J’nai Bridges, Dísella Lárusdóttir, Zachary James and countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo in the title role. ‘It is tailor-made for him and his strengths,’ says Kamensek. Costanzo first sang the role at English National Opera in 2016, where director Phelim Mcdermott created this perceptive production. Notably, it features jugglers, an idea based on hieroglyphics of the first juggling being done in Egypt. ‘There’s a sort of collective heartbeat that happens because of the slow motion of the juggling,’ explains Kamensek. ‘The imagery is so important. When I watched this DVD, I noticed all sorts of detail I didn’t have time to see when I’m conducting. I was really happy to see it.’ Rebecca Franks