{"id":46135,"date":"2026-04-08T22:54:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T22:54:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/46135\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T22:54:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T22:54:07","slug":"opernhaus-zurich-2025-26-review-scylla-et-glaucus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/46135\/","title":{"rendered":"Opernhaus Z\u00fcrich 2025-26 Review: Scylla et Glaucus"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Photo: Monika Rittershaus)<\/p>\n

The \u201cZ\u00fcrich Barock\u201d Festival at the Zurich Opera House presents a rarity: \u201cScylla et Glaucus\u201d by Jean-Marie Leclair, a composer best known for instrumental music, especially for the violin, which he himself played with great virtuosity. The opera premiered in 1746 and enjoyed moderate success, but soon disappeared from the repertoire. Its first modern performance took place in London in 1979, yet the work remains largely unknown despite its undeniable quality. Written in the form of the trag\u00e9die en musique codified by Lully\u2014a genre already falling out of fashion by 1746\u2014the score is both original and clearly shaped by Leclair\u2019s studies in Italy: while firmly rooted in the French Baroque tradition, the vocal writing is rich in Italianate elements.<\/p>\n

Myth, Desire, and Transformation<\/p>\n

The plot, drawn from Ovid\u2019s \u201cMetamorphoses,\u201d is based on Greco-Roman mythology. In Sicily, the sea god Glaucus falls in love with the nymph Scylla, who firmly rejects him, though her refusal stems from fear that he might break her heart. Glaucus turns to the sorceress Circe for help. Circe, however, falls in love with him herself and attempts to seduce him, but he resists even her enchantments and returns to court Scylla, who has meanwhile softened towards him. The lovers enjoy a brief moment of happiness, but Circe seeks revenge and poisons Scylla, transforming her into a deadly rock in the Strait of Messina, destined to destroy many ships.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

(Photo: Monika Rittershaus)<\/p>\n

From Mythology to High School Drama<\/p>\n

Director Claus Guth relocates the story to the 20th century\u2014likely the 1960s\u2014setting it in a high school, the \u201cLyc\u00e9e Jean-Marie Leclair.\u201d Scylla and Glaucus become teenage students, Circe a physical education teacher, and the chorus and minor roles fellow pupils. The interiors of this closed institution, designed by \u00c9tienne Pluss, include a library, classroom, gym, and locker room. Costume designer Ursula Kudrna outfits the students in traditional uniforms\u2014blouses, ties, jackets, shorts, skirts, and knee socks\u2014while Circe, in a long black skirt, high-necked blouse, pinned hair, and dark glasses, appears almost a clich\u00e9 of the strict disciplinarian.<\/p>\n

The opera unfolds through recitatives and short arias interspersed with divertissements\u2014choral and instrumental numbers that can fragment the narrative. Guth handles them with grace and humor: in Act two the students stage a mock wedding for Scylla and Glaucus, while in the final act the celebration of their union becomes a graduation party.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

(Photo: Monika Rittershaus)<\/p>\n

As jarring as it can be to see adults portray teenagers, the concept proves remarkably effective. The love between Scylla and Glaucus readily suggests adolescent intensity; their doubts and emotional outbursts align naturally with the psychology of youth still discovering their feelings, and the language of their affection captures the all-consuming nature of first love. Casting Circe as a teacher pursuing a pupil adds a disturbing layer of perversity to the sorceress, sharpening her characterization. Guth, closely following Leclair and his librettist d\u2019Albaret, presents Circe as a psychologically unstable predator, offering a modern perspective without distorting the original drama. Her fa\u00e7ade of respectability fractures through nervous tics and twitches until it erupts in murderous rage. Crucially, this interpretation never feels imposed; it enriches rather than overrides the work.<\/p>\n

Ha\u00efm and the Art of Baroque Expression<\/p>\n

Emmanuelle Ha\u00efm, leading her orchestra Le Concert d\u2019Astr\u00e9e, not only brought the score vividly to life but revealed its complexity and refinement. The ensemble\u2019s mastery of the French Baroque idiom allowed Ha\u00efm both precision and flexibility, shaping the performance with a keen sense of dramatic flow. The music moves constantly between French grandeur and Italian expressiveness, and Ha\u00efm honored both, turning the piece into a genuine rediscovery.<\/p>\n

The chorus plays a significant role, and the Z\u00fcrcher Sing-Akademie performed with commitment, clear phrasing, and solid precision. Only occasionally did they lag slightly, and it was striking to see how quickly Ha\u00efm brought them back into alignment.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

(Photo: Monika Rittershaus)<\/p>\n

A Terrifying Circe, a Poignant Scylla, a Refined Glaucus<\/p>\n

Circe dominates the opera with its most dramatic music, and Chiara Skerath<\/a> rose impressively to the challenge. Her powerful, incisive soprano\u2014bright and metallic in the upper register\u2014combined agile, expressive coloratura with a fully committed interpretation. In Act four, after Glaucus rejects her, Circe summons demons and the goddess Hecate to obtain a deadly poison; in this emotionally charged scene, Skerath was truly outstanding\u2014indeed, terrifying.<\/p>\n

Elsa Benoit<\/a> as Scylla offered a lyrical, sweet-toned soprano with radiant high notes. She conveyed the character\u2019s emotional range with nuance: fear of physical love mingled with anticipation, and lingering doubts about Glaucus\u2019s fidelity. Her delicate vibrato lent a touching fragility to the role, perfectly suited to the character, and her command of French Baroque style was impeccable.<\/p>\n

Anthony Gregory<\/a> sang Glaucus with a lyrical tenor comfortable in the upper register; while not quite the ideal haute-contre, his timbre came close. His technique was admirable, with seamless legato and clean, precise coloratura. Gwendoline Blondeel<\/a> charmed as Temire, Scylla\u2019s confidante, with a bright, smooth soprano and a lively, tomboyish stage presence. The cast was completed by Jehanne Amzal<\/a> as Dorine, Circe\u2019s confidante, her soprano warm and rounded.<\/p>\n

In the final scene, after Scylla\u2019s death, Circe is led away by the police. Glaucus picks up the glass of poison as if to drink it himself, but the lights go out before his fate is revealed\u2014a final coup de th\u00e9\u00e2tre.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

(Photo: Monika Rittershaus)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"(Photo: Monika Rittershaus) The \u201cZ\u00fcrich Barock\u201d Festival at the Zurich Opera House presents a rarity: \u201cScylla et Glaucus\u201d…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":46136,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[26752,26753,26754,26755,26756,26757,26758,26759,26760,26761,26762,26763,26764,51,23409,26765],"class_list":{"0":"post-46135","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-zurich","8":"tag-anthony-gregory","9":"tag-chiara-skerath","10":"tag-claus-guth","11":"tag-elsa-benoit","12":"tag-emmanuelle-haim","13":"tag-etienne-pluss","14":"tag-gwendoline-blondeel","15":"tag-jean-marie-leclair","16":"tag-jehanne-amzal","17":"tag-le-concert-dastree","18":"tag-scylla-et-glaucus","19":"tag-ursula-kudrna","20":"tag-zurcher-sing-akademie","21":"tag-zurich","22":"tag-zurich-barock","23":"tag-zurich-opera-house"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@ch\/116371551891647647","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46135","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46135"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46135\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46135"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46135"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ch\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46135"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}