It took more than a century, but Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s 1892 one-act lyric opera Iolanta finally made it to the stage in Tel Aviv. This national premiere of Tchaikovsky’s last opera is a production of the Israeli Opera, and the first Tchaikovsky opera to be seen here since Eugene Onegin was reviewed on these pages in 2022.
Iolanta – also spelled Iolanthe, as in the original Danish play from which it was adapted – tells the story of a princess who is raised in seclusion, because her father insists on hiding from her the fact that she is blind. When, improbably, she finds love, she also finds the will to gain her sight, as well as an appreciation of the world’s beauty.
The libretto was written by the composer's brother, Modest Tchaikovsky, who moved the plot to southern France. The geographical location has little influence on the stage scenery, however, since the entire story takes place on the grounds of a garden that could be anywhere – or, in the the case of this production, in a barren lunar landscape (a choice by set designer Adam Keller that admittedly baffles this writer, since the opera’s lyrics are replete with references to a paradise filled with aromatic flowers, especially roses, whose colors play a crucial role in the plot).
Director Shirit Lee Weiss – who has the artists somewhat distractingly playing with sand much of the time – has directed numerous Israeli Opera productions, most recently The Love Potion in 2024. Wielding the baton once again is Conductor Dan Ettinger, the musical director of the Israeli Opera, in his usual appearance at the podium with the house orchestra, the Israel Symphony Orchestra Rishon LeZion.
At the premiere on January 19, the role of Iolanta – the only significant female role – was sung movingly by Turkish-Uzbeki soprano Angelina Akhmedova, who is making her Tel Aviv debut. She alternates in this lead role with Armenian soprano Ani Yorentz, who is making just her second appearance with the Israeli Opera.
By contrast, there are four important male roles; and again, most of the performances – quite unusually, as in the case of Iolanta – feature foreign artists who are unfamiliar to Israeli audiences. The only regular performers with the Israeli Opera in any meaningful role are baritone Oded Reich, as Robert, and Ionut Pasco, as Moorish physician Ibn-Hakia.
While Tchaikovsky’s melodic composition is always pleasant, there are hardly any memorable musical highlights in Iolanta, until the final rousing hymn of religious praise to God – who was also graciously referred to as Allah in the opera’s dialogue.
- The current production of Iolanta will run through January 28. The next opera to be performed at the Israeli Opera will be The Dybbuk, in mid-February.