by Robert Leeper
Photo Credit: Stephanie Berger
The New York premiere of Mieczyslaws Weinberg's "The Passenger" came to the Park Avenue Armory last week, courtesy of the Houston Grand Opera and the Lincoln Center Festival. The three hour exploit explores the human experience of the Holocaust from the side of both the perpetrators and victims—and delves into the tension of facing up to one's past.
It’s difficult to imagine this production, directed by experienced British director David Pountney, being performed anywhere but the Armory. Attention was lavished on a massive two story set atop train tracks, which featured a pristine, white cruise ship on top of a dingy concentration camp. The elaborate lighting took advantage of the vastness of the Armory's Wade Thompson Drill Hall, emphasizing the dark tension of particular moments by creating ominous shadows on the walls.
Alexander Medvedev’s libretto is adapted from Zofia Posmysz’s novel of the same name, which was inspired by her real life experiences during World War II. The opera begins on a ship in the late 1950’s as Liese and her husband, a German diplomat named Walter, head for Brazil where Walter has been stationed. Her husband soon learns that Liese was an SS officer as Auschwitz. Soon after, Liese spots a veiled passenger onboard whom she suspects is Marta: an Auschwitz prisoner who was supposed to have been killed. Liese's confrontation with her sordid past creates an emotional reaction—a reaction that, more than either of their ultimate fates, is the main subject of The Passenger.
In a parallel story, Marta - given an inspired performance by soprano Melody Moore - is seen forming powerful connections with the other female prisoners in her barracks, brought to Auschwitz from all parts of Europe. The action focuses on the women's resilience and ability to celebrate small things, as demonstrated in the small gifts they give to Marta for her birthday as opposed to the horrors of their predicament.
