The Devils of Loudun (opera) - Performance History and Reception

Performance History and Reception

Based on the reviews listed in Cindy Bylander's Krzysztof Penderecki: a Bio-Bibliography, the reception of The Devils of Loudun varied. The opera received mixed reviews (mostly written around the same time and within a decade of the work’s completion) in European countries and the U.S.A. Even in the same city, there were different reactions to the work.

The world premiere, which was given at the Staatsoper, Hamburg on 20 June 1969, received mixed reviews. However, the general consensus among critics was that the work was not a huge success. A critic, who saw the world premiere performance of the work in Hamburg, wrote that the various sounds effects (i.e. cries, laughter, roars, etc.), large glissandons in orchestra, tone clusters, and pitches at extreme ends of instruments’ ranges were used merely to produce atmosphere instead of creating a dramatic effect. After seeing a Hamburg production of the opera, another critic even questioned whether Penderecki was truly interested in the piece. Positive reviews of the production were mostly on the libretto’s intriguing nature.

The next performance, which was given only two days after its Hamburg world premiere, was held in Stuttgart, Germany. Critics agreed almost unanimously that the Stuttgart production of the opera was far superior to the Hamburg production. The Stuttgart audience was pleased by the daring staging and thought it was a thrilling piece of contemporary music. The Stuttgart production of the opera, however, received some negative reviews as well. A critic, who said the presentation was marked by sensation and grandiosity, commented that the music was indescribably boring.

Outside of Hamburg and Stuttgart, the opera received positive reviews in other German cities like Berlin, Cologne, Munich, and Mönchengladbach. For example, a slightly revised version of The Devils of Loudun was performed in West Berlin in 1970. A critic, who saw the performance, wrote that the presentation was "an electrifying unforgettable experience." In 1980, a little more than ten years after the world premiere, The Devils of Loudun received generally cruel reviews in Cologne. A critic admits that the work was convincingly performed but thought the compositional originality was completely lacking. Another critic, after seeing the Cologne production, even wondered if the opera really deserved to remain in the repertoire.

In Austria, critics and audience reacted lukewarmly to the premiere of the work in 1971. Some thought the music was tedious and lacked the good measure of the sensational, on which the success of Penderecki’s opera depends. The second performance of the opera in Graz was greeted by a half-empty hall of audience. Another critic in Graz said that the opera only conveys the story line and does not create much dramatic impact until it becomes musically more interesting in the final act.

In Penderecki’s native country Poland, the first performance, which was held in Warsaw six years after its world premiere in 1969 and considerably less risqué, received generally very negative reviews. Even the composer himself did not think the work was performed successfully. In May 1998, almost thirty years after the world premiere of the opera, a critic commented that the work was artistically successful, but musically was less successful. The same critic, after seeing a performance of the opera in Poznan, also suggested that the work could even be called "anti-opera."

The French premiere of the opera in 1972 was rather disastrous; the performance was greeted with orange peels, turnips, leeks, cat-calls, and foot-stamping. Marseilles production of the opera, however, was praised for its set design and performers.

The British premiere in 1974, given by the Sadler’s Wells Company, was not a great success either; the British critics were mostly unimpressed with the performance. The staging and the performers were praised, but the music was criticized for lack of drama and the libretto for its failure to arouse pity in the audience. One critic even cruelly wondered whether the Company’s sparkling performance was worth the effort, given the poor quality of the music. However, a different critic thought the piece was a compelling form of musical theatre.

The Devils of Loudun was performed in other European countries such as Italy, Switzerland, Portugal, etc. as well. The reviews were mixed again. The Italian premiere given in Triste in 1974 was praised. In Lisbon, the performance was met with enthusiastic applause in 1976. In 1979, the Swiss premiere of the opera was given in Geneva by the Stuttgart Opera, and the overall impression of the performance was positive; even though a critic said that the libretto and the music failed to maintain the audience’s interest, the high quality of staging and the performers made the presentation a positive experience.

The U.S. premiere of The Devils of Loudun, which was given by Santa Fe Opera in 1969, received more negative reviews than positive ones. A critic, who attended the performance, praised its staging but thought its music failed to support the issues or events occurring on stage. Another critic wrote that the music did not have the ability to hold drama for a long period of time. A different critic even thought that the music was more appropriate for soundtrack than an opera. Even with these criticisms, the opera received better reviews in the U.S. than in Europe. Especially, the staging in the U.S. praised over the staging in Europe.

The opera was recorded in 1971. The recording of The Devils of Loudun received mixed reviews as well. One critic wrote that "the music is always striking, its style eclectic, and its images mesmerizing." However, there were critics who disagreed by saying that the piece was made for an electronic medium rather than for an orchestra. The music was also accused of being harmonically static and lacking distinctive melodies.