Opera professionals are commonly recognised by their public labels, such as sopranos, mezzo-sopranos, tenors, basses, baritones or countertenors. Nevertheless, within their industry, these classifications are vastly broader. According to a sequence of German labels, singers are assigned to a specific ‘Fach’, a term signifying expertise, specialisation, and categorisation. One’s designation as a soubrette, lyric coloratura, lyric, dramatic coloratura, spinto, dramatic or heavy dramatic not only establishes voice expectations regarding range, tone and impact, but also the capability to portray certain types of characters and roles for which they are likely to secure and be competent in.
Approximately ten years ago, the soprano known as Sinéad Campbell Wallace paused her career to focus on personal matters, only to return with a discernibly different vocal style that led her towards more dramatic compositions. This unexpected shift in her vocal abilities was not what she had originally trained for, but it did pave the way for her to take the lead in Richard Strauss’s Salome, an intensely expressive 1905 opera inspired by an Oscar Wilde play.
In Strauss’s interpretation, the orchestra takes precedence over the lead role. When Wallace first experienced the opera through Joël Lauwers’s 1999 Opera Ireland performance, she recalled that it was completely unlike anything she had encountered before – an undeniably wild experience. Despite resuming her career and being suggested for the Salome role, she initially dismissed the idea as improbable and daunting.
Campbell Wallace notes an escalated trend in employing substantial lyrical sopranos over full dramatic ones for roles in recent years. The emphasis is not necessarily on the tonality but more on the discernibility of the voice, especially when paired with an orchestra. The industry today values aesthetics, with the character, Salome, ideally being portrayed by a younger artist, drawing the interest of directors and opera organisations.
Several years ago, she turned her focus more to this role. She had vivid discussions with Fergus Sheil, INO’s artistic director, regarding the opera. She now confirms her commitment to the role, acknowledging its challenging nature.
Campbell Wallace still clings to her first exposure to this work in 1999, which drew her to the orchestral aspect of the production. She recalls the unique and seductive soundscape that was created, captivating her. She felt it physically and found its power truly overwhelming. She then discovered that Strauss’s intent was to make the orchestra play the leading role, rather than the main character, Salome. She resonates with this idea.
She has memories of the performance by American soprano Karen Notare. Notare’s intense, unhinged and seemingly obsessed performance was enlightening, showing Campbell Wallace that classical music could be more extravagant and interesting, rather than just composed and beautiful. This experience spurred her curiosity and fascination for Strauss’s work.
Campbell Wallace, who will soon be appearing in a variety of roles, including Gutrune in Wagner’s Götterdämmerung with the London Philharmonic Orchestra led by Vladimir Jurowski, Elsa in Wagner’s Lohengrin at the Savonlinna Festival in Finland and will be making her American debut with Washington National Opera, notes that singing is not the most challenging aspect of her work. Despite the intense and rigorous nature of the singing, it tends to be the simplest piece of the puzzle. The challenges lie elsewhere, in portraying the intricate dimensions of the character, their psychological and emotional aspects, their physicality and the portrayal of the personal struggles and mental turmoil they’re experiencing.
Wallace states that fully embodying her character, whom she affectionately labels as ‘Sally’, has proven to be the most daunting aspect. Sally has been a constant presence since the moment Wallace started preparing for the role, leading her to feel as though Sally has entirely absorbed her. This level of immersion in a character is unprecedented for Wallace.
When asked if Salome is a complex character, Wallace doesn’t entirely agree. She believes Salome’s behaviour and psychological responses are appropriate given her circumstances, hence viewing it as more of a circumstantial tragedy. Salome’s interactions with her domineering mother and lustful stepfather/uncle factor greatly into her character. Wallace points out the emphasis placed on their gaze upon her in Oscar Wilde’s text. When oneself is placed in Salome’s situation, her progression seems quite natural according to Wallace.
From her revulsion at Herod’s advances, how did she end up desiring John the Baptist’s head on a platter? In my view, it’s a journey of personal discovery and a sexual transformation for her. John the Baptist becomes the catalyst of this deep-seated passion, which gradually overwhelms her. Then, her inherent nature of always attaining what she desires comes into play, yet this time, her wishes are not fulfilled. In place of the distasteful scene of a mad woman singing a love melody singularly to a blood-dripping head, it’s something else.
Sinéad Campbell Wallace on resuming opera work: ‘It’s embedded within me.’
Most crucial to me is humanising her as much as possible. There are parts where she acknowledges her instigation of these events and consequently feels immense emotional pain and regret. She craved for and desired this man’s affection, and in a moment of madness or neuroticism, she requested this gruesome act. But, the text and melody reveal that beneath it all, she harbours severe remorse. She gets the severed head, and she has the permission to kiss it; however, it doesn’t resemble the zeal, the affection that she yearned for. She expresses her wishes – if he had just looked upon her, noticed her – perhaps then, all this could’ve been avoided. They might have been blissful, ventured off into the sunset, leaving this chaos behind. There is profound loss and sadness involved.
Strauss himself wrote, “Whoever has been to the east and noted the behaviour of its women will understand that Salome, a chaste maiden and an eastern princess, should be portrayed with the utmost restraint and simplicity, unless her downfall by a wonderful world’s miracle is to merely incite fear and loathing instead of empathy.”
Even though her primary skill isn’t dancing, Campbell Wallace has decided to personally perform the ‘Dance of the Seven Veils’. The 9½-minute piece has been put together by Liz Roche. The effort here is to generate a storyline through this long routine, hence every physical movement involves an element of storytelling. Following this herculean task, she will return to singing, recenter herself to deliver the concluding 15 minutes of the composition. This latter part is deemed as one of the most intricate soprano pieces conceived by the composer, thus presenting a formidable challenge.
The Irish National Opera’s representation of Salome by Strauss will be showcased at Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre. The production’s helm has been taken by Bruno Ravella, the design has been conceptualised by Leslie Travers, and Fergus Sheil is entrusted with conducting the opera. The production is scheduled for the evenings of March 12th, 14th and 16th.