Like so many young men, professor and sculptor Anton Aicher had a dream. Unlike those other young men, Aicher's dream was to create a successful, world-renowned marionette theater company. In 1913, he realized this goal with the founding of the Salzburg Marionettes.
More than 90 years after its inception, the Salzburg Marionettes and their 12 puppeteers performed Mozart's "Don Giovanni" this Wednesday at the Kennedy Center Terrace Theater. In part with the Washington Performing Arts Society, the marionette troupe staged two Mozart operas this week, also including "The Magic Flute."
The puppets performed Mozart's classic tale of a 17th century ladies' man with a surprising range of subtleties. The 11 marionettes, each two feet tall and dressed in stunning period costume, appeared incredibly lifelike and graceful as the opera followed Don Giovanni's numerous romantic exploits leading to his ultimate demise.
The Salzburg Marionette's production, though miniaturized, stayed true to the original opera. Don Giovanni, played by granddaughter of the company's founder and puppeteer Gretl Aicher, finds himself in trouble with former lovers bent on revenge. His bumbling sidekick and servant Leporello, played by puppeteer Pierre Droin, provides comic relief while displaying a full range of marionette action.
Although their mouths could not move, these little wooden creatures became convincingly real with the help of recordings by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Choir of the Vienna State Opera. While live music is generally expected at an opera, the main focus of the Salzburg Marionettes is, naturally, the marionettes. Consequently, these recordings were more than sufficient for the performance.
As in typical opera format, the performance itself was entirely in its native Italian. However, the Salzburg Marionettes facilitated the members of the audience unfamiliar with the language to understand the plot with the use of an English narrator puppet. His puppeteer stood, dressed in black, directly behind him as he explained what would be happening in the scenes following his appearances.
The lifelike movements of the puppets were also emphasized by enchanting scenery. The multi-layered miniature sets ranged from the rolling hills of the Italian countryside to the lavish decadence of Don Giovanni's castle of love. Skillful lighting helped to highlight the performers' charming and intricate craftsmanship.
Many times, as a result of this realism, it was easy to forget that these wooden people were not in fact real. Perhaps the most striking example was the scene in which Don Giovanni's dining room opened up into the pits of hell and the lusty Don himself was swallowed into its depths. Complex coordination of the puppets and scenery, as well as dramatic lighting and effects, created a spectacular and overwhelming effect for this integral scene.
After the final scene, the troupe was applauded so enthusiastically by the mostly mature crowd that some of the puppeteers came back for a third bow and curtsy.
The company of Salzburg Marionettes was able to convey through movement and music an astonishing theater experience for all ages. Prospective viewers should just make sure to brush up on their Italian beforehand.
