Massenet’s Werther tells the tale of an unrealised love between a young couple, Werther and Charlotte. The opera opens with foreboding as, bound to a promise to her late mother, Charlotte is to marry another man, Albert, despite the deep love between her and Werther. The combination of Werther’s lack of initiative and Charlotte’s inability to pursue her passions leads her to wed Albert, consequently causing Werther’s despair and ultimate suicide. This tragedy was based on Goethe’s epistolary, The Sorrows of Young Werther, written in the Sturm und Drang period. Emotions in this era were expressed freely and passionately as a reaction to the previous period’s constraints of rationalism. Massenet’s music evokes the powerful feelings between Werther and Charlotte, and vividly mirrors this societal shift towards emotional candour.
This rendition of Werther owes its success to the conductor, Andriy Yurkevych. His interpretation balanced Massenet’s delicate yet dynamic orchestral colours, and the Tokyo Philharmonic responded skilfully. The audience was audibly moved by the turmoil of the two protagonists, and it was the orchestra’s swelling music which made the conflict all the more bittersweet.
Charles Castronovo, in his title role, was undoubtedly the star of the stage. His lyric tenor resonated throughout the auditorium whenever he sang his arias. He played a man consumed by an all-encompassing and unattainable love convincingly in the last act.
Charlotte is a dutiful young woman torn between her late mother’s wishes and her own emotions, and Aya Wakizono evoked this inner turmoil extremely well. Not only that, but the stark contrast between her portrayal of the rebellious and spirited Rosina from last year, and the soft and conflicted Charlotte from Werther, displays her versatility as an artist. She was especially convincing in the famous aria “Va! Laisse couler mes larmes” (“Oh! Let my tears keep on flowing”) in Act 3. Her portrayal sensitively traced Charlotte’s gradual realisation that she had sacrificed her own happiness to fulfil her mother’s wishes and conform to social expectations. Together with Castronovo and Under Yurkevych’s insightful musical direction, Wakizono brought tremendous emotional intensity to the final death scene of Werther, in which Charlotte finally confesses her love to him. If one criticism may be made, it is that her voice lacked a degree of individuality, which might have made her portrayal even more compelling.
Airi Sunada’s Sophie provided welcome brightness and vitality to the opera’s predominantly sombre atmosphere. Whenever she appeared, her playful and youthful character brightened up the atmosphere of the stage. Her voice was consistently radiant and pleasing to the ear.
The sets designed by Emmanuel Fabre visually supported and enhanced the plot. Werther expresses his affinity for nature at both his entrance in the opera and at his death where he wishes to be buried under the foot of a tree. The beautiful nature backdrop immerses the audience in this world of leafy beauty that Werther is in, and gives reason for such appreciation. In the same vein, sombre images appeared when mirroring scenes which revealed the ordered life in the small town. This production reminded you of the importance of set design in telling a cohesive, compelling and immersive story.
Overall, this was a greatly moving and musically distinguished performance of Werther, featuring outstanding singing, sensitive conducting, and tasteful stagecraft and costumes. It was an evening that demonstrated why Massenet’s masterpiece continues to speak so powerfully to modern audiences.
Type: Opera
Title: Werther ＊＊＊＊
Venue: The New National Theatre Tokyohttps://www.nntt.jac.go.jp/english/opera/
Composer: Jules Massenet (1842-1912)
Libretto: Edouard Blau, Paul Milliet and Georges Hartmann, after Goethe
Director: Nicolas Joel
Conductor: Andriy Yurkevych
Set designer: Emmanuelle Favre
Costume designer: Katia Duflot
Lighting designer: Vinicio Cheli
Cast includes Charles Castronovo, Aya Wakizono, Shingo Sudo, Airi Sunada
Until 30th May 2026
Photograph: ©Rikimaru Hotta/New National Theatre, Tokyo
Running Time: 3 hours 10 mins. (2 intervals)
Review by Miho Uchida