After the psychological dissection of Brodeck it's time to move on to the essence: the music. A world premiere suggests that a story gets its own unique sonic landscape. This is where the question arises whether Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (OBV) and Daan Janssens have successfully brought Philippe Claudel's world to life.
Cinematic Leitmotif
Daan Janssens had already indicated that during composition, he sensed this would be influenced by Wagner.* The use of leitmotifs is therefore prominently present. Listening to it, you also hear these musical signals becoming increasingly prominent as the story progresses. Emélia's ethereal fractured tones, Brodeck's skipping melody, the descending glissando in the celesta as a motif for the Anderer/the stranger – these are introduced and interwoven. Being able to hear the unsaid is pure Wagner.
To stay with Janssens': leitmotifs play the leading role here. Underneath lies an unbroken tension in the orchestra. It was striking how the composition barely had any rest points. There were only two caesuras that stood out to me, both near the end. One occurs after the execution of a Frémder, with spoken words by officer Buller: "Je vous souhaite le bonsoir." These banal words, combined with death and silence, sounded downright macabre. The other? The Anderer who screams "murderers" at the villagers. BrodeckIt is not only silence and leitmotifs that Janssens employs. The strength of the composition also seemed to lie in the sparing, yet correct, use of parody and musical expectation patterns. It sounds like a thriller film, where you constantly hear the same repeated waves of tension – the piercing high-pitched tone, the persistent strings, the otherworldly celesta and harp (two instruments beloved in the supernatural and horror genres). The fear of the stranger and death – the unbroken tension – that dominates the narrative returns in the musical composition.
The framework certainly meets all expectations, but what about the details?
Less is More
When you listen to an opera where expected stylistic devices are used sparingly, you realize as a listener how this makes an impact that's even more intense. An example of this is Emélia's hysteria leap after betraying Brodeck. A high leap of a soprano, as an expression of passion or fear, is an operatic stylistic device. If this occurs only once – in a vocal composition that is predominantly low and undulating – then it speaks all the louder.
Also, the use of a familiar waltz motif, broken and parodied, gave the same effect. The dislocation of the sound linked itself to Emélia's motif – why she floated through the story like a broken bird – and how the alienated tonality also said something about the village. A waltz is already a sort of snapshot, and with the necessary chromaticism and amplification, it can sound downright threatening.
The combination of spareness, unbroken musical tension, and leitmotifs creates a (successful) lack of rest.
Sung Cinema
The setup, creating cinematic tension, has been successfully composed and executed. The choice to make the only "threat" – the Anderer – a spoken role provided the intended contrast. The performance is an ensemble piece, so those were the moments that resonated most powerfully. The ghost choirs – floating choir passages, with or without a church motif – provided the necessary sonic tableaux. It was refreshing that for once – instead of watching the singers individually – everything felt like a whole. If that was the intention, then certainly bravo, Janssens.
A final word separately about Brodeck. Damien Pass didn't have the easiest task – trying to stand out in a strong ensemble composition. He certainly succeeded in this, along with his clear voice. Elisa Soster, used sparingly enough to maintain the disrupted tension, was also the right choice for a fragmented, otherworldly (wartime) soul like Emélia. The cast was certainly strong, especially together. ghost choirs – floating choir passages, with or without ecclesiastical motifs – provided the necessary sonic tableaus. It was pleasant that for once – instead of viewing the singers individually – everything felt like a whole. If that was the intention, then bravo indeed, Janssens.
It's worth discussing Brodeck separately as well. Damien Pass didn't have the easiest task – trying to stand out in a strong ensemble composition. He and his clear voice certainly managed it. Elisa Soster, used sparingly enough to maintain the fractured tension, was also the right choice for a fragmented, otherworldly (war-torn) soul like Emélia. The cast was certainly strong, especially as an ensemble.
With this exposé I could only touch upon half of what Brodeck ultimately is (as a composition). This is a compliment to the power of Daan Janssens and the production of OBV. If I'm left speechless, that's certainly a sign of success. With that said: bravo!
* Paraphrased from Daan Janssens, *** Paraphrased from Daan Janssens,, 09/02/2024.
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WHAT: Brodeck Cast: Daan Janssens (composer and librettist) Marit Strindlund (conductor), Fabrice Murgia (director and librettist), Philippe Claudel (author), Susan De Ceuster/Gay Huygen (child actor), Jose De Pauw (actor), Jean-Pierre Baudson (voice actor), Damien Pass, Elisa Soster, Helena Rasker, Thomas Blondelle, Kris Belligh, Werner van Mechelen, Tijl Faveyts, Symphonic Orchestra Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Choir Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Children's Choir Opera Ballet Vlaanderen.
WHOProduction: Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Antwerp.
WHEREDates: February 9, 2024 through February 20, 2024 (OBV Antwerp) and February 29, 2024 through March 3, 2024 (OBV Ghent); seen on February 9, 2024.
WHENRun dates: February 9 through February 20, 2024 (OBV Antwerp) and February 29 through March 3, 2024 (OBV Ghent); viewed on February 9, 2024.
