Tapestry Opera | Woolf: Jacqueline / Marnie Breckenridge, soprano; Matt Haimovitz, cello. Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St., Toronto. 8 p.m. February 20, 2025.
Widely praised as one of the greatest cellists of the 20th Century, Jacqueline du Pré (January 1945 – October 19, 1987) left an indelible imprint on the musical world. Now 38 years after her death, her legacy remains as strong as ever.
Her professional debut took place at Wigmore Hall at the tender age of 16. Her last public performance took place in New York, in February 1973, when she played alongside Pinchas Zuckerman and with Leonard Bernstein conducting. Stricken with multiple sclerosis at 28, her performing career came to an end much too soon.
Jacqueline: The Opera
Her phenomenal artistry, her tragically short career, and her charismatic persona onstage and off are all stuff of legends, leading to books, films, a ballet, and the opera Jacqueline by composer Luna Pearl Woolf, given its world premiere in the Betty Oliphant Theatre of the National Ballet School back on February 19, 2020.
I was in the audience five years ago and was completely blown away by its emotional power and overwhelming poignancy. Now, the revival clearly demonstrates that Jacqueline has lost none of its power to move an audience. This time around, a large and highly discerning audience gave the two performers — Marnie Breckenridge (Jacqueline) and Matt Haimovitz (The Cello) — repeated and very enthusiastic ovations.
I dug out my review of the world premiere from five years ago, and I was struck by the similarity of my reactions then as now. I was particularly drawn to this work because I learned for the first time about Jacqueline du Pré in a music course I took as an undergraduate in the late 1960s. Through her incredible playing, the Elgar Cello Concerto became my desert island piece way back then.
Like the Elgar piece, the 85-minute Jacqueline is divided into four movements — “Star Birth,” “Super Nova,” “Meteorite,” and “Impact.” The opera explores the emotional world of du Pré throughout her short life, from her learning to play the cello as a young girl to the last years of her life, when the progressing multiple sclerosis robbed her of her mobility, and most importantly, what defined Jaqueline the artist.
The Production
Through it all, her artistry is personified by the brilliant playing and the physical presence of cellist Matt Haimovitz. I find the staging quite ingenious, with various objects such as a phonograph, an LP, and other material dropping from the top at strategic points in the storytelling. Also striking is the presence of neatly placed chairs in the background, perhaps representing an unseen audience. When du Pré’s health and mental state started to deteriorate, the chairs become chaotic, symbolizing du Pré’s disintegrating world.
Musically, there are only limited musical quotations directly drawn from the Elgar concerto, at the beginning and at the very end of the opera. What we do have is a score that belongs to the composer Luna Pearl Woolf. Her musical idiom, while distinctly contemporary, is essentially tonal, accessible, largely lyrical, and powerfully expressive in such a way that enhances the storytelling.
In terms of the musical structure, there are extended soliloquies that almost resemble arias. I particularly enjoy the lament, where du Pré tells her mother that she’s lonely, and asks her to visit. The music underscores the vulnerability of a young Jacqueline. When du Pré rails against God for making her a victim of MS, the music reflects her anger and frustration. Much of the credit goes to librettist Royce Vavrek for writing text that captures so touchingly the du Pré persona.
Last but not least, I want to comment on the two incredible performers. First, I offer my heartfelt kudos to soprano Marnie Breckenridge for a phenomenal performance, singing nearly the whole length of the 85-minute opera, with much of her music in the upper reaches of her range. To be honest, five years is a long time in a singer’s vocal life, but I can honestly say that her voice has not shown any effects of the passage of time, with her top as beautiful as ever.
Once again, cellist Matt Haimovitz was his brilliant self, playing exquisitely the extended solo Woolf composed for him. His whole performance was one of exemplary intensity and lyricism. One of my favourite moments is at the end of Movement IV, when the Elgar quotation reappears. When the ascending line reaches the top where the orchestra is supposed to come in, the performance abruptly ends. The light dims and the stage go dark. It underscores a life sadly interrupted.
I had a lump in my throat five years ago, and I had a lump this time around. A heart wrenching end to Jacqueline.
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