Germanic Fare Finds Mehta at His Best

A specialist in the German repertory for the better part of four decades, Zubin Mehta this weekend leads the Los Angeles Philharmonic and soprano Jane Eaglen in music from Wagner’s “Gotterdammerung,” from Richard Strauss’ “Salome” and in the same composer’s tone poem “Don Juan.”

Eaglen is making her L.A. Philharmonic debut in the Immolation from Wagner’s opera and in the Final Scene from “Salome,” whose libretto was based on Oscar Wilde’s play. A born Wagnerian, the British soprano is at 35 ripe for these assignments, and Thursday night at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, in the first performance, sang them with a handsome tone and considerable ease.

Eaglen brought stronger histrionic contrasts and more nuanced sounds to the depraved Salome than to the transfigured Brunnhilde. The Immolation found Eaglen singing with a generalized intensity that seemed to preclude both vehemence and radiance; the uncommunicative musical result was blandness.

Many more telling details informed the soprano’s characterization of Wilde’s obsessed teenager; also, the higher-lying vocal part suited Eaglen’s bright vocalism better than the sometimes-low-dipping Immolation.

Mehta’s familiarity with Strauss’ complex score--we first watched him conduct “Salome” 31 years ago--paid off thrillingly. And his aggressive, fast-paced approach to the Dance of the Seven Veils added inevitability to what followed.

Throughout, but particularly in a beautifully detailed reading of “Don Juan” and a chillingly controlled performance of Siegfried’s Funeral Music, conductor and orchestra put on a fine display of their expertise and affection for all of this challenging music.

* Mehta, Eaglen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic repeat this program Sunday, 2:30 p.m., Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., $8-$60. (213) 365-3500. An abridged version, without Eaglen and the two vocal excerpts, will be played today, 2 p.m., also in the Pavilion, $5-$26.