Past Production Reviews
3The premiere of Rigoletto, prepared with great fanfare, finally took place. The "bullied" prices bite, tickets remained at the box office, advertisements in newspapers and on the radio went into action - everyone instantly knew how to have a good evening at the opera! No worse than a club or sauna. Before the start of the performance, there was excitement, he even had to be delayed for half an hour. Automobile Moscow was standing, cell phones were ringing, the guards were nervous, the "cool" people were late (sorry, they were late). But now, all the excitement is over, and maestro Yevgeny Kolobov stands at the conductor's stand. Sitting comfortably in an easy chair, we plunge into this wonderful world called Verdi's opera. After a few minutes you realize that you have come to a good-quality performance with very high-quality vocals, a good orchestra and respect for the original. However, you do not feel an emotional upsurge, as if something is interfering. For a long time I could not understand the reason, but, suddenly, it dawned on me: a slight boredom and a kind of Scandinavian cold blows from the scenography (artist Lennart Mörk from Sweden). And this is not a metaphor. Whitish lines, symbolizing tree branches, as if covered with frost, are combined with some kind of brown shade of gnarled plastic decorations, reminiscent of a sculpture from tree roots at the "Nature and Fantasy" exhibitions. All this creates an atmosphere of inappropriate fabulousness - it seems that the heroes of Selma Lagerlöf or the Brothers Grimm are about to come out from behind the scenes. In addition, in "Rigoletto" The dark Renaissance costumes of the courtiers oppose the gloom of the design, but they do not add convincingness to the visual color scheme. However, soon you get used to this reality and completely surrender to the music. Kolobov's bright orchestra and good singing make you forget about the set design failures. Of course, everyone was looking forward to Hvorostovsky. Expectations that are too high often create a somewhat frustrating effect. Hvorostovsky is certainly good, very good, this is a star! The wonderful timbre of his voice is mesmerizing. But the texture of the singer's voice (and even his appearance) does not correspond to the image of Rigoletto (if you could see him in Don Juan!). However, this cannot be blamed on the artist. Rigoletto is generally difficult and thankless material. Completely worn out melodies - they should only be performed brilliantly. And the plot! Why is it always difficult to play Shakespearean plays? Because it is incredibly difficult to convincingly embody this jumble of passions and the drama of collisions. The libretto, based on Hugo's drama, is replete with the same qualities, with the exception of one - it's not Shakespeare! But a pleasant surprise awaited everyone where it was difficult to foresee. The opening, in my opinion, was the debut of the young Ekaterina Syurina in the role of Gilda. A beautiful voice, freshness, sincerity, good school and musicality are all excellent prerequisites for the birth of a new talent. And even overly accurate intonation, the elements of schooling in this case are not scary. This is natural for a debutante. Mikhail Gubsky (Duke) also looked quite confident. An experienced soloist of the Samara Opera House, with a rather strong voice of a pleasant (albeit somewhat harsh) timbre, played the role of the Mantuan conqueror of women's hearts well, and several breakdowns (one of which is especially annoying in the third act) almost did not affect the impression of the role. The Bujor (Sparafucile) method turned out to be somewhat weaker than the others in vocal terms, but the image created a convincing one. Natalia Kreslina (Maddalena) sang rather expressionlessly. It was interesting for everyone to look at the new darling of Hvorostovsky, Flores Illy. But can the role of Countess Ceprano provide such an opportunity (apart from, of course, a purely external impression)? The orchestra deserves a separate discussion, as always with Kolobov. The annoying mistake in the first bars of the introduction was quickly forgotten, but in general, the orchestral sound, the maestro's ability to enhance the dramatic situation with sound energy always make an unforgettable impression. Only once did the conductor's sense of proportion change, but this was the main episode of the opera - Rigoletto's aria "Courtesans". The orchestral bursts in the vocal pauses were overly emotional and the aria "swayed". Sometimes the undercurrent of restraint creates greater tension and an atmosphere of despair than the sobbing that the orchestra allowed itself. By the way, Hvorostovsky's singing in the first part of the aria was, perhaps, too declamatory. Although this is purely my subjective feeling. The moment of truth in the performance came in the third act during the famous quartet (Duke, Maddalena, Rigoletto, Gilda), performed with such skill and feeling that the audience burst into thunderous applause. You can still talk about some nuances of singing, a rather spineless direction (Ralph Lyangbaka from Finland), expressed only in a competent layout, etc. But these will already be details. The main thing is that the classical opera is alive and there is a theater that is able to bring it to life. After rereading the review, I felt that it came out somewhat academic. Apparently, the Scandinavians infected me with their northern calmness.
From the rich heritage of the hero of the day G. Verdi, his famous opera "triad" of the 1850s is the most popular and often performed in the world. But La Traviata - a record for the number of performances in all countries - has never disappeared from the repertoire of Moscow opera houses, and now it goes right on three stages of the capital, gathering full halls (not counting studio and student performances). The Troubadour, staged at the Bolshoi in the 70s, survived until the 90s and was successfully presented by Novaya Opera last season. For a long time in Moscow, " Rigoletto " was unjustly consigned to oblivion. Without explaning the reason. Because there were always enough high-quality strong baritones for the title role and light mobile sopranos for Gilda. I remember the eerie story of a music literature teacher, how in the mid-70s she got to see the much dilapidated production of Rigoletto, which was transferred from the Bolshoi to the stage of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses. Gilda was sung by a lady of pre-retirement age and so oversized that in the final she simply did not fit into a fake bag! So thick legs in red tights stuck out from there, causing the audience to laugh. True, at the very end of the 1980s, on the same stage of the Kremlin Palace, unloved by all the singers, several performances of the new production of Rigoletto took place almost unnoticed by the press, which is remembered only for the masterful performance of the title role by Yuri Antonovich Mazurok. Few remember the "dark" story with the production of "Rigoletto" at the Stanislavsky Musical Theater at the turn of the 90s, still directed by E. V. Kolobov. The premiere brought to orchestral runs was canceled! The official version is the ideological differences between the conductor and the invited foreign directors, the excessive vulgarity of what they proposed. (That was the time!) Backstage rumors - financial problems, a common thing for that period. Rehabilitation of the masterpiece took place in 2000 under the guidance of the same maestro Kolobov in the newly built building of the New Opera in the Hermitage garden. The resounding success of the premiere was facilitated by the invitation, or rather even the stake on Dmitry Hvorostovsky in the title role of Rigoletto. Simultaneously with the debut of Hvorostovsky, which, according to everyone's opinion, was only an application, a test for the role, which was fully revealed a few years later on the stage of Covent Garden, the bright star of Ekaterina Syurina - Gilda, ascended. In general, for the current mobile opera world, a performance that has been running regularly for the 14th year is a long-liver. The careers of many now famous singers began with him; such aces as Roberto Frontali or Franz Grundheber acted as guest performers in the tragic role of a jester. I don’t think it is appropriate to analyze the direction of Ralph Lyangback and the set design of Lennart Merck over and over again. I agree with my colleagues, there is nothing unusual. But after the perversions, pardon the delights of the "rezopery" at such performances, you truly rest your soul! When the declared 16th century, albeit conditionally, is visible in costumes, when everything on stage is clear, elegant and colorful, and there is no need to solve director's puzzles in parallel with music. Unlike fans of innovative productions, I dream that the first medical commandment: "do no harm!" a fiery "valtazar" line would knock into the minds of modern directors. In Rigoletto, this commandment is fully observed. And one more argument in defense of the traditional conservative solution. It is no secret that some worthy modern opera productions, designed for a certain bright acting personality, fade and crumble, become boring when the line-ups change. And, on the contrary, soundly made seemingly banal "layout", with the arrival of fresh performers only wins, acquires new colors. It happened this time too. Russian baritone Boris Statsenko, who has lived in Germany for many years, considers Rigoletto's part to be one of the most dear and beloved for a reason. In this image, he has been seen about 200 times on various European stages. And now, finally, for the first time - in Moscow. Fortunately, everything coincided - the weather, the singer's well-being, partners, the orchestra, the atmosphere in the hall. Explicit singing and acting luck. And another proof that an experienced master, whose image has been achieved through suffering and made over many years, does not need obsessive directing. It is always surprising when a medium-sized singer, as in the old days they wrote "graceful addition", opening his mouth, expels an avalanche of sound from himself, as if a mixer was added even in comparison with partners. No, where necessary - there was a piano, and filing, and subtlety of nuances. But Statsenko has such a baritone, not a softly insinuating cello, but like the noble copper of a French horn, even a trombone in the lower register. Perhaps somewhat unexpected, but accepted immediately and without a doubt, was the interpretation of the role. Both the text and the music provoke pathos here, an affectation that has not been seen at all ... Was there a hump? Some in the audience doubted, something neat "superfluous" seemed on the back of the jester's neck. Here it is - the power of reincarnation! Straight, athletic Boris, of course, did not glue or put anything on. His Rigoletto is not a hunchback from birth, he is terribly stooped, constrained due to age-related or poverty-related ailments like arthritis, scoliosis, etc. Dragging gait, skewed body. I don’t know, maybe a professional physician would have smelled a trick, I, as a child, during the entire first act suspected the artist of real ill health from the musculoskeletal system. Minimum makeup, no wig. Only "to work" in the palace Rigoletto puts on a red cap with bells and a short jacket. In the rest of the scenes, it is the actor's face that is thoroughbred, tired and shabby. Gilda's line, “We've been here for the second month already,” explains a lot. Not "poor Yorick" who was born, raised and aged in the same castle as a serf serf, but a free wandering artist, hiring now to the court of an aristocrat, or amusing the crowd in a booth at a fair. That eternal "actor-actor" who went into this dangerous witchcraft craft at the call of his heart, in spite of everything, knowing that he could not even be buried in consecrated ground. By the way, for the historical Duke of Mantua, Claudio Monteverdi, the father and creator of the opera, also worked as the head of the court chapel for a long time. Rigoletto's first appearance at the Duke's ball, performed by Statsenko, is by no means a disgusting "corvee", he is clearly basking in his ability to deliver stinging remarks, to improvise truthful harshness to noble gentlemen under the hood of a jester. It is important to stop in time, but here Rigoletto is mistaken, insulting Monterone. A moment of curse and epiphany at the same time. In a duet with Gilda in the second picture, Rigoletto is rather restrained in his fatherly feelings. As if a slight surprise, how quickly and suddenly the daughter grew up, transformed, how differently it is now necessary to communicate with her. The most vulnerable moment of the libretto is the involuntary complicity of the father in the abduction of Gilda. Well, what rag will close your eyes and ears enough not to recognize your home? And here again acting helps out - let the excitement for the daughter gnaw, why not fool around once again? "Ah, it's not difficult to deceive me, I myself am glad to be deceived!" A close-up of Father's frozen face when realizing his mistake is worthy of an HD screen. The appearance of Rigoletto in the Duke's chambers, where Gilda is hidden, is a "bomb" - the famous aria "Cortigiani vil razza dannata". A very agile tempo, violin passages at the limit of virtuosity (but clean and smooth!), Vocally - don't find fault, in your own way, without looking back at the interpretations of the great baritones of the past. Fire and pain from within, the same in plastic. And, perhaps, the acting culmination - the subsequent duet of Rigoletto and Gilda. Of course, each of us reads something of our own in Verdi's images, something closer (in contrast to Wagner's archetypes, which are not transferable to ourselves). I was struck by the absolute tiredness, the stopper of the Father, who learned about what had happened. The main pain and annoyance at himself, bad and careless, who believed that near the nest of debauchery he would be able to keep the girl's purity. The combination of external restraint with internal fury, buying plastic, mesmerizing subtext, not flashiness. I am not afraid of comparison with the even half-forgotten, but incomparable acting standard. Search the net for some of Gian Maria Volonte's later films: Open Doors (Porte aperte), Cronaca di una morte annunciata (Chronicle of a Death Announced), and especially L'opera al nero - L ' Œuvre au noir) based on the novel by Yursenar - you will understand what I mean. I would very much like Boris Statsenko's performance in Rigoletto to be repeated again, this level of performance will be a gift to many Moscow music lovers. The part of Gilda is insidious in that it requires excellent vocal technique, but provokes the search for young and slender singers. Among Verdi's lyric heroines, she is, perhaps, the most "girlish". That Juliet is only 13 years old - remember, how old is Gilda? Since the era is neighboring (and the scene), it is hardly much older. A 14-15 year old bride is a common thing in Italy in the 16th century. The soloist of the Novaya Opera Galina Koroleva has been on the professional stage for more than ten years, but even from a close row of the stalls, thanks to her miniature figure, she looks like a teenager. And already in the finals, in a man's suit - the dream of any Youth Theater. But her voice, carefully controlled, practically flawless intonation, is small, and very glassy sharp. The combination with the pope's mighty voice (Statsenko), no matter how hard he tried to tidy up the volume, reminded of a duet of piccolo flute and French horn. Not the most harmonious, let's say, fusion. As for the image, in Gilda it is understandably difficult to find the depths of Violetta Valerie or Elizabeth of Valois. There are two main ways: a romanticized dreamer like Assol (also the result of the upbringing of a single father) or a half-child singing about a handsome young man, and she probably has a doll under her pillow! Galina Koroleva is just such a child, an opening bud, in whom sensuality awakened before reason. Not original, but organic. But the Duke of Mantua just matched his chosen one completely. Nurlan Bekmukhambetov's voice is also somewhat harsh and open. But many people like these tenors the most. Nurlan copes with all the vocal difficulties of the almost bel cantal part easily, clearly enjoying the very process of singing. Voiced top notes were given to him without problems. As a wish, there is almost a lack of European polish in Italian. Young, handsome, with beautiful legs, what else? A colleague who attended the tenor's debut in the Duke's role two years ago remarked: "there is not enough impudence." And it is not necessary! Born in nobility and wealth, spoiled from childhood to the utmost, in adolescence who knew all the joys of the flesh, this Duke is not at all angry and not cynical. Rather, he is a beast, bursting with healthy epicureanism, accustomed to taking whatever he wants from life. Morality, conscience? He doesn't even know such words! Damn charming, in an Asian way, in our case, but this taste of the primordially polygamous, harem oriental gives a piquancy to the image. From the first intimacy, instilling in a naive girl not fear or disgust (Gilda did not resist the kidnappers, and easily went to the Duke's bedroom herself, and did not cry at all after what had happened!), But love, up to self-sacrifice, can only be an extraordinarily talented lover. The look of Gilda Herzog leaving the alcove (screens) was like a “doctor” after a successful “procedure”. And the seasoned "professional" Maddalena, for sure, did not get the first handsome man, but only this she wanted to regret and save. And Maddalena is good at Agunda Kulaeva! For the mezzo that brilliantly copes with Cinderella Rossini and Martha in Khovanshchina (for now in a concert version) to sing the only picture in the finale of Rigoletto, though with the famous quartet, is almost a joke. Out of the era, the costume - a black guipure bodice, a skirt with a bold slit, looks great on a spectacular chiseled Agunda, helping to imagine her enchanting Carmen. The huge volumetric texture of Vitaly Efanov successfully suited the "killer" Sparafucile, and his bass was remembered for the chic low notes in the ensembles. As always, the Novaya Opera choir was at its best, purely male in Rigoletto. The courtiers parted a little with the orchestra at the beginning of the second act, telling the Duke about the abduction of the stranger, but hellish spirits howled great in the final Thunderstorm. The guest conductor, who had already received the good nickname “Russian Italian” Fabio Mastrangelo, was at the console that evening on October 25th. The main thing is that the maestro feels the singers, knows how to catch the soloist, even if something suddenly went wrong. The orchestra sounded harmoniously, brightly, although sometimes of high quality, without kiks, as if brass horns were outweighed by excess seething energy, or suddenly an extra accent was given out by the timpani. The cello divisions were faked in the duet of Rigoletto and Sparafucile in the first act, the strings were fuzzy when Gilda appeared. Perhaps the most annoying thing is the openly low solo oboe in the introduction to Gilda's Aria "Tutte le feste al tempio mentre pregava Iddio". But in general, these are trifles, nit-picking, so that the review is not absolutely complimentary. To summarize, the 77th Rigoletto at the Novaya Opera has so far become the only performance that has been seen live for the eventful year of the 200th anniversary of the beloved classic, which in every sense would not be ashamed to show to the greatest Verdi.
