The performers, led by Polish soprano Iwona Sobotka playing Pamina and supported by the WA Opera and WA Symphony Orchestra, were not deterred by the extravagant production, but revelled in it.
Pamina, sung beautifully by Soprano Iwona Sobotka on opening night. She played the heroine-in-need-of-rescue to perfection, but despite the sexism spouted by some characters, Pamina showed courage, determination and integrity. That said, she does fall into despair when she believes she is no longer loved by Tamino, and Sobotka sings Pamina’s aria with great feeling as she contemplates suicide.
“Dennis Chmelensky brought a potent, edgy baritone to the emotionally unstable role of Junior, provoking and romancing the other characters in equal measure.”
“Junior remains the piece’s most complicated character...Despite these alarmingly reductive traits, baritone Dennis Chmelensky works hard to give the character an inner life. He also sings with beautiful diction.”
A Pietro Adaini, Elvino, va riconosciuta la luminosità dello squillo nel registro acuto – con tanto di re in «Ah! Perché non posso odiarti» –, a cui talvolta approda però con troppo impeto, inficiando la continuità della linea di canto, già velata da suoni leggermente nasali nella tessitura centrale. Lo spirito bonario, quasi sempliciotto, del ricco possidente, tuttavia, trova nell’ardimentosa espressività un ottimo canale di sfogo e il personaggio, in fin dei conti, è convincente.
