Sarasota Opera / Reviews

L'amore dei tre re premiered in 1913, stylistically a post verismo work, looking forward to Wagner and Debussy, yet clearly the work of an Italian composer. Much of the emotionalism of the piece is heard in the orchestration which is thicker than late Puccini. The opera proved fairly popular for about 30 years after its premiere, including 70 performances at the Metropolitan Opera where it was a favorite role of Ezio Pinza, but since that time it lies largely dormant. Sarasota Opera produced it back in 2003 and since then, the only other performances in the U.S. were a concert version by Opera Orchestra of New York for Samuel Ramey (according to Opera America). I have heard the opera on a recording but have never seen it on stage before this performance. It is actually a quite good opera, offering a really nice aria for the bass (Archibaldo) and two extended love duets for the tenor and soprano (Avito and Fiora). I can understand its previous popularity but also its fall from grace. I could imagine occasional performances popping up here and there, programmed for a star bass. This is a bass-heavy opera and Kevin Short as Archibaldo delivers the goods. I remember him as a stunning Phillippe II in the French language Don Carlos two years ago and he delivers an equally fine performance here; his performance of the first act aria is excellent as is his acting of the blind king. Elizabeth Tredent is Fiora, married to Archibaldo's son for political purposes but still in love with a former lover from her home land, Avito. The role is entirely composed of two love duets and an extended scene with her baritone husband—she is afforded no aria of her own. Ms. Tredent does a fine job, but the role, while dramatically important, doesn't contain the juice to really make an impression, plus she is dead by the end of the second of three acts. Matthew Vickers as her lover Avito does some fine, impassioned singing. Marco Nistico as the husband/son Manfredo sings well but his extended second act scene is not Montemezzi's finest writing. Studio Artist Dane Suarez is good as the king's page Flaminio. Also appearing in cameo roles are Apprentice Artists Mark Tempesta, Anna Bridgman, Caitlin Crabill and Molly Burke. The real heroes of this production are Maestro Victor DeRenzi and the Sarasota Opera Orchestra. Maestro DeRenzi gives this score the strong forward thrust it requires and his orchestra plays gorgeously for him all night. I have heard many performances in provincial opera houses in Europe where the orchestras were nowhere near this good. Stephanie Sundine directs so that, with the aid of surtitles (a huge blessing in a somewhat unfamiliar work), it is relatively easy to follow the storyline. Scenic design by David P. Gordon appropriately sets the period and gives the singers space to work in. Costumes by Howard Tsvi Kaplan are lovely to look at and Ken Yunker's lighting design is effective. It is wonderful to see and hear L'amore dei tre re for the first and probably only time. It may not be a masterpiece, but for someone like me who has seen more than his fill of the basic standards, it's great to see a fine production of it. Sarasota Opera presents Rossini's The Love of Three Kings (L'amore dei tre re) through March 26, 2017, at 61 N. Pineapple Avenue, Sarasota. For tickets and information call (941) 366-8450 or visit www.sarasotaopera.org.

With 'The Love of Three Kings,' Sarasota Opera beautifully revives a rarity. Italo Montemezzi, who lived well into the first half of the 20th century, can’t be considered a contemporary composer based on his work, “L’amore dei tre re,” which was completed in 1913. It’s not when it was composed but, rather, how it was written. You hear a lot of Wagner, and there are swirls of Richard Strauss, especially in the orchestra. It’s melodramatic, musically, and certainly, dramatically, but it’s neither verismo nor romantic opera. So, just what is it? “L’amore dei tre re,” (The Love of Three Kings) was extremely popular with some of the greatest names in opera at the beginning of the 20th century. At the Met, it starred the likes of Lucrezia Bori, Rosa Ponselle and Ezio Pinza in the early days, and in 1941, Grace Moore (with the composer conducting), and eight seasons later, Dorothy Kirsten. But then it disappeared from the roster and has only been offered as a rare warhorse-of-a-piece in a few houses around the world, since. What happened? Montemezzi had a little competition from a few other composers who were popular at about the same time, Puccini and Verdi, among them. Being composers of the theater, they brought insight and emotional understanding to both the music and the drama, not to mention memorable arias and a style that grew in popularity. So, much like Zandonai’s “Francesca da Rimini,” written about the same time as Three Kings, the Montemezzi became relegated to rarity status mid-20th century. And that’s why Sarasota Opera’s production is so important. In fact, Sarasota Opera offered it about 15 years ago, but this new, spectacularly beautiful production takes on a whole new shine. The scenery by David P. Gordon is stunning, especially the Act III opening tableau that looks like a Medieval painting, in which even the candles don’t flicker, no less the mourners surrounding Fiora’s bier in the cold crypt. Ken Yunker’s immaculate lighting casts shadows of death everywhere, and Howard Tsvi Kaplan’s costumes, heavy enough to weigh down the most athletic of singers, are so period oriented they have those fleas jumping out of them again. This may be melodrama, but it captures the period of the Dark Ages with an eerie, deathly pall. And death there is, all around. You know it from the first notes played by the excellent Sarasota Opera Orchestra under the expert guidance of Victor DeRenzi. (Listen for some exquisite solos in the orchestra, including a beauty from the principal viola in the last act.) This is one of those operas where, like a Shakespearean tragedy, almost everyone dies at the end, and that’s no spoiler alert. It’s how they meet their ends that makes this opera a standout among body counts on stage. Strangulation, poison, suicide and even love kill off almost all the leads, but — and this may be another reason the opera lost its popularity — not a tear is shed at the end for these characters. Stage director Stephanie Sundine brought out all the emotion she could wring from this very static opera. The music may meander and swirl with Straussian passion, but the characters are singularly monolithic, and Sundine had the performers play their melodramatic roles with all the proper cultural understanding possible. The small cast features four leading roles who are pivotal to the story line. Bass Kevin Short returned to Sarasota Opera as the blind king, Archibaldo, who sees more through his sightless eyes than any other character on stage. We’re told Short wore a blindfold during rehearsals, and it worked beautifully for his characterization. Short has become a great singing actor, making melodrama believable with his strong, resonant and often beautiful voice and intellectually stimulating acting. If you see this opera (and you should), watch and listen to him as he portrays a father who deeply loves his son and perhaps his daughter-in-law, even if he does her in with a stranglehold worthy of the wrestler Short has been in real-life. Marco Nisticò turns in a fine performance as Manfredo, Archibaldo’s son, the love-smitten husband, blinded by love for a wife who loves another. He’s as compassionate and close to a character for whom one might weep if this weren't such a melodramatic piece. Avito, sung with great passion and skill by tenor Matthew Vickers, is more than just another gorgeous voice. He is deliriously in love, and you understand how he dies for his indiscretion. Elizabeth Tredent is positively splendid in the all-important role of the beautiful Fiora, for whom all three royals fall and fall hard. Her voice is enough to make audience members fall for her, as well. And her acting works beautifully with her spectacularly produced voice. Smaller roles were handled with the same beauty and excellence as the leads by Dave Suarez (Flaminio), Mark Tempesta (a young man) and Anna Bridgman (a handmaiden). It must be said that this opera has more make-out scenes than almost anything I’ve seen except in a Gidget movie. Kisses abound and, anytime the singers have a chance to rest, especially Avito and Fiora, they do it with their lips locked together. Come to think of it, it’s Fiora’s Kiss of Death that literally does her lovers in. But she doesn’t do it knowingly, being dead at the time. Okay. It’s easy to make fun of this work because it’s so out of style these days. But thank goodness Sarasota Opera chose to present it, especially in such a stunning production. It’s a rarity for good reason and all that gives us good reason to see it.

Verdi's renowned La traviata, (The Fallen Woman), formerly titled Violetta after its tragic heroine, is beautifully cast and staged at Sarasota Opera. Story has it, inspired by a performance Verdi saw of Alexander Dumas fils's The Lady of the Camellias, he immediately started to pen La traviata. This is a wonderful opportunity to see one of Giuseppe Verdi's well know works by one of the most outstanding opera houses in the country. We join the ill-fated courtesan Violetta Valéry (Elizabeth Tredent) in the salon of her Parisian residence as she welcomes guests to a lavish party she is hosting to celebrate her recovery from a recent illness. Although she is presently with Baron Douphol (Jared A Guest), her friend Gastone, Viscount of Letorières (Stephen Martin) brings his colleague Alfredo Germont (Andrew Surrena) to the party and tells her that during her sickness Alfredo inquired daily about her health, adoring her from afar. Attention like this not being received from Gastone, Violetta ponders her situation. Later when guests move to another room to dance, Violetta and Alfredo have the chance to speak privately as he confesses his admiration for her. As fate would have it her tuberculosis is worsening and she feels faint and weak. She sends him off with a flower wondering if he could be the man of her dreams. The plot thickens when Alfredo's father Giorgio Germont (Marco Nisticò) gets into the mix expressing his displeasure in his son's involvement with Violetta. He finally convinces her to leave Alfredo, as his daughter cannot marry if Violetta remains with his son. She writes Alfredo a note of her abandonment. This infuriates him and he seeks out Violetta and Baron at a gathering of friends. At the gathering Baron loses several games of cards to Alfredo. Alone with Alfredo, Violetta accuses Baron of forcing her to end their relationship. Alfredo publically humiliates her for this in front of the crowd and is admonished by his father Giorgio. Baron finally challenges Alfredo to a duel. Soon Violetta becomes gravely ill. While bedridden she receives notice from Giorgio explaining Baron is recovering from a wound from his dual with Alfredo who has left the county. Giorgio comes clean with his son about Violetta's agreement with him. In her final hours Alfredo returns to her and she briefly recaptures the strength to dream with him about being together before she tragically dies. This is a heart-wrenching story that is sustained with beautiful music and lyrics. La traviata is a soprano's dream and Ms. Tredent is especially brilliant in her portrayal as Violetta. Her statuesque frame lends an air of royalty and sophistication to her courtesan role throughout the production. Mr. Nisticò has a duet with Tredent that will pull at your heartstrings. Stage director Stephanie Sundine maybe could have broadened the fine performances by Mr. Nisticò and Mr. Surrena. The passion I was hoping to see between Alfredo and Violetta was not abundantly clear. Mr. Guest as Baron came to life more, showing a dark side in controlling Violetta and at the party in Act II and during his gambling rage. Scenic Designer David Gano took our breath away and once again received a round of applause as the curtain rose to a stunning and lavish opening design, boasting 2 fireplaces and a chandelier that would make Phantom jealous. Costume Coordinator Howard Tsvi Kaplan captured the sophisticated styling of the French bourgeois in every scene. As always Maestro Victor DeRenzi interpreted the score with passion and lead his accomplished orchestra with the finesse we are accustomed to receiving from him at each performance. Sarasota is world famous for its Verdi Cycle, an endeavor that included productions of all of Verdi's operas and performances of his entire body of non-theatrical works. This 28-season initiative began in 1989 and ended in 2016. La traviata was last presented in 2009. The current production marks the return of Verdi's music for the first time since the completion of the Verdi Cycle. La traviata runs through November 21, 2017. For more information visit www.sarasotaopera.org.

Giuseppe Verdi's music returns to the Sarasota Opera House with an excellent production. “Everything Old is New Again” was certainly the case when the Sarasota Opera opened its fall season with a stunning new production of Giuseppe Verdi’s ageless “La Traviata.” After 28 years devoted to presenting every known note and opera written by this composer, the opera wisely took a brief Verdian hiatus last season, and his return to the repertoire was greeted by an enthusiastic capacity audience, eager for every note and nuance. Based on Dumas’ “Lady of the Camellias,” the opera traces a tragic six months in the life of Violetta, a courtesan of the demi monde, who, suffering from consumption, finds true love in Alfredo — only to have their brief love shattered by his interfering father. After she is publicly humiliated by her renounced lover, she declines in health and spirit, only to be reunited and reconciled in her final moments as she expires in Alfredo’s arms. Opera is first and foremost about good singing, and the three principal artists gave us that and much more. Verdi’s Violetta is a demanding role for any soprano, moving as it does from giddy coloratura in the first act through the drama of the second, to the agonizing weakness of the final scene. Elizabeth Tredent, who was most impressive in last season’s “Love of Three Kings,” proved more than equal to the task. She has a lovely lyric voice that she uses well, and her performance was both vocally lovely and dramatically convincing throughout the evening. Tenor Andrew Surrena was an excellent Alfredo in both voice and movement, especially in his second act aria and cabaletta and in his duets with Violetta. Tredent and Surrena are both former apprentice and studio artists, showcasing both the quality of these programs and the loyalty of the Sarasota Opera to the careers of its young artists. The role of Georgio Germont was ably portrayed by Sarasota Opera veteran Marc Nisticò, who is always an audience favorite. His voice, sounding just a bit dry at times, was perfect for the role of Alfredo’s father, and his subtle transition from antagonism to sympathy when he convinced Violetta to leave Alfredo was a highlight of the evening. His aria, “Di Provenza il mar” was beautifully sung, as well as were both verses of the cabaletta, which is often omitted. All of the smaller vital roles were competently handled by studio and apprentice artists, led by Laurel Semerdjian as Flora and Jared A. Guest as the Baron Douphol. Stephen Martin as Gastone, Do Jin Jung as the Marquis D’Obigny, Anna Bridgman as Annina, Costas Tsourakis as Dr. Grenvil, Jake Skipworth as the messenger and Alexander Henderson as Flora’s servant rounded out the large cast. The scenic world they inhabited, created by designer David Gant, featured a palette of opulent burgundies and black, dominated by a huge chandelier in Act I and a massive staircase in Flora’s house in Act II. Equally impressive were the settings for the lovers’ country place and Violetta’s sparsely furnished bedroom in the final act. Lighting was designed by Ken Yunker, who never fails to provide just the right touch to the mood of each scene. Costumes were coordinated by Howard Tsvi Kaplan, who dressed his characters appropriately and with sartorial elegance, and hair and makeup were designed by Brittany Rappise in her Sarasota Opera debut. Stephanie Sundine’s excellent stage direction created some beautiful tableaux and movement with the chorus, giving each of them a distinct personality. She provided the principal singers with a subtlety of character and movement not often seen in opera. Sundine expertly managed every detail from the elegant sit-down dinner of Act I to the staging of the usually superfluous Gypsy Chorus and “Matador’s Song” at Flora’s party in Act II, which was augmented with charming dance soloists from the Sarasota Cuban Ballet School, choreographed by Tania Vergara. Artistic Director Victor DeRenzi conducted an excellent Sarasota Orchestra in a musically lovely performance, always moving the drama forward while producing a solid foundation for the singers. DeRenzi is a Verdi scholar, and he wisely restored all the cuts often made in “La Traviata.” These include not only the earlier-mentioned cabalettas of Alfredo and Germont in Act II, but also the second verses of all the arias, which, together with a bit of subtle ornamentation, was a most welcome surprise. Aside from just a touch of opening-night-itis at the outset, the performance settled and then soared as the evening progressed. All in all, this performance of “La Traviata” was one of the best outings of the Sarasota Opera in recent memory. It runs through Nov. 21. This one is special, don’t miss it!