Ankstesnės produkcijos apžvalgos
11"The third opera in the programme of the Donizetti festival in Bergamo was a surprising and well-deserved success thanks to the cast led by Gilda Fiume and Antonino Siragusa, the direction of Stefano Simone Pintor, and the conducting of Corrado Rovaris. [...] It may be a fragile dramaturgy, but Alfredo il grande is a work that is linked to a close political topicality, and director Stefano Simone Pintor (with set designer Gregorio Zurla, costume designer Giada Masi, Fiammetta Baldiserri for the lights and Virginio Levrio for the videos) did well to gracefully relate it to the contemporary world. Rather than the generic good and legitimate ruler of Tottola's verses, he looks at the depth of the historical figure, the 9th century sovereign who was a legislator and promoter of literacy, translation of Latin texts into English, a cultural policy of fundamental importance for the country's development. Here then, the canonical horned helmets of the Viking barbarians are not only a tender allusion to iconographic tradition, but on closer inspection are actually replicas of the headgear of the famous 'Shaman' of the 6 January 2021 attack on Capitol Hill. In contrast, Alfredo, his wife Amalia, General Eduardo, even the peasant girls Enrichetta and Margherita with Guglielmo (here a prelate) often appear with a book in hand, intent on reading or writing.In the backdrop projections, which are effective and non-invasive, the redemption is a redemption of culture represented by refined illuminated pages, while the barbaric violence has the ignorant and pernicious guise of those who in history have burned and burn books, of wars of yesterday and today.Today we celebrate not monarchy, but civilisation, and indeed Amalia sheds her tiara and ermine to intone her final rondo."
"In Pintor's direction, the characters/performers move effectively within a simple scenic structure. Here too, on the same led wall as Il diluvio universale, real images appear, such as fires, destruction and the assault on Capitol Hill (with the shaman's horned headdress that we will find on the heads of the Danes!), alternating with ironic and elegant graphics that use the codes and miniatures of the time. [...] What seemed to be the least attractive show in the Bergamasque review, after a biblical drama and the French version of one of Donizetti's greatest masterpieces, is not only a lucky repechage but has turned out to be the most successful and one of the best in recent years, so much so that we are convinced that Alfredo il Grande has all the credentials to become a repertory title."
Federica Vitali in the role of Geltrude proved herself to be an excellent comedy actress, really hamming up the role in fine style, and sporting a captivating hairstyle. Moreover, she used the role to show off her beautifully sounding soprano, which she used well in characterizing the role.
Tratteggiato perfettamente da Federica Vitali, il ruolo di Geltrude. Vocalmente totalmente aderente al personaggio, ha dimostrato di possedere un'ottima espressività anche dal punto di vista scenico.
The transposition of the opera was daring, not least because it involved the rewriting of most of the spoken dialogue, but for me it worked. The concept is that any war is comparable to any other, and so are class differences, gender stereotypes and moral dilemmas.
Nina Solodovinkova also brought a vibrant coloratura soprano to the role of Annetta particularly in her Act one aria. Here she used the line to her advantage as her soprano moved with great flexibility, her timbre melting from one phrase into the other; she also interpolated some potent high notes.
The vocal cast was of a good level. One must not look for the most interesting interpreters in Pietro, entrusted to Roberto de Candia's sure craft, or in Francisco Brito's Carlo, a correct but slightly bland tenor. Here the scene was stolen by the acting effervescence and the remarkable vocal presence of Marco Filippo Romano, a basso buffo who sang the exhilarating role of Ser Cuccupis, the local magistrate. Even the other basso, Tommaso Barea, was a very effective performer as the usurer Firman-Trombest, while Marcello Nardis gave voice to the character of Hondediski, a prototype for L'elisir's Belcore. Among the female performers, it was not the slender, though agile, voice of Nina Solodovnikova (Annetta) that excited, but Loriana Castellano and Paola Gardina, as Caterina and Madama Fritz respectively, to whom Donizetti devotes two masterful pages right at the end of the opera: to the Tsarina the aria “Pace una volta, e calma” with a noble Mozartian tempo, and to the innkeeper a scene with rondo “In questo estremo amplesso” of huge theatrical effect. In both numbers the two singers demonstrated expressive qualities and vocal preciousness that have given an extra dimension to their characters. For the staging of this rare title, Francesco Micheli, artistic director of the festival, summoned the Roman collective Ondadurto Teatro (Marco Paciotti and Lorenzo Pasquali), a company known for its interdisciplinary shows, ranging from nouveau cirque to physical theatre, from dance to gesture. On their debut in the world of opera, their juvenile zeal was appreciated. However it led sometimes to the excesses of a horror vacui (mimes, trapeze artists, video projections) which were often intrusive. In the scenery and in the costumes, the geometric and colourful elements of Russian abstract (Kandinsky and above all Malevič) were recognised, forcefully adapted to a story set in Peter the Great's Russia. The rigidity of the unusual costumes designed by K.B. Project did not restrict the freedom of the characters, but underlined their overall schematic pattern.
Fridman was powerful, Konu Kim gave a profound performance filled with different colors and emotions. No one could ever anticipate what Kim would do with the role as he first entered Act one, singing with a bright timbre and giving each phrase a smooth and delicate color. His phrases starting out with a piano sound and would eventually crescendo to a forte with smoothness and facility. That bright optimism could be seen in the aforementioned duet with Sylvia. While Fridman sang with delicacy and darker hues, Kim’s timbre contrasted with gleam, his high notes projecting beautifully into the hall. In the role of the King, Florian Sempey brought an imposing baritone to his character. From the start of the performance, he gave off an air of authority that started to weaken throughout the evening. In the his duet with Sylvia, Sempey brought a refined and controlled timbre that showcased his power over her. He forced Fridman into his arms undressing himself and insinuating forced intercourse. Overall the orchestra was solid but Tingaud sometimes indulged in slower tempi particularly in the ensemble strettas. It may have added to the drama to give more time to the ensembles but it seemed more French in style than the energetic Italian Bel Canto. The chorus led by Fabio Tartari was also part of the success of the evening. The changes in character that were conveyed showed their versatility. At the beginning they were boisterous, animated, joyful and prepared for a party, singing with unending energy. In the third act, the men’s chorus was gossipy, singing in a soft staccato as they were conspiring and entertaining themselves with the secret of Sylvia being the king’s mistress. In the final act the ensemble sang with an angelic tone, bringing the opera to a powerful and heavenly finale. Overall this was an unforgettable evening that thankfully has been recorded for release through Dynamic and presented Lidia Fridman and Konu Kim as promising figures in the opera world.
The festival’s music director, Riccardo Frizza, dapper in his yellow Donizetti Opera facemask, led a vivid account of the score. Tempi were taut, the strings lithe, woodwind solos attractive. The pit in the newly renovated Teatro Donizetti was raised to stage level, with perspex screens behind the strings, separating them from the woodwinds and brass; beyond a further row of screens were the chorus, singing into their masks. The stalls, stripped of seating, were populated by the principals, singing from a row of socially distanced music stands facing the stage. Roberto Frontali, replacing Domingo in the title role, sang well, particularly in the father–daughter duet with Annalisa Stroppa’s Irene. Frontali’s baritone is flinty, but his dramatic instincts made for a vital portrayal, with plenty of bite in his recitatives and a moving scene where Belisario narrates a dream in which he foresaw his son causing the downfall of the empire. Stroppa was impressive throughout, her refined, cultured singing very much in the classic bel canto mould. Bright-toned tenor Celso Albelo sang a distinguished Alamiro, the faithful slave who turns out to be Belisario’s long-lost son, long since believed to have been murdered on his father’s orders. Apart from a few moments where he pushed his tone hard, Albelo was a model of elegance and grace. There was no applause at the end, chorus, orchestra and soloists taking their bows in complete silence rather than applauding each other – deferential, perhaps, to the appalling death toll Bergamo suffered, but at odds with the jocular style of presentation in the pre-performance and interval features which included Frizza and Frontali chatting to a best of Donizetti and the hosts sharing lively banter over their interval drinks.
There were obvious additional challenges in the current environment. Instead of presenting Le nozze in villa in the newly renovated theater, the third Donizetti opera was presented online, filmed in a spectator-less opera house. Always following social distancing rules, director Davide Marranchelli and set designer Anna Bonomelli tried to take advantage of the situation, coming up with an imaginative mise-en-scène. The orchestra was placed on stage with the wind players behind a plexiglass screen. The auditorium was covered with green strips of artificial turf and, in a preamble to the performance. Le nozze in villa is the work of a young composer in the process of discovering his own path. The music does sound imitative, Rossini’s shadow looming high over the score (an aria sung by Nonna Anastasia, authoritative mezzo Manuela Custer, sounded very much like the one sung by Berta in Il barbiere di Siviglia). Nevertheless, vocal ensembles were well balanced and the orchestral music was beautifully shaped with noticeable woodwinds interventions. Switching around from accompanying recitatives at the keyboard to conducting with great verve, Montanari led with confidence the historically informed instrumentalists of Gli originali and the Donizetti Opera Chorus, even if the synchronization between singers and orchestra was not always perfect. Meritoriously, he easily brought forward both the sparkling spirit and the melodiousness of the score. The most accomplished of the evening’s soloist was mezzo Gaia Petrone in the role of Sabina. She displayed a full, rounded, mellifluous voice in several arias. As her love interest, Claudio, tenor Giorgio Misseri became more and more assured as the evening progressed. Voices occasionally shaky, the two baritones – Omar Montanari (Don Petronio) and Fabio Capitanucci (Trifoglio) – acted with confidence, navigating with panache through the convoluted plot.
Comunque non è chiaro se si sia riso tanto per merito della coppia Rossi-Mayr o del regista Roberto Catalano, che avrà sì o no trent’anni e non li dimostra affatto. Il suo spettacolo in realtà è semplicissimo, scena fissa, nessun effetto speciale: ma tutti recitano da padreterni, le trovate sono continue, non c’è una gag che non vada a segno. Ne risulta una specie di commedia all’italiana piena di brio e d’ironia, di grazia e di divertimento: chapeau al regista ragazzino
