Past Production Reviews
8Singapore baritone Martin Ng, the only other singer with roles in both operas, was very convincing as the menacing mafioso Alfio in Cav and bumbling comedic Tonio in Pag.
"But until a decade ago you rarely found tenors who performed the leading roles in both during the same evening. Given that history, Singapore Lyric Opera’s double bill on November 23 and 24 took a few chances in casting not only the Dominican tenor José Heredia as both Turiddu (in Cavalleria) and Canio (in Pagliacci) but also the Italian-American soprano Lisa Algozzini as Santuzza and Nedda and the Singaporean baritone Martin Ng as Alfio and Tonio...And the gamble paid off surprisingly well.... Ng went from a borderline thug as Alfio to a bumblingly inept Tonio with vocal aplomb."
After a fantastic performance of the Overture to ‘La Forza del destino’ by the Singapore Lyric Opera (SLO) Orchestra, the affable conductor Darrell Ang announced the theme of the concert which was also the concert’s title: a celebration of Giuseppe Verdi’s bicentenary through a presentation of the favourite lollipops from his many operas. In his short but informative address, Ang highlighted Verdi’s role as a political figure and the father of modern Italian opera, and summarised the music of Verdi as ‘an amalgamation of different personalities’. If Darrell Ang was indirectly boasting of the orchestra’s versatility, he had every right to do so. The SLO Orchestra is a small but elite group, well known for their solid performances in every SLO production, and despite lacking a desirable full-bodied sound at times, they compensated tonight with deeply sensitive performances of Verdi’s oeuvre. They evoked a wide spectrum of emotions in the Overtures (La Forza del destino and I Vespri Siciliani) and Ballet Music (Aida), in which the woodwinds stood out with their mesmerising, silvery sounds. The rich, youthful spirit of the all-female chorus in the Witches’ Chorus (Macbeth) and an exceptional Gypsy Chorus (La Traviata) were the icing on the cake. The four soloists of the night were no less impressive. Singaporean mezzo-soprano Anna Koor took the stage first with Oh, dischiuso e il Firmamento (Nabucco). She started off nervously, perhaps as part of her portrayal of a Fenema coming to terms with her impending martyrdom, but all nervousness dissipated towards the end as she envisioned her soul’s ascension into heaven. In the second half, Koor’s Rataplan (La Forza del destino) showed off some great breath control, but the strength of her voice was not quite sufficient to lead the march-like sequence in the chorus and orchestra.
The success of this production extended to the rest of the cast: rejecting the usualbuffo approach, Michael Lion gave imposing authority as Dr Bartolo (pictured, left, threatening Rosina with a scalpel. Rosina has an interesting sense of fashion here, despite being so oppressed), making it easy to see why the feisty Rosina is so afraid of his booming bass and towering presence. In the small role of the Army Officer, the suggestively named Brent Allcock sang his lines with resnonace and clarity, and to borrow an oft-used term from the New York Times opera critic, looked strapping in a SAF uniform with his blond hair and sharp Caucasian features. The SLO chorus sang, acted and danced with slick choreography, well-rehearsed familiarity and high spirits.
Coming close to stealing the whole show was Ng's Dulcamara, whose mountebank manners and outrageous swagger (accompanied by a bevy of blonde nurses no less) made him one of the most pleasant “villains” around.
Jonathan Charles Tay and Martin Ng were both vocally suited for their roles as leads Don José and Escamillo respectively – Tay’s Flower Song was effortlessly sung, with lovely floated notes at the end, and Ng’s Toreador Song swaggered as befitting the matador equivalent of a rock star.
Instead, it is the cocky heartthrob Escamillo, played by baritone powerhouse Martin Ng, whose chemistry with Carmen truly sizzles. With strong rugged eyebrows and a delicious swagger, Ng’s Escamillo easily dominates the stage. He delivers the Toreador Song in a suitably brawny timbre, while finding softer tones to harmonise poignantly with Weng in their Act IV love duet (Si tu m’aimes, Carmen). It’s the last tender moment of the opera, before the terrible violence of her confrontation with Don José.
Local singer Ng was excellent as a courageous Amonasro, sporting a voice burnished with determination and a performance acted with vigour.
