Last week The Royal Opera announced a rude awakening for Friends who want to nab those choice tickets. They have moved the opening of the summer season booking on 4th March from a reasonable and sedate 10.00am to a mind-boggling 8.00am! Not so bad I suppose if you have no need to earn a crust and get into work or have some lackey do the booking for you. But for a lot of London and outer-London based Friends 8am is prime commuting time. And in my case that means being stuck on a train, usually standing up and with no hint of a wi-fi signal. What with that and the ROH's recommendation that I log in to the computer in good time, basically means I have to drag myself out of bed at around 5.30 to ensure I'm at my desk, logged in and ready to go by 8.00 am,
The revered and much loved John Copley production starts its final run before being retired for good. There are 11 performances and two casts to choose from. First cast offers the delights of Anna Netrebko gracing London with a rare visit....possibly. I wouldn't lay odds on her actually turning up as the role of Mimi doesn't really seem to fit in with the rest of her current repertoire of Lady Macbeth, Leonora (Trovatore), Manon Lescaut, and Anna Bolena. She last sang Mimi around two years ago so there's every chance she will....and equally every chance she won't. However her colleagues are not to be sniffed at with Joseph Calleja as Rodolfo and Jennifer Rowley making her much anticipated (by me) ROH debut as Musetta.
The second cast is actually my preferred - especially if I could do a bit of swapping around. Lianna Haroutounian, who made a big impression here as Elisabetta in Don Carlo and Helene in Les Vespres siciliennes, sings Mimi, Piotr Beczala is Rodolfo. For the final performance Placido Domingo takes up the conductors baton - very apt as he was this production's very first Rodolfo. Tears will be shed!
Kasper Holten's production of Don Giovanni makes a speedy return to the stage with a brand new cast. Can't say that I'm overly keen to reacquaint myself with this production as I found it misogynistic and hard to take. However the cast assembled for this revival is very good indeed. Christopher Maltman is the Don, while Alex Esposito returns as his sidekick Leporello. Albina Shagimuratova, Dorothea Roschmann and Julia Lezhneva are Anna, Elvira and Zerlina while Rolando Villazon essays Don Ottavio - sharing the role with the fantastic Michele Angelini. Alain Altinoglu conducts what should be a musically fabulous revival - if only the production were better.
Finally a new production! Damiano Michieletto makes his Royal Opera House debut with Rossini's opera - the one with the famous overture! Antonio Pappano will conduct a strong cast with Gerald Finley in the title role, Malin Bystrom as Mathilde and American tenor John Osborne as Arnold. One to watch!
Verdi's final opera makes a welcome return in Robert Carsen's very amiable production, updated to the 1950's. The updating doesn't really work but doesn't really jar either so definitely worth seeing if you haven't seen it before. Casting is fine without being star-driven - but then its not that sort of opera. Ambrogio Maestri returns as the corpulent knight, Spanish soprano Ainhoa Arteta is Alice Ford (replacing a previously announced Marina Poplavskya) and Roland Wood (who I enjoyed as Roucher in Andrea Chenier) is Ford.
And that's it for opera performances for the 2014/15 season. There are a couple of extras to round off the season. The Jette Parker Young Artists have their 'end of term' concert on 18th July which will include excerpts from Simon Boccanegra, Adriana Lecouvreur, Les pecheurs des perles, Romeo et Juliette and others.
While on 19th July Placido Domingo's Operalia competition comes to London for the first time. A great chance to do spot possible stars of the future.
So that's it! But what does next season hold? No one quite knows - or at least they're not telling. A season announcement is not expected until early April so until then why not visit the Future Royal Opera Wiki to keep abreast of matters - or even add some inside information!
I'll leave you with my bit of wishful thinking for next season:
I think it's fair to say that Giordano's Andrea Chenier is not exactly top of the operatic hit parade when it comes to performances at the Royal Opera House. A cursory glance indicates that it was last performed there over 30 years ago! And yet it has some fabulous arias and duets that are loved by singers and audiences alike and quite rightly rolled out at gala concerts all over the world. La Mamma Morta is famously featured in the movie Philadelphia. As voiced by Maria Callas the aria is a high point and usually has audiences reaching for the hankies in no time. So why the dearth of performances?
When I asked the same question not so long ago about Puccini's Manon Lescaut the answer seemed to revolve around the tenor role and the lack of a suitable voice (or at least one willing) to take on the part. And so the story seems to be repeated here. And it seems to be no coincidence that once again Jonas Kaufmann steps into the breach and dares to go where no other tenor at Covent Garden has gone before - at least for quite some time.
Covent Garden has certainly rolled out the big guns for this new production. David McVicar directs, Antonio Pappano conducts and along side the 'world's greatest tenor' the cast is pretty decent too. Eva-Maria Westbroek (something of a house favourite) debuts her Maddelena with baritone Željko Lučić as nominal villain Gerard. Minor casting is not skimped on either with former diva Rosalind Plowright as the Contessa, Denyce Graves as Bersi and Peter Coleman-Wright as Fleville. What could possibly go wrong?
On the vocal side, actually very little indeed. Jonas sings with practiced technique and a golden burnished ardour throughout - an accomplished debut of a very arduous tenor role. Four arias and duets aplenty - not forgetting to save your best for the final blistering duet - this is not an easy sing by any means. If I'm honest there's definitely a sense of power held in reserve and the singing is never anything less than tasteful - whether verismo should be quite this tasteful is for others to judge. I did enjoy it (more so the second performance I saw) but think an ounce more 'oomph' wouldn't go amiss. But quite honestly, not sure which other tenor (preferably alive) who I'd rather see and hear in the role. His portrayal of Chenier was more detailed than most - a sulky resentful poet in Act 1 as he surveys the aristocrats at play; Act 2 reveals Chenier as drunk and disillusioned with revolution and its excesses...until love is revealed in the shape of Maddalena. In Act 3 a sense of resignation to his fate is revealed, only briefly illuminated by his angry self-defense. Act 4 is simply the culmination of all that has gone before - a short very sublime postscript, the duet a mini-Liebstod as the lovers welcome the embrace of Madame la Guillotine.
Eva-Maria Westbroek also makes her stage debut as Chenier's doomed love Maddalena. The soprano has less to sing perhaps but also has to work harder to make an impression. The diligent soprano is rewarded with slightly more character development than the tenor, going from young flighty aristocrat to world-weary fugitive and finally, and in the final act, to absolute heroine. Her Act 3 confrontation with Gerard is the turning point of the opera and she certainly makes the most of it. The voice may not be ideally suited to the repertory but she is a warm-hearted and totally believable character and in many ways becomes the beating heart of the opera.
Revolutionary fervour is encapsulated in the form of Carlo Gerard - and as played by Željko Lučić he makes the most of every opportunity - saving his best singing for his aria Nemico della Patria. Again, not typically Italianate in tone but dark, firm and secure of voice - and a decent actor to boot. Not sure if he's already done Scarpia but that role surely beckons?
As you might have noticed by the photographs, this was a resolutely traditional production by David McVicar. Or as he put it himself 'It's the French Revolution - its a no brainer!' Costumes by Jenny Tiramani were equally traditional and well researched. It's a very decent production though to be honest, not that exciting. I though the vast open sets worked well for the opulent French chateau of Act 1 - less well for the remaining acts. It was all a bit too vast, too well-scrubbed and too polite - no sense of real menace or threat. There was no real sense of shock and outrage in Act 1 as Chenier impolitely rounded on his hosts with his improvised denunciation of the aristocracy. Or even when a scattering of peasants intruded - quickly shooed away as the gavotte resumed. The Act 3 trial scene was also curiously tepid in places - a bit more grit here wouldn't go amiss.
I feel the composer also has to take his share of the blame for being less than convincing in places. While the arias and duets shine with passion and inspiration, some of the other music is less memorable and the energy sags as you wait for the next big "tune". Maddalena and Chenier could also have done with a bit more stage time together as the progress of their relationship is episodic to say the least and you have to take it on trust that they fell in love somewhere along the way!
These are minor quibbles which are swept away by the passion of final short act where it almost feels as it there has been a sudden power surge! The temperature leaps up as Jonas lets rip in Come un bel di di Maggio - Chenier's final soaring lament, quickly followed by the ecstatic duet Vicino a te, as his beloved comes to die with him. A gorgeous and sublime ending to a not quite perfect opera.
If you can't get to London or can't get a ticket, ROH are broadcasting this opera around the UK and the rest of the world. Transmission details for your area can be found Here - have a feeling this production will work even better in close up.
And for your viewing pleasure the final glorious duet can be heard here:
I love this opera. Thought I'd better get that out in the open before we go much further. And I have a pretty long history with it, as bizarrely (given its comparative scarcity) it was one of the first full length operas I watched back in the early 1990's when I was first getting into opera in a big way. Placido Domingo was really my way into opera - I loved his voice (still do) and I loved that he could act and make me believe in the character he was playing. So when I investigated his video catalogue and found Manon Lescaut (which I'd never heard of) it didn't faze me one bit...and as a bonus it also starred Kiri te Kanawa and Thomas Allen.
I think its safe to say it was love at first sight...or first listen. I just fell in love with the romance, passion and desperation it portrays. And even in a traditional no-surprises sort of production, the plot is clear and concise, the singing soaring and melodic (even if Kiri was having an off night due to illness) and the music simply sublime. Yes, I love Tosca and Fanciulla, but if I'm honest Manon Lescaut is my first love. But since 1983 there have been no performances of Puccini's first great success at the Royal Opera...until now.
You can imagine then my excitement when it was announced that Jonas Kaufmann would be taking over the mantel of the lovelorn Chevalier Des Grieux opposite Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais as Manon Lescaut. Jonathan Kent was announced as director and Antonio Pappano conductor. I had no qualms at all about Tony P at the helm. He is such a great Puccni conductor, almost feeling the music in his blood. And he has such a magnetic and enthusiastic personality - I just love to watch him talk about music and especially Italian opera.
Jonathan Kent is a slightly different proposition, although it has to be said I have only had two previous experiences with his productions, one of which I love, the other, well I pretty much hated it. I loved the ROH Tosca production, although I don't think you can really go far wrong with Tosca. The other was a Flying Dutchman for ENO which started well but then deteriorated badly and changed Wagner's passionate opera of redemption into something else entirely. So its fair to say I wasn't entirely sure which side of the fence Manon Lescaut would finally rest. As it turns out, it was somewhere in between.
But lets get the good stuff out of the way first. The most important question for me is 'is the singing any good?'. Kaufmann is a very well known quantity for me now so I had no doubts about his ability in the vocal department. And sure enough he was outstanding as a lovelorn student forever in thrall to Manon, singing with a desperate passion that I have not heard from him before. The voice seemed to soar effortlessly even in the dark and heart-rending scenes of Acts 3 and 4. Make no bones about it, Manon Lescaut is not an easy opera for singers and this is one of Puccini's most difficult tenor roles. There were definite hints of Otello in his passionate Act 3 pleas and in the total desperation of Act 4. There is such drama in the self-loathing and debasement the character feels, and Jonas gives it his considerable all. This part fits him like a glove and I'd go far as to say its one of his best roles. Yes, perhaps you could say that the Act 1 arias could be lighter and more flirtatious, but that's a minor quibble and I thought he sang them well. This is his début as Des Grieux and already he has scheduled two more new productions - one in Munich later this year with Anna Netrebko, and a rumoured production at the Met in New York, a co-production with Baden-Baden. Make no mistake, Kaufmann and Puccini are a match made in heaven.
Kristine Opolais comes to the part of Manon Lescaut with a pretty good track record in Puccini and a fast growing reputation as a singer to watch. I caught her in Tosca last year and whilst I enjoyed her performance I didn't find her as exciting as everyone had told me she was. I did enjoy her characterisation of Tosca which went a long way, but vocally I thought she was good but not extraordinary. After now hearing her in Manon Lescaut, I still feel much the same way, although I think the part of Manon suits her much better. Don't get me wrong, I loved the total performance and her chemistry with Kaufmann was extraordinary. She's an effective actress and this was a great début in a difficult role (and a difficult production...more later) but take away the stage and the acting and the set and what do you have? A very good voice to be sure but not one that I could pick out of a crowd. And that readily identifiable quality is what I miss in her voice - something special that marks her out from the crowd. I also heard her sing Desdemona's aria at the Proms last year and on balance I actually think I prefer her Verdi. But I'd definitely go to see her again - she's doing Butterfly next season and I will be there no doubt about it.
Christopher Maltman as Manon's brother Lescaut (another role début) was in very good voice indeed, in what is quite an ungrateful part for a baritone...but then Puccini wasn't really that interested in baritones as a rule. As a result his part tapers off in Act 3 and he is never seen again. I think an ounce more charm would make this character even more of a success, but Chris did what the director asked of him and it came off pretty well I thought.
If I've been cagey so far about the production there's a very good reason for that...its because basically I'm feeling a bit schizophrenic about it! I loved half of it but then.....
But I'm rushing ahead.
Jonathan Kent made no bones about it in the lead up to the production that this was to be a modern contemporary version. If I was nervous about that, it was only because I'd already seen the Welsh National Opera 'contemporary' updating recently and was less than impressed. I was so not impressed by it that I couldn't even blog about it - that's how much I disliked it. I don't mind updatings and enjoy quite a lot of them, but I do hate it when directors change the story on me, to give me their own version or tell a completely different story to the one the composer is telling. I have a particular problem when they do this with Puccini as his music is so specific and so theatrical that if you try to tell a different story, it doesn't match the music. For me, the WNO production of Manon Lescaut had the same affect as nails down a blackboard. Great directors work with the music, not against it.
I've now seen the new ROH production twice, once on stage and once on the big screen HD broadcast so I've had a chance to think about it and see what worked for me and what didn't. Broadly speaking Acts 1 and 2 worked dramatically and Acts 3 and 4 were less successful. Not helpful in the house were the restricted sight-lines experienced in some areas. I notice that ROH Director of Opera Kasper Holten has now apologised for this with a promise to do better next time.
Apart from sight-line problems most of the directorial ideas worked well in the first act, although I found the slightly self-concious waving around of iPads amusing. The gaming tables/casino set up on stage were a little odd and would it have hurt to put the supposed soldier Lescaut, into a uniform - at least for his introduction? Otherwise all was colourful enjoyment, even if there was a little too much running up and down stairs on this multi-layered set.
Act 2 was possibly my favourite although it appears I may be in the minority. This is the act where Manon has left her young lover for the abundant riches of Geronte, here played as some high-level, filthy rich banker. She is comfortably ensconced in a Barbie-pink gilded cage of a boudoir, platinum blonde wig and minuscule dress, her dancing lessons transformed into some sort of soft-porn movie shoot, watched by Geronte and his hangers-on. As bizarre as this sounds it works very well and at no point do you ever feel that Manon is there against her will. No. This is the price she is willing to pay for the riches, jewels and fame that come her way. Although the music provided by Puccini is faux- 18th century (including an elegant minuet at one point) this still works for the most part. Where Jonathan Kent has got it absolutely right, is the depiction of sex - both successful and not quite so successful. (Avert your eyes now if you're squeamish).
Manon Lescaut is about sex, passion, power, lust and desperate devotion. No where is this more evocatively portrayed than in the music of Act 2 which musically describes not only the overwhelming physical passion of Manon and Des Grieux but a slightly less successful encounter between Manon and Geronte. In traditional productions these two encounters are slightly less obvious, usually involving a dance for Manon and Geronte and then a passionate embrace for Manon and Des Grieux. Listen again. The music accompanying the 'dance' builds in a slow but steady rhythm, the music rising higher and higher with suitable vocal encouragement from the hangers on, until suddenly the music suddenly skitters out of control, as Manon's more mature admirer suffers a bad case of errr...getting overexcited shall we say? While not explicitly shown in this modern production, Manon was straddling her aged protector on the bed at this point, so I think the director knew exactly what he was doing.
As he was when he finally had Des Grieux burst onto the scene, once Manon's other admirers had left her bedroom. After the usual recriminations Des Grieux capitulates to Manon's charms, allowing himself to be seduced...although in this production he is by no means passive in the seduction! "I can fight no longer" he says, and the love duet proper begins. The ensuing duet is a musical depiction of sex - passionate loving sex to be sure, but sex all the same, and the singers throw themselves into the action as required, culminating in a musical orgasm, complete with whispered sweet-nothings muttered in the post-coital glow. When Des Grieux mutters "Manon, mi fai morire" (you make me want to die or you bring me close to death), he's not talking about actual death, but rather the more pleasant 'le petite mort' - an orgasm. And nothing wrong with that at all. Unsurprisingly, when Geronte unexpectedly reappears there is consternation all around - lets face it, he has just walked in on them, in bed, basking in the sexual afterglow and while no nudity is involved, I think this production leaves no doubt as to what as happened. As an aside, I thought it was slightly more 'passionate' in the dress rehearsal and slightly, only slightly, toned down for the HD broadcast. Not sure if this was due to the inclination of the singers, director, opera house or possible DVD censors! It still works but I'm intrigued.
Photograph Copyright Bill Cooper
And alas this is where my praise for the physical production more or less ends. In Act 3, the original story has Manon (after Geronte has her locked up for being an 'immoral woman') sentenced to exile to the American colonies. In this production Manon is sentenced to....I'm not really sure! When Des Grieux and Lescaut arrive to rescue Manon, she seems pretty much able to wander about as she wants! No ship awaiting to take her to exile, in fact no mode of transport at all. It seems to be some sort of game show set up, although everyone looks to be a loser and their fate is to step through a ripped poster. Now, call me old-fashioned but that doesn't really work for me. The music and singing was as sublime, passionate and heartfelt as ever (especially from Jonas) but there was no sense of drama in the setting, no sense that he was about to be separated for ever from his love, that she would be exiled and never seen again. Luckily the two principles managed to overcome the lack of coherent drama, providing it all with their acting and singing -but what a let down!
The very short Act 4 (which basically consists of one long duet interspersed by a solo aria for Manon) was also scenically not ideal. For a start, the action basically continued on without pause from Act 3, Manon still dressed in her tattered and now faded pink Barbie dress. In the novel on which this is based, some time has passed and Manon and Des Grieux have settled happily in the colonies until once again trouble ensues, Des Griuex kills the Governor's nephew who had desired Manon, and they had to flee, ending up in some deserted wasteland far from civilisation. Although Puccini didn't set any of this to music, I think it important to note that once again they are in trouble and its not just a continuation of the previous act. The production here sets this on a half destroyed flyover/highway leading nowhere. Honestly, if this is literally just supposed to depict 'the end of the road' then I'm disappointed and slightly miffed to be honest. While I don't like to over-intellectualise at the opera, I don't like being treated as stupid either. I presume the director wasn't aiming for stupid but that's what it felt like. Anyway, this worked a lot better in the broadcast than it did in the theatre. The singers were placed precariously high up on the highway, resulting in a lot of sight-line problems in the house. The singing was of course sublime and in many ways, made up for the lack of imagination and clear plot narrative displayed. Here I thought, Opolais came into her own, as Manon finally realises how much she loves the man beside her. "My faults will be forgotten, but my love will never die." Frankly, if you're not in tears by this point, you've a harder heart than me!
So in all it was a mixed bag and yet I actually do like this production and I will buy it if it comes out on DVD. Somehow the singing and orchestral playing overwhelm any faults in the production - and the faults are not so huge that the piece as a whole is not worth seeing. But I do also wonder if this production will be revived in the near future - and how revivable it is. Exactly how good would this production have been without the combined vocal and dramatic talents of Kaufmann, Opolais, Maltman and Pappano in the pit? How many top class sopranos do we have who can also pull off the skimpy Act 2 costume. How many tenors can match not only the excessive vocal demands, but also the shimmying up and down staircases and ladders? I don't know the answer, but I do know that this will be a hard cast to follow. That plus the fact that contemporary productions date rather quickly. Jonathan Kent commented that his Tosca for ROH had to be traditional to accommodate frequent revival with a variety of singers. Does he then not expect the same for his Manon Lescaut?
At this point I must also praise Tony Pappano and the ROH orchestra. What a master of Italian opera and Puccini in particular Pappano is. The famous Intermezzo was so richly played, the narrative so clear, the emotion so apparent, that I was almost in tears just listening to this piece. I'm looking forward to the rumoured collaboration between the Maestro and Kaufmann in a recording of Puccini arias. I'll leave you with Pappano and the Intermezzo:
I don’t
normally do first nights.While the
great and the good (and the not so good) like to see and be seen, and critics
of course need to be first off the block to publish their thoughts, by and large
I much prefer to wait and let the performance ‘bed in’ first.I already had a ticket booked for mid-run so
what on earth made me run to the box office to secure another?
Well, many
things as it happens, but primarily the announcement that the first three
performances (at least) were to be sung by Lianna Haroutounian due to the
indisposition of Marina Poplavskya. I
was lucky enough to catch Lianna singing Elisabetta in Don Carlos (standing in
for another indisposed soprano) last year and was impressed by secure,
rich-toned voice and the sensitive acting.
A first class Verdi soprano in the making. Not willing to take a gamble on Ms
Poplavskya’s non-return (and I’d quite like to hear her too) I decided to go
for a first night ticket. I managed to
bag one of my favourite stalls circle bench-seats and so I had a nice clear view of most of the
proceedings.
As has been
written about ad-infinitum elsewhere, Les Vepres Siciliennes is one of Verdi’s
neglected masterpieces and even more rarely performed in the original
French. Another good reason to don the
glad rags and head off to Covent Garden for
the unreasonably (but necessary) early start of 6pm. I also spotted a few familiar faces amongst
the crowds; Norma Major, David Mellor, Mark Elder and Kasper Holten.
So it was
with a really keen sense of anticipation that I finally settled into my seat
and waited for the overture to begin and the curtain to rise.
Things did
not start well – for me at least.
One of my pet
peeves is having some sort of dumb show on stage during overtures, as though
the director cannot trust the audience to let the music do the explaining or
that he cannot abide music having primacy over drama perhaps? For whatever
reason a dumb-show we were treated to.
Which quickly brings me to my second pet peeve and that is the
gratuitous depiction of rape on the opera stage – and this all before the
overture was even finished. But for some
strange reason I was in a forgiving mood and I decided to give Stefan Herheim a
pass for both transgressions just this once.
Given the rarity with which this opera is performed, a little back story
for those in the audience who had come rushing in straight from work did not go
amiss.
Ah yes,
Stefan Herheim, one of the 'enfant terribles' of the operatic ‘regie-theatre’
world. The audience must have been
half-afraid, half-hoping that some shocking piece of lèse-majesté would be let
loose upon the stage. I for one was just
hoping for excellent music making and hopefully a coherent piece of
story-telling. Well I'm happy to report
that I certainly got my first wish – and nearly all of my second.
If you did
not happen to know that the original opera was set in the 13th
century then on the surface it looked as
traditional as they come. But the action
had been transposed to the time of the opera’s composition – a not entirely
original idea it has to be said, but the sets and costumes were gorgeous
indeed. Also included was the ‘stage
with in a stage’ concept, this time the stage was the Paris opera house where this opera first
debuted. Apparently all of this was
supposed to illustrate the ‘rape of art’. I'm not sure that it entirely succeeded but it didn't interfere with the
actual story being played out in music and words so I went with it. The final act is where Herheim lost me
completely, but so completely and utterly bonkers was it, that really you just couldn't help smiling.
If the
production values were of the highest, then so was most of the singing. The four cast principles were pretty evenly
matched with perhaps Michael Volle standing out as a dramatically and vocally
superb de Montfort. Erwin Schrott was a
hoot as an especially effete but essentially dangerous Procida – here played as
a Ballet Master. I though that the chemistry with Lianna Haroutounian was
especially close. Lianna started off
well with gorgeous dark-toned and luscious singing but to my ears at least, she audibly
tired towards the end - which is
unfortunately where Verdi placed her big aria of the night. Trills and coloratura were approximate in ‘Merci
jeunes amies’ but it was never
unmusical. I was trying to think who
would be up to the task of this role today and must admit I can’t really think
of anyone – not even Anja Harteros who seems to be the pre-eminent Verdi soprano
of today. However I really enjoyed
Lianna’s singing and I hope the Royal Opera has signed her up in her own right,
rather than as a replacement for ailing sopranos.
Now, anyone
who knows me, or reads this blog, will know that my favourite voice type is
tenor. I have heard Bryn Hymel before in
Les Troyens where he stepped in for Jonas Kaufmann and did a very competent job
indeed. And while he did another
sterling job here (in a very demanding role) I still can’t say that I enjoyed
his singing. There’s nothing wrong with
it, indeed there is much to admire, including his facility in the upper ranges
of the tenor voice. It is simply that
the basic tone doesn't really appeal to me.
There’s a lack of ‘glamour’ in the voice – vocal glamour I hasten to
add, not personal. Indeed Mr Hymel is a good
looking chap who obviously knows his way around the stage and is a decent actor
to boot. But I just didn't ‘feel’ it –
but that only goes to show that reaction to voices is a very individual thing.
So all in
all, a very enjoyable night indeed. It
was a treat to hear such good singing in an all too rare performance of a Verdi
opera. Tony Pappano was of course the
ultimate star of the show, leading the orchestra in a sensitive but thrilling
rendition of the score.
The
production, far from being outlandish and unmusical (as some might have feared)
was sure-footed, thought provoking and entirely at one with the music. The production team was certainly greeted
with enthusiasm at curtain-call time, which has not always been the case with new productions at ROH
recently. There was really nothing here
to scare the children as it were (unless you count Erwin Schrott in a frock),
which is why I suspect the audience lapped it up.
In fact at
times it all seemed a bit too familiar.
There was a hint of Ballo in Maschera in the ball scene (musically as
well as scenically) and I was struck by a resemblance in parts to the 1982
Ernani at La Scala with Domingo. And
speaking of Ernani, now what wouldn’t I give to see a new production of that at
Covent Garden?
But in the
meantime, I would heartily recommend that if you possibly can, go see
this. You won’t regret it.
I may have mentioned this before but I love Verdi. I may also have mentioned that my current favourite tenor is Jonas Kaufmann. So imagine what would happen if my two loves were combined in one fabulous evening....read on.
Don Carlo is one of Verdi's most epic opera - both in ambition and scale. With a performance length hovering at around 4 and a half hours, this takes commitment both from the artists and the audience. Not all of the audience were up to it and a couple of young women seated next to me abandoned ship at the first interval their places gratefully taken by an Italian couple from the standing places. But perseverance pays dividends for this is one of Verdi's most ravishing scores wrapped in a deeply dark political and personal plot.
Hearing Jonas Kaufmann's voice live in the theatre for the first time is probably something I will always remember. Yes, of course it sounds just a good as on DVD or CD, but live in the theatre you can feel the full impact of the varied tone and dynamics. But I can now sort of understand why some reviewers think that hasn't got a 'Verdi voice' - it lacks the typical ping and innate sunshine in the sound, but in Don Carlo this matters less given the dark overtones throughout. I for one would gladly listen to Herr Kaufmann in whatever he chooses to sing. Yes, even Wagner!
But he wasn't the only vocal star of the evening. There was barely a weak link in this magnificent cast, even given the cancellation of Anja Harteros who was due to appear as Elisabetta but cancelled due to acute tonsillitis. I won't go into the furore (not in the House but on social media) that greeted this latest of many cancellations, but will simply say that her replacement was much more than adequate. Lianna Haroutounian has an impressive dark toned voice with ringing high notes and sympathetic acting in her portrayal of Elisabetta and she clearly impressed the audience judging by her reception at the end of the opera. I would hope that the ROH management are even now beating down her door armed with future contracts.
In the role of Rodrigio, Mariusz Kwiecien displayed a robust baritone but I found his acting in this role pretty generalised, although I appear to have been in the minority as he also was cheered to the rafters. Beatrice Uria-Monzon sang Princess Eboli who cut a beautiful figure (as her character should) but whose voice is an acquired taste.
The fabulous Ferrricio Furlanetto as the despotic tyrant Philip humanised by Verdi's music, was simply sublime. Out of all of the singers on stage he was the one who fully embodied the role he was playing - that comes from over 30 years of playing the role and the experience shows. His duet with the Grand Inquisitor as sung by Eric Halfvarson was masterly and almost the best moment in the opera. Almost.
Although hard to pick the greatest moment out of so many great moments, the best for me was the final heart-rending farewell duet between Carlo and Elisabetta at the tomb of Carlos V. It was simply ravishing and I cannot imagine I will ever hear it sung so beautifully again. Kaufmann dared to reduce his voice to the merest whisper in places and yet was still clearly audible. Haroutounian joined in this Verdian 'liebestod' until there was barely a dry eye in the house.
Last but certainly not least, Antonio Pappano led the orchestra in a rousing and dynamic reading of this complex music. The ROH Chorus too played a vital role in making the performance come alive.
I've concentrated on the singing in this review and I think that's how it should be. Nicholas Hytner's production has been well documented elsewhere and has both detractors and admirers. It's semi-abstract style certainly doesn't detract from an outstanding evening although I don't think it particularly added anything either. I've certainly seen the autdo-da-fe done better but as I say, it didn't detract from the fabulous singing and acting on stage.
I've said that I cannot imagine hearing the final duet sung so beautifully again - actually I'm hoping I will as I'm revisiting this on the 18th May where I hope to be blown away all over again.
