Rossini’s Zelmira A Musical Revelation

Photo to the left: Gregory Kunde as Antenore and Juan Diego Flórez as Ilo
Act One Scene V11 © Amati Bacciardi. Official ROF photos.

Zelmira* was the last of nine operas Rossini composed for the San Carlo Opera House in Naples in 1822. It turned out to be his most adventurous musical drama of all of the composer’s opere serie for the theater. The proof was in the long-awaited critical edition of the score presented by the Rossini Opera Festival in 2009. The production also proved how difficult and challenging the demands are in mounting this opera filled with long musical sections composed in ever-changing rhythmic patterns presenting a darker vision of life than we are accustomed to in Rossini’s output.

There were some artistic choices that prevented the production from reaching the highest dramatic standards the festival wanted. At the same time its artistic victories were more than enough to conquer its faults. Such is the fascinating, see-sawed world of opera at ROF.

First, the layout of the hall at the Adriatic Arena was different in size from previous years. It seems the powers that be wanted to rearrange the performance space to what they thought would best suit the opera. Not so this time. The hall was very wide with only a few tiered rows in the back. As a result, a great deal of the resonance was lost in such an open area. To this viewer the hall resembled so many of the high school auditoriums in the United States that were designed primarily for assemblies, not for theatrical performances. The singers, however, deserve high praise for projecting a great deal of dramatic energy over the footlights without loosing their vocal focus.

Flórez as Ilo Act One Scene V © Amati Bacciardi. Official ROF photos.

At the August 9th prima, boos and whistles greeted Director Giorgio Barberio Corsetti, and, since he was also responsible for the scenic design along with Cristian Taraborrelli, it can be assumed that the reason for the intensity of the clamor included both nay-saying camps.

Naturally, the critical attention a complicated opera production such as this Zelmira would get should come as no surprise, but the diversity of opinions from the many Italian newspapers and on-line reviews in both English and Italian certainly did. Few reviews, however, were able to capture the kernel of truth of how this production would work in performance better than John Allison in his review in The Sunday Telegraph on line from August 25th:

“Giorgio Barberio Corsetti’s production mixes old symbols with new: ruined Classical statues lie in the sand while contemporary troops brandish machine guns. His set is dominated by a huge, tilting mirror that reveals disturbing images of victims of war under the grid of the stage. But his direction is indeed more about images than character development, which is damaging in such a long opera.” This low level of development in Corsetti’s direction resulted in making the performer’s emotional commitment to the work more arduous to convey.

There also were grumblings from reviewers and audiences alike about the opera’s length which appeared to be an affront to personal comfort. For this opera goer the festival deserves to be congratulated for the superior editing of Kathleen Kuzmick Hansell and Helen Greenwald’s critical edition and for the artistic vision of Superintendent Gianfranco Mariotti and Artistic Director Alberto Zedda in giving us not only the original Naples edition, but the additional sections from Vienna in 1822, and the Paris version from 1826 which contained a revised Act Two finale for Giuditta Pasta.

Kate Aldrich as Zelmira Act One Scena ultima © Amati Bacciardi. Official ROF photos.

And the last item on the debit side is Andrea Tottola’s libretto. Just about every critic and scholar has lambasted Tottola for his inability to depict the sequence of events in the plot with any credibility. His attempts at creating exciting dramatic situations failed him when it came to Zelmira. To be fair, he did write cogent librettos for La Donna del Lago and Mosè in Egitto, and he supplied Rossini with exciting dramatic situations for his masterwork, Ermione. Whatever the relationship between Rossini and the librettist was during the time they worked on Zelmira, it didn’t seem to have any adverse effect on the composer’s ability to design an ambitious and uncommonly inventive score.

All this ambiguity, however, did not effect the outstanding musical preparation and delivery by conductor Roberto Abbado. Gregory Kunde in his interview with livingattheopera.com on September 20th, summed up the conductors invaluable artistic contribution by saying, “…a lot of credit has to go to Roberto Abbado for shaping and molding such a great performance from all sides.” One notable example of this was Abbado’s ability to open up the composer’s wistful music in the mid and lower voices in the strings and woodwinds of the Orchestra Del Teatro Comunale Di Bologna throughout the evening without losing sight of the rigorous vocal demands Rossini made on his singers.

By the time Rossini sat down to compose Zelmira, two of his favorite tenors, Andrea Nozzari and Giovanni David, were seasoned performers at Teatro San Carlo during the composer’s time there. Perhaps that’s why he decided to write two of the most challenging roles in the tenor repertoire for them. Nozzari’s Antenore and David’s Ilo must have been exciting to hear from all accounts at that time. Of course, Rossini lovers haven’t had the opportunity to hear what they sounded like at Zelmira’s premiere, but I think the performances of Gregory Kunde as Antenore and Juan Diego Flórez as Ilo at ROF came very close to what audiences heard from Nozzari and David back then.

L to R Marianna Pizzolato as Emma, Aldrich, Mirco Palazzi as Leucippo, Kunde and Floréz Finale Primo © Amati Bacciardi. Official ROF photos.

In Act One, both Ilo’s entrance aria, Terra amica and Antenore’s aria, Mentre qual fera ingorda have vocal leaps and descents that require not only dexterity, but astute dramatic interpretations that Rossini demanded for this work. All through the opera, Kunde and Flórez had to keep their voices flexible while handling all the “advanced harmonic language and rhythmic schemes characteristic of Zelmira” as stated by Kuzmick Hansell in ROF’s Zelmira program. Kunde interpreted Antenore with passion, jealousy, and a bit of treachery, and Flórez added bewilderment to Ilo’s heroic nature. As they confronted each other in Act One, where Antenore’s voracious appetite for power contrasted with Ilo’s deceived warrior, their dramatic and vocal strengths gave them the wherewithal to move beyond Corsetti’s languid character development.

The hall, however, was not so kind to Flórez. His voice didn’t seem to resonate with the vocal freedom that he displayed as Corradino in Matilde di Shabran and Rodrigo in Otello. It ought to be said that on the August 9th radio broadcast of the prima, his singing sounded closer to what we usually hear from him, in fact, the entire cast sounded better.

Kate Aldrich was an interesting choice for Zelmira. The lyric mezzo was able to handle the character’s vocal range and since much of the role lies in the middle, she easily brought a warm expressive tone to her recitative and her duet with Marianna Pizzolato’s Emma. The cor anglais and harp accompaniment Rossini wrote for them is considered one of his best instrumental choices. She maintained the same vocal composure in her duet with Flórez and gave a beautiful rendition of “Da te spero, o ciel clemente,” the aria Rossini added for Pasta in the finale of Act Two.

Flórez, Aldrich and chorus Finale Secondo

Pizzolato’s Emma made a stalwart companion for Zelmira. The mezzo has really matured vocally since her Tancredi at ROF in 2004. She brought warmth and a committed vocal line to “Ciel pietoso, ciel clemente” in her scena in Act Two.

Bass Mirco Palazzi projected a more solid stage presence to Leucippo than he did with Elmiro in Otello. He added vocal strength to all of Rossini’s ensembles that the composer featured so prominently in this opera.

Bass Alex Esposito who gave a great dramatic and vocal reading as Fernando in La Gazza Ladra in 2007, proved again with Polidoro that he can interpret Rossini with vocal finesse and assured delivery of the text. Although his voice lacks the dark center that would have completed his interpretation, his artistic contribution to the second act duet with Flórez was outstanding. Both singers, in one of Rossini’s most beautiful duets written for tenor and bass, demonstrated great Rossinian singing. Their timing, elocution, and vocal production met head on the many changes of musical focus the composer threw their way.

But it is in the finale to Act One, “Sí fausto momento” and in the Quintet “Ne’ lacci miei cadesti,” near the end of Act Two that we discover music which we never heard before from Rossini. In both pieces the composer eschews any remnant of crescendos bursting like fireworks that Rossinians have come to expect. Bruno Cagli, in his program notes for Zelmira deftly encapsulates what exciting musical territory Rossini has landscaped with this opera: “Rossini, in this last Neapolitan opera of his, has increased his love for violent contrasts, even if the general framework remains for the most part imbued with an atmosphere now dark, now mysterious.” Words fitting for this extraordinary work, superbly delivered at ROF.

Radio Broadcast, August 9th, 2009 Premiere LTD, 3895-3

*Back Story: The setting is the island of Lesbos. The king, Polidoro has ruled happily for many years, loved by his daughter, Zelmira and her husband, the Trojan prince Ilo. While the prince is off to war, Azorre, Lord of Mitylene, invades the island ready to kill Polidoro because he refused to give his daughter in marriage to Azorre.
Zelmira hides her father in a crypt and, making Azorre believe she hates her father, she lies as to his whereabouts causing Azorre to burn down the wrong hiding place. Azorre’s satisfaction is short-lived because another usurper, Antenore kills him hoping to become ruler of Lesbos and Mitylene with the help of his accomplice, Leucippo. This is where the opera begins.

The story of the opera: Outside the city’s walls, Mitylene’s warriors are mourning the death of Azorre. While Leucippo proclaims Antenore as Azorre’s successor, both men plot to make Antenore king.

Antenore and Leucippo blame Zelmira for the death of both rulers. Zelmira, who now has a small son, tries to convince her friend, Emma that this is not true by taking her to Polidoro’s hiding place. With Emma looking on, Zelmira and Polidoro comfort each other.

Ilo returns victorious from the wars anxious to see his wife and child. Zelmira, upset over what has happened to her, has difficulty in telling Ilo the truth. For this reason, Antenore and Leucippo find it easy to convince Ilo of Zelmira’s guilt. Zelmira gives Emma her son for safe keeping and Antenore is crowned king.

Ilo, who is very anxious about his son’s safety, collapses. Leucippo enters and tries to stab him. Zelmira intervenes and throws herself at Leucippo who quickly lets her get possession of the dagger. This way he convinces Ilo that not only is Zelmira guilty of murdering Polidoro and Azorre, but is trying to kill him also. Despite Zelmira’s objections, she is led off to prison.

Leucippo has intercepted Zelmira’s letter to Ilo in which she explains her innocence. Now he and Antenore realize that Polidoro is still alive. They set her free hoping she will lead them to her father.

While Ilo is wandering around outside the walls of Lesbos, he comes across Polidoro who reveals to the prince what really has happened. They warmly embrace and Polidoro returns to his tomb to await his freedom. Ilo runs off to find his wife.

Zelmira is now free thinking Ilo is responsible. Leucippo and Antenore come upon Zelmira while she is discussing the situation with Emma. Thinking that Ilo knows the truth, the two men reveal themselves and tell Zelmira Ilo has freed Polidoro and trick Zelmira in revealing her father’s hiding place. The unhappy woman offers her life in place of her father’s. Emma runs off to find Ilo and tell him that Antenore plans to kill his wife and her father. As the two wicked men plan to strike, battle cries are heard, Zelmira grabs the knife trying to defend her father. Ilo rushes in, brandishing his sword and his soldiers take Antenore and Leucippo away as Emma returns with Zelmira and Ilo’s son. All rejoice now that Zelmira is re-united with her loved ones.

The summary above was adapted from the ROF program.