Rossini, IL barbiere di Siviglia

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By ?James L. Zychowicz

Reprinted with permission from Seen and Heard – Music Web’s Live Opera, Concert and Recital Reviews

Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Lyric Opera of Chicago, Donato Renzetti(conductor) Lyric Opera Center, Chicago 16.2.2008 (JLZ)

Production:
Director: John Copley?Set Design: John Conklin?Costumes: Michael Stennett?Lighting: Duane Schuler?Chorus Master: Donald Nally

Cast:
Figaro: Nathan Gunn?Rosina: Joyce DiDonato?Count Almaviva: John Osborn?Dr. Bartolo: Philip Kraus?Don Basilio: Wayne Tigges?Berta: Lauren Curnow?Fiorello: Daniel Billings ?Sergeant: David Portillo?Ambrogio: David Zarbock

When art inspires music, the results can be intriguing. From Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition through to Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, a number of memorable works have emerged over the years. In fact the 2006-7 season of Lyric Opera of Chicago included a production of Verdi’s Il trovatore that took some paintings by Goya as the points of departure for a riveting presentation. With the revival of Lyric’s latest production of Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia, the set designer John Conklin was commissioned by the late Ardis Kranik and Bill Mason for a new staging of that venerable comedy. According to the programme notes, he found Rossini’s Il barbiere to involve “an amazing mixture of commedia dell’arte and surreal happenings” which turned his attention to the art of René Magritte. Magritte’s influence makes this production weigh cleverness and artifice against the musical elements in a staging that sometimes challenges the usual conventions associated with the work.

Conklin’s conception of Il barbiere juxtaposes Rossini’s score with images from Magritte’s oeuvre. From the outset, a portrait of Rossini is part of a collage that involves a voluptuous Magritte-rose. Various scenes are framed by cloud images which descend from the sky to earth, true to the style the painter used. An entire scene makes use of various familiar busts, but for the opera, the figures are limited to Jomelli, Cimarosa and, of course, Paisiello, who composed the first operatic version of this play by Beaumarchais. The influence of Magritte is not limited to the visual dimension either, but in the treatment of various elements throughout the work, like the entrance of the police in the Finale of the first act, a truly surrealistic conception when compared to more conventional stagings of this opera. With these ideas supporting the production, the musical content is not always in the forefront, and it requires fine performers to succeed in a challenging production that resembles musical theater at times because of the prominence of the stagecraft.

The stage work supports various elements of comedy, and sometimes at the expense of the music. In this quintessential bel canto work however, comedy and music must balance each other, with the bel canto element anchoring the sometimes manic behavior of the characters. This dichotomous relationship makes Il barbiere continually appealing, since it can (and indeed should) work on several levels simultaneously.

The cast includes some of the finest singers available currently. The American tenor John Osborn brought his international experience in the role of Almaviva to Lyric Opera of Chicago. (Juan Diego Florez had been scheduled to sing Almaviva, but canceled because of illness.) Osborn’s facility served him well throughout the two acts of the work, from the serenade “Ecco ridente in cielo” to the second-act dénoument “Cessa di più resistere,” which precedes the Finale. His range and flexibility were clearly apparent, and his use of ornamentation was cautious but still effective. The vocal disguise in the music lesson was more convincing than the costume, as skillful vocal acting brought out the desired effects.

Osborn worked paticularly well with Nathan Gunn, who is familiar to Lyric audiences for his fine recent performances in Billy Budd and Così fan tutte. This production gave a new context for Figaro’s opening aria, “Largo al factotum,” as the scene opens with Gunn in his briefs, and then dressing as the action progresses. Aspects of the pervading surrealism took the shape of individuals actually calling for the character as part of the repeated cries of “Figaro” that have become an opera cliché. Once fully clothed, though, Gunn’s physical and vocal presence was constantly beguiling, with his rich tones serving the production very well. The first-act duet with Almaviva “All’ idea” worked splendidly, as the timbres of the two performers blended and contrasted at various points. Yet in the parallel duet with Rosina, Gunn was perhaps more dominant than necessary as he literally spelled out Lindoro’s love for the woman. Here Rosina seemed clueless, something that was not apparent earlier in the opera, when Joyce seemed fully aware of her situation as the ward of Bartolo and committed to taking action herself in “Una voce poco fa.” The somewhat inconsistent characterization certainly suited the staging, but not the operatic integrity even though Ms DiDonato’s voice rose easily to all the challenges. If her interpretation of “Una voce poco fa” differed from others she has done, it was certainly not at the expense of her vocalizing. She brought a polish to the familiar aria that evoked performances by other fine singers, lsuch as Marilyn Horne for example.

The dramatic tension in this opera emerges though, from the relationship between Rosina and Dr. Bartolo, who is responsible for raising her in circumstances never explained. Bartolo, of course, has overstepped his duties by intending to wed Rosina in order to acquire her fortune, which poses problems for Rosina who is in love of course, with Almaviva – now disguised as Lindoro. Determined to marry Rosina, Bartolo’s emotional pitch must lie between the benign neglect of Horace Vandergelder of Thornton Wilder’s Matchmaker and the lechery of Judge Turpin in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd. Within that broad range of emotion, Bartolo serves at times as a stock character in the melodramatic sense, yet also must have a sense of understanding when he realizes Rosina’s true feelings and ultimately respects them. In approaching the role, Philip Kraus demonstrated both elements of the character nicely on opening night and will do so through the first part of the run, later to be replaced by the British baritone Andrew Shore later. (Shore is currently finishing the run of Falstaff at Lyric.) In this departure from his role as Douphols in this season’s Traviata, Kraus is comfortable with the comic aspects of Bartolo, but his efforts in the demanding scenes that involved patter-song techniques were sometimes lost in the seemingly sound-absorbing sets. Unlike other productions this season, the sets caused the voices to be slightly muffled so that they mehow disappeared in a hall which is otherwise warm and rich for opera.

In solo pieces, some of the voices did stand out without problems. Wayne Tigges, for example, contributed a warm and engaging sound in Basilio’s “La calumnia.” This was a solid performance in a comic number by the very performer who gave such a menacing portrayal of Achilla in Handel’s Giulio Cesare. Tigges brought some fine vocal characterization to the production in a role that is sometimes played with less ardor. Likewise, Lauren Curnow added depth to the role of Berta, whose solo aria “Il vecchiotto” was memorable for its engaging presentation. Curnow lamented the foolishness she was witnessing without ridiculing it, a distinction that occurs as a result of phrasing that plays to the nuances of the text. Taken together, both of these sometimes secondary roles stood out in this production because they were made more prominent and became appealing for this very reason.

All in all, it is difficult not to make comparisons this season, but the overall ensemble for Il barbiere seems to be less cohesive than that for Verdi’s Falstaff, which is running concurrently. It may be that the sometimes sprawling production which plays to the work’s visual impact, affects the performers because of its spatial requirements. Nevertheless, this is a commendable production that should draw audiences to hear its fine cast.

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G. Rossini’s Mosè

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Now that the Rossini revival has passed the quarter century mark, it seems fitting for the opera world to take a look at performances before the advent of critical perusal of Rossini’s operas. One such look leads us to his Mosè recorded for RAI in Rome on June 27th, 1956. This is the Italian version of the French work, Moise et Pharaon listed in the notes as a Melodramma sacro in quattro atti.

The committed cast offers some exciting singing at times that could meet today’s vocal scrutiny. Bass, Nicola Rossi-Lemeni’s sound is a little woolly but he makes an imposing biblical leader. Tenor, Agostino Lazzari gives a good account of Elisero but is unschooled in Rossinian technique. The compramari raise the vocal level with soprano,Rosanna Cartieri as Sinaide, bass, Plinio Clabassi as Osiride and Anna Maria Rota as Maria.The two artists that stand out are soprano, Anita Cerquetti as Anaide and baritone, Giuseppe Taddei as Faraone whose impressive vocals compliment Rossini’s multifaceted scoring and would be welcome on today’s stages. Tulio Serafin conducts the Orchestra and Chorus of the RAI with a sure hand, giving Rossini’s music a bit of Verdian energy especially in the closing music expressing the parting of the Red Sea.

1995 Eklipse Records Ltd. EKR P-10

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Verdi, Falstaff: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Lyric Opera of Chicago

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By James L Zychowicz

Reprinted with permission from Seen and Heard – Music Web’s Live Opera, Concert and Recital Reviews

Sir Andrew Davis (conductor), Lyric Opera of Chicago, Chicago 1.2.2008 (JLZ)

Production:
Stage Director: Olivier Tambosi
Set and Costume Designer: Frank Philipp Schlössmann
Lighting Designer: Christine Binder
Stage Band Conductor: Craig Terry
Chorus Master: Donald Nally
Stage Manager: John W. Coleman

Cast :
Dr. Caius: David Cangelosi
Sir John Falstaff: Andrew Shore
Bardolfo: Rodell Rosel
Pistola: Andrew Funk
Meg Page: Elizabeth de Shong
Alice Ford: Veronica Villarrroel
Mistress Quickly: Meredith Awardy
Nannetta: Stacey Tappan
Ford: Boaz Daniel
Fenton: Bryan Griffin

If the focus of Falstaff is on the ensemble of characters that comprise the opera, the current production by Lyric Opera of Chicago brings a new standard to the execution of the work. Just as the opera is the result of the interaction of individual roles, the entire cast worked well together in arriving at a production that was seamless and natural. Yet in bringing to life the title character Falstaff, the English baritone Andrew Shore shared the stage well with his colleagues. Such a shared presence was part of the entire production, as the individual scenes allowed the story to unfold and, more importantly, made the Finale particularly memorable, when all the characters are on stage in a number that celebrates the human condition (”Tutto nel mondo é burla”).

With the core of the drama surrounding the tension between the rogue Falstaff and Mistress Ford complicated by the misunderstanding on Ford’s part of his wife’s actions, it takes a solid chemistry among the principals to anchor a production. In this case Andrew Shore, an experienced and genial Falstaff, conveys the character deftly both with his vocal skill and fine sense of comic acting. Shore gave the musical line all of the nuances it requires to suggest the character, without ever overplaying the role. His first-act monologue “Honore, ladri!” prepares the audience for the actions that set the drama into motion. Playing off Bardolph’s and Pistols’ excuse of honor for not delivering the billet-doux to Mrs. Ford and Mrs. Page, Falstaff defines his character in the grand scene that culminates this act. Here Shore demonstrates his fine vocal ability with colors in his voice that match the detailed scorings in the orchestra. Beyond vocal shadings though, Shore enhanced the role with a solid sense of dynamics too. His solid articulation allows piano passages to be heard clearly, with the louder ones always distinctive and never out of place.

At the same time, Veronica Villaroel is an appropiately commanding Mrs. Ford. In her hands, Alice Ford immediately recognizes the deception in the duplicate letters that Falstaff sent both to her and her friend Mrs. Page – Meg -and takes charge of the situation both vocally and through her stage presence. The ensemble of women, including Meg, Mistress Quickly, and Nanetta, coalesces nicely, so that the antiphonal sounds of the men at the end of the second scene of first act balance it to perfection. As Alice Ford, Villaroel gives a knowing sense to her role and its place in the ensemble. With her second-act aria “Gaie comare di Windsor,” the audience for this opera had the opportunity her more sustained solo work. (Her previous appearances at Lyric Opera of Chicago were as Amelia in Un ballo in maschera during the 2002-3 season.) Her vocal inflections contributed to the various puns and innuendos in the text, with an added well-thought physicality.

With Ford himself, the young baritone Boaz Daniel brought the appropriate formality to the role, and his extended scene with Falstaff in the first scene of Act II gave a sense of his capacity for expression. The duet with Falstaff “C’è a Windsor una dama” was well balanced, with Ford’s persona as Brook emerging strongly. Likewise, his entry in the same act’s econd scene as the jealous husband had an appropriate tone that lent itself gently to the humor rather than precipitating blatant farce. Boaz Daniel’s ensemble work also contributed suitably to the conclusion of the scene, which ends with the revelation of the love between Nanetta and Fenton – in spite of Nanetta having been promised to Dr. Caius – and Falstaff’s putative escape, when the rogue is dumped into the river. The timing was nearly perfect, as it led directly to the climax of the scene and the end of the act.

The ardent and intensifying love between Nanetta and Fenton is wrapped round the plot’s dynamic, through the whole opera. As Nanetta, Stacey Tappan is vocally adept, with a wonderfully consistent and inviting sound, and she is well matched by Bryan Griffin as Fenton. In his first major role at Lyric, Griffin gave a clear sense of Fenton’a personality from the outset. Musically, the role fitted his voice nicely, and he worked well with Tappan, who stood out for all the right reasons. As much as Nanetta is part of the ensemble essential to the opera, she must also show what attracts Fenton to her. These different aspects of the role emerged seamlessly throughout the work and culminated in the final scene, where her aria “Sul fil d’un soffie etesio” confirms the final revenge on Falstaff. Both Tappan and Griffin made the subplot of young lovers seem fresh.

Other performers deserve attention for their parts in the ensemble. As Mistress Quickly, Meredith Arawady shaped the character clearly from the outset, with her initial scene with Falstaff (”Reverenza!”) bringing the necessary humor to the situation. Her distinctive and welcoming tone gave and her affable stage presence makes it a pleasure to see Arwady in such a prominent role, which gives her the attention she merits. Likewise David Cangelosi, the character tenor, as he is described in the program, brought some vitality to the sometimes thankless role of Dr. Caius. An animated Mime in Lyric’s recent production of Siegfried, Cagelosi also brought some depth to this Verdi role. He set the tone for Dr. Caius from his entrance at the beginning of the first act and carried it through to the end. He too added to the whole ensemble opera, bringing out the humor and humanity of Verdi’s late masterpiece.

The orchestra was notable for its balance and even tone. Vibrant when it needed to be and subdued as appropriate, the orchestra never overstepped the mark in supporting the voices. Full of shifting colors and sound effects that underscore the stage action and ubdoubtedly programmatic at times, the music never feels like a tone poem with voices, as some have described Richard Strauss’s operas. Sir Andrew Davis contributed ensured that the orchestra fitted well into the sense of hallmark ensemble of the production. His unerring timing was the key to the success of this Falstaff.

This was an evening of excellent opera. As familiar as Falstaff is, the revival of this production made the work seem fresh and immediate. While a previous, more traditional, production of Falstaff was not problematic, the current one serves the work very effectively indeed, especially with such a talented cast as this one. In fact, the final scene remains long in memory for the warmth and humor it conveyed, as Nanetta and Fenton embrace at the final curtain. During a challenging season, this opera hit all the right tones with a production that demonstrated yet again Lyric Opera’s commitment to excellence.

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