Silvia Luraghi's Letters from Milan 2005

 January

Don Giovanni at Turin: Erwin Schrott in the title role and Nicola Ulivieri as Leporello in Act II Photo: Ramella & Giannese

The Fondazione Toscanini brought its 2001 production of La traviata to Piacenza in late December and early January. Originally meant for the small stage of the Busseto opera house, Zeffirelli’s staging has now been seen in many theaters in Italy and elsewhere; it has been successfully adapted to bigger stages, including Moscow's Bolshoi, and its traditional outlook usually pleases audiences. Its strength lies in very clearly-defined stage directions which help the singers develop a coherent and in-depth reading of their roles.

The excellent cast was led by Svetla Vassileva, who has already sung Violetta in many major opera houses, and indeed the young soprano is perfect casting both vocally and visually. Her homogenous, agile voice meets all of the score’s requirements, while natural and moving acting is testament to her affinity with the role. She was especially touching in the second act, where her identification with the character seemed complete. At her side, Stefano Secco, a singer who has been improving and gaining in self-confidence over the last few years, diplayed a well-schooled tenor with a pleasant timbre and acted with commitment. Giorgio Germont was Giovanni Meoni, perhaps not as focused as his two colleagues, but satisfying enough. The smaller roles were strongly cast, particularly Tiziana Carraro as Flora.

The orchestra of the Fondazione Arturo Toscanini has been conducted over the years by many important conductors. It has grown to be one of Italy's best symphony orchestras. Here it played under the baton of Massimiliano Stefanelli, a frequent guest of the Fondazione Toscanini, who conducted with brisk tempi.

Il trovatore at Busseto: Svetla Vessileva as Leonora in Act I Photo: Montacchini - Parma

Later in January the Fondazione Toscanini offered more Verdi in its first new production of the current Busseto season, Il trovatore. The production, which has been recorded for DVD, featured excellent singers, though some were perhaps not ideal casting for this opera. Vincenzo La Scola in the title role displayed superior phrasing to his fellow cast members, but his bright tenor is more appropriate for lighter roles, and he had some problems toward the end in ‘Ai nostri monti’. Svetla Vassileva, who was perfect in La traviata, was clearly not at home in the heavy tessitura of Leonora. She sang everything with great musicality, but this is certainly a role that she should not attempt in larger houses. Tea Demurishvili, sang Azucena with a huge and nicely colored voice, though with some work still to be done in controlling it. Count di Luna was Franco Vassallo, a singer who has more to learn about interpretation, but is certainly one of the most interesting young Italian Verdi baritones.

Pier Francesco Maestrini’s production successfully resolved the challenges posed by this house’s small stage, using a projected background with digital animations (this was overseen by Vincenzo La Scola). This moved behind the stage to allow quick scene changes, and supplied a bluish color which evoked the nocturnal atmosphere of the opera. While the visual effect was very convincing, stage directions could have been clearer: the singers at times seemed left to their own resources.

The orchestra of the Fondazione Toscanini were conducted by Roberto Rizzi Brignoli, who seemed to pay scant attention to the singers; his very fast tempi forced some of them to over-sing, especially in the recitatives. The performance was very well received by the audience: La Scola in particular received a real ovation after ‘Di quella pira’, which, wisely, he did not encore.

Don Giovanni at Turin: Barbara Frittoli as Donna Elvira with Erwin Schrott in the title role in Act I Photo: Ramella & Giannese

One of this month’s most eagerly-anticipated new productions was Don Giovanni at the Teatro Regio in Turin, featuring the debut of Italian actor and filmmaker Michele Placido as an opera director. The first cast included Mariella Devia, a technically perfect Donna Anna, Barbara Frittoli, one of the world’s best Donna Elviras, and Laura Cherici, a Zerlina with some problems at the top of the voice. Of the male singers, Erwin Schrott was a noble Don Giovanni with a handsome and distinctive voice, which he is able to shade expressively with perfect breath control. Nicola Ulivieri and Fabio Capitanucci seemed perfectly cast as Leporello and Masetto. Tenor Marco Giordano was a somewhat opaque Don Ottavio, while Mario Luperi displayed a lush bass in the role of the Commendatore.

In the second cast, Russian bass Denis Sedov gave a nondescript account of the title role, with heavily accented diction. Serena Farnocchia as Donna Anna and Daria Masiero as Zerlina deserve particular vocal laurels, while Michela Sburlati also did her best as Donna Elvira. Russian tenor Evgeny Akimov’s ringing voice sounded especially appropriate for the role of Don Ottavio. Simon Orfila’s Leporello and Gianpiero Ruggeri’s Masetto were good contributions.

The production set the action in a Mediterranean (possibly Southern Italian) late 18th-century setting (sets and costumes were by Maurizio Balò). Luigi Saccomandi’s lighting was especially effective, being more evocative than the sets; in general the production followed the music without much imagination. Indeed, stage directions were almost nonexistent. Milanese conductor Gianandrea Noseda not only got an excellent response from the orchestra, but paid great attention to the singers – a fact especially evident in the recitatives. Both casts sold out all performances.

The second title of the season at the Teatro Regio di Parma was Il barbiere di Siviglia. The production was intended as a showcase for Leo Nucci, who sang the title role with unbelievable vocal youth: as usual, his performance was a masterclass in technique and good taste. The baritone encored the famous ‘Largo al factotum’ without the slightest sign of tiredness. Rosina was mezzo-soprano Anna Bonitatibus, who was theatrically very convincing, but sometimes lost control in the coloratura. Tenor Raul Giménez has been singing the role of Count Almaviva for decades and it is still a good role for him even though, especially in comparison with Nucci, his voice now sounds tired and the top has lost brightness. Alfonso Antoniozzi was an amusing Bartolo, and Riccardo Zanellato an idiomatic Basilio.

Beppe de Tomasi’s production highlighted every comic nuance. Poppi Ranchetti’s fixed set, along with the lighting, morphed between the interior and exterior of Bartolo's home. The orchestra was conducted by Maurizio Barbacini, with somewhat heavy tempi, but the performance was very successful, and the audience appropriately paid particular tribute to Leo Nucci.

The Orchestra Verdi of Milan followed a recently established tradition by beginning the year with Beethoven's Ninth, conducted by principal conductor Riccardo Chailly. This year's soloists were soprano Dorothee Jansen, mezzo Ursula Hesse von den Steinen, tenor Herbert Lippert, and bass Hanno Müller-Brachmann, four top-class singers who were a good match for the orchestra and Romano Gandolfi’s characteristically well-instructed chorus. Maestro Chailly’s committed conducting created a dazzling and involving atmosphere. The audience was enthusiastic; an encore of part of the Hymn to Joy was a cheerful way to start the new year.

© Silvia Luraghi, 3 Febryary 2005 

February

Peter Grimes at the Teatro Comunale in Modena: production by Cesare Lievi Photo: Rolando Paolo Guerzoni

The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma opened the new season somewhat late with a new production of Rossini's Semiramide on February 15. The vocal cast was excellent: Darina Takova sang the title role with secure tones and deep commitment (the production kept her on stage throughout the performance). Michele Pertusi called upon his many years of experience in the role of Assur, enabling him to explore all aspects of the character. Daniela Barcellona, one of the best mezzos nowadays in this type of repertoire, was a perfect Arsace, while as Idreno, tenor Antonino Siragusa sang with ringing voice, albeit somewhat forced at the top.

Semiramide at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma: Daniela Barcellona as Arsace and Ugo Guagliardo as Oroe in Act II Photo: Corrado Maria Falsini

Pier Luigi Pizzi’s new staging placed the action in a baroque setting, with Semiramide's bed always at the front of the stage. Conductor Gianluigi Gelmetti used Peter Gossett’s revised edition, with additional cuts of his own amounting to about an hour of mainly first-act music. His concentration on analytical insight resulted in extremely slow tempi. Opening night was successful, in spite of some empty seats.

Semiramide: Darina Takova in the title role, Michele Pertusi as Assur, Ugo Guagliardo as Oroe and Antonino Siragusa as Idreno in Act I Photo: Corrado Maria Falsini

The Teatro Comunale in Modena staged a new production of Benjamin Britten's Peter Grimes, scheduled for future performances in Reggio Emilia and Ferrara. Jan Vacik and David Barrell shared the title role. Barrell, who sang at the second performance, was an anguished Peter Grimes, who seemed aware of his doom. He lost some vocal color at the top of the range, where he had a tendency to push too hard. Vivian Tierney was a technically well prepared but somewhat too authoritarian Ellen Orford, while Mark Holland lent his voluminous and well trained baritone to Captain Balstrode.

Cesare Lievi’s production created a sympathetic setting which drew the audience effortlessly into the onstage goings-on, in both the village square and the tavern. When the scene changed to Grimes’s hut the surroundings hinted at the troubled emotions of the fisherman. The Orchestra of the Fondazione Arturo Toscanini gave a lively response to conductor Alistair Dawes, who conducted with concentration and warmth.

Peter Grimes at the Teatro Comunale in Modena Photo: Rolando Paolo Guerzoni

A revival of Rigoletto in Parma featured four different casts on four nights. It was originally meant as a vehicle for the debut of baritone Ambrogio Maestri in the title role, but reportedly the whole cast - including tenor Aquiles Machado and soprano Daniela Bruera - was poorly received on opening night, and conductor Alexander Joel was booed.

The theater management opted to make some changes for the second night, calling upon Anthony Michaels Moore (already contracted for the fourth performance) to replace Maestri, José Bros to replace Machado, and Giorgio Morandi to conduct. This proved more successful though Daniela Bruera, the only remaining member of the original cast, still did not find the audience reactions to her liking.

Michaels Moore could not sing the third performance as he was due to go on the next day, and Bros was required in Barcelona for a pre-existing engagement. This performance became an all-star event with Leo Nucci in the title role, Marcello Giordani as the Duke and Elena Mosuc as Gilda. The audience became so excited during the second act that Nucci encored ‘Cortigiani’; ‘Sí vendetta’ virtually brought the house down and was also encored, much to the delight of the audience. The atmosphere continued to grow throughout the third act; at the final curtain there was an ecstatic reception for the entire cast.

The principals at the fourth performance were Anthony Michaels Moore as Rigoletto, with Francesco Hong and Silvia Della Berretta making role debuts as the Duke and Gilda.

Leo Nucci as Rigoletto in Parma Photo: Roberto Ricci - Studio Controluce

After the celebration for the re-opening of the old house, La Scala returned temporarily to the Arcimboldi theater for some new productions. January featured Wagner's Tannhäuser, which is rarely performed in Italy and had not been seen at La Scala for over twenty years. Tenor Robert Gambill in the title role gave a troubled interpretation of Wagner's hero, and his voice lacked the power and volume to make his performance outstanding. Petra Lang, a very dramatic Venus, sang with luscious voice. Adrianne Pieczonka was a good, though somewhat anonymous Elisabeth. The most impressive performer was Peter Mattei as Wolfram, who delivered his beautiful aria in the third act with deep emotion and excellent style.

Paul Curran’s new production caused controversy, with the Venusberg of the first act resembling a sex shop; its sudden disappearance was very effective. The second and third acts featured more traditional settings: a hall with backdrops for the singers' contest and a dark wood for the return and death of Tannhäuser. When the unfortunate singer died his staff lit up as a neon tube. The orchestra was conducted by Jeffrey Tate, using only his right arm as a result of an injury a month before. He opted to use a combination of the Paris and Dresden editions of the opera. He conducted with extreme care, bringing out every detail in the score, but with a lightness of touch which did not always suit Wagner's fieriest passages.

L'impresario delle Smirne in Turin: Claudio Desderi as Conte Lasca and Luciana Serra as Lucrezia in Act I Photo: Michele Lamanna

Not an opera but a comedy about opera: the Teatro Carignano in Turin presented Carlo Goldoni's L'impresario delle Smirne, directed by opera singer and director David Livermore. In this play, a Turkish impresario goes to Venice and decides to hire an opera company. After an audition in which each of the prima donnas try to convince him of her superiority, he decides to head back to his country and leave the quarrelsome singers, but gives them enough money to found their own, self-run company.

There was original music by Andrea Chenna, and a number of singers - including Daniela Mazzucato, Claudio Desderi, Cinzia De Mola and Luciana Serra - volunteered to play themselves. All accepted the challenge, and seemed at ease in their unusual roles, poking fun of their own caprices. The performance was delightful, though perhaps a few strategic cuts would have improved the pace.

L'impresario delle Smirne: Giuseppe De Vittorio as AlÌ and Daniela Mazzuccato as Annina in Act I Photo: Michele Lamanna

© Silvia Luraghi, 5 March 2005 

March

Il trovatore in Turin: Marcello Giordani as Manrico and Micaela Carosi as Leonora in Act II Photo: Ramella & Giannese

The Teatro Regio in Turin scored another success this month with a sold out run of Il trovatore. In a rare Italian appearance, Marcello Giordani took the title role; despite having just sung it in Houston, Giordani did not sound completely at ease in the demanding tessitura. He displayed a ringing top register and earned enthusiastic cheers for a nice high C at the end of his cabaletta, but the middle register sounded more rigid and one had the impression that Giordani was pushing his voice to its limits.

Leo Nucci sang Luna, a role that he has performed many times with his usual mix of sober style and passion. This time was no exception: Nucci brought his experience and his still perfect vocal condition to the role and scored a well-deserved success.

Il trovatore: Leo Nucci as Conte di Luna and Micaela Carosi as Leonora Photo: Ramella & Giannese

The women were less convincing. As Leonora, Micaela Carosi displayed a huge voice with all the notes, but she did little to shade her voice, which sounded sharp at the top. Mariana Pentcheva was a ‘correct’ Azucena, but this role seems too heavy for her voice and she often had to force, especially in the lower range. Renato Palumbo conducted with extremely fast tempi, especially in the gypsies’ chorus when the chorus and the orchestra sounded uncoordinated. The production, originally by Alberto Fassini, was very traditional. It was revived by Joseph Franconi Lee, who did not seem to have done much work with the singers – each seemed to be acting by himself, with no unity of intentions.

Il trovatore: Marianna Pentcheva as Azucena in Act I Photo: Ramella & Giannese

The well-publicised chaos at La Scala caused the cancellation of the opening night of Pique Dame at the Teatro degli Arcimboldi (the next production, Rinaldo, also had its opening night called off). The production had been planned for Plácido Domingo, but the tenor announced in the summer that he would not sing if the old house was not available. Consequently, the role of Hermann was taken by young Russian tenor Misha Didyk, whose voice is pleasant, though too light for a spinto role such as this. Perhaps because of the challenges of the score, his phrasing remained generic and he failed to bring meaning to his words. As Lisa, Dagmar Schellenberger also displayed a voice more suitable to lighter roles; she sounded forced throughout her registers, despite giving a more committed interpretation than Didyk.

The great mezzo Elena Obraztsova gave a deep interpretation of the role of the Countess, which she has sung on many stages in the last few years; she also showed that her voice is still pretty much the same as it used to be. Unfortunately, her acting was not matched by the rest of the company. Also excellent was Dmitri Hvorostovsky - in his La Scala debut - as Prince Yeletsky. His second-act aria was met with enthusiastic applause from the audience, some of whom must have been hearing him for the first time. Vladimir Vaneev was a good and cheerful Count Tomsky, while Svetlana Lifar’s Paulina left no memorable impression.

Stephen Medcalf’s production featured sets by Jamie Vartan, which reproduced the various settings in a naturalistic yet simple way, and moved around the large stage minimising the disruption caused by scene changes. This was perhaps their chief merit, as in other respects they were extremely generic and could have served as sets for a variety of other operas. The orchestra was beautifully conducted by Yuri Temirkanov, who was completely at home with the score and succeeded in conveying his understanding of Tchaikovky's music to the orchestra.

Pique Dame at the Teatro degli Arcimboldi: Misha Didyk as Hermann and Dagmar Schellenberger as Lisa in Act II Photo: Marco Brescia

The tribute of success paid to the Russian conductor was symptomatic of the Milanese audience’s need to return to a normal life. Of course normality is still a long way off, as proven by a string of incidents and cancellations at the old house. The Filarmonica della Scala’s planned concert with Muti on March 18 was dropped at short notice.

The next concert was conducted by Valery Gergiev, and was the orchestra’s first appearance since the start of the problems with their regular conductor. Muti's fans had gathered at the top of the loggione to boo members of the orchestra as they came in throwing down leaflets in praise of their idol; the symphony season’s subscribers, less used than opera goers to the fans' lack of moderation, suggested that Muti had paid them. When Gergiev appeared he was welcomed by cheers and applause, but even at the end of the performance some boos for the orchestra were audible. Gergiev conducted a passionate account of Haydn’s Symphony no. 44 in B minor, followed by a more sober Bruckner 7; the concert, though successful, failed to create the sense of involvement that this conductor has achieved in the past with the same orchestra.

A few days later, Lorin Maazel took his turn at the baton, this time in the regular company season, and found himself in the midst of a protest by a different group of loggionisti. This contingent were not necessarily anti-Muti, but were but tired of being intimidated over the slightest criticism of the Maestro; they made their presence known with yet another bunch of leaflets thrown from the loggione, this time saying that a change can be good for everyone. When the atmosphere calmed down, Maazel conducted a concert of Prokofiev's music, beginning with a selection from Romeo and Juliet. This was followed by the 2nd Violin Concerto, beautifully played by violinist Julia Fischer, who deeply moved the audience. The composer’s fifth symphony formed the second half of the concert. By the end everybody seemed to have calmed down, and to be willing to concentrate on the music alone - as they will hopefully be able to do in the future.

Don Giovanni at Cagliari: Ruggero Raimondi in the title role and Adriana Damato as Donna Elvira Photo: Priamo Tolu

A revival of Don Giovanni at the Teatro Lirico in Cagliari was announced as Ruggiero Raimondi’s final appearance in the title role, though the bass later said in an interview that he may reconsider his decision to drop the role. He looked and sounded in very good shape, and led the company of young but distinguished colleagues with his usual charisma.

The male singers were all excellent. Erwin Schrott’s Leporello was a perfect counterpart to Raimondi; his bass-baritone, homogenous throughout the range, is ideal for Mozart; while his theatrical skills were so attuned to Raimondi's that it seemed that the two men had been performing together for years. Giuseppe Filianoti lent his handsome ringing voice to Don Ottavio with a noble and stylish interpretation, while Roberto Accurso was a thoughtful and unusually refined Masetto.

As Donna Anna, Carmela Remigio did not live up to expectations; she has been singing the role since the age of twenty and now seems to have lost some of her vocal skills, sounding tired at some moments. As Donna Elvira, Adriana Damato displayed a very interesting and powerful instrument, but would have been better cast as Anna. Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz was a light and small-voiced Zerlina.

Don Giovanni at Cagliari: Ruggero Raimondi in the title role and Erwin Schrott as Leporello Photo: Priamo Tolu

The orchestra was conducted at the opening by principal conductor Gérard Korsten, who later passed the baton to Massimiliano Stefanelli. Having bravely taken over without rehearsals, Stefanelli conducted with brisk tempi and was soon able to reach a good balance between stage and pit. Marina Bianchi was charged with reviving Giorgio Strehler’s classic production, with sets by Ezio Frigerio and costumes by Franca Squarciapino, and was fortunate to be working with a cast of skilled and experienced singer-actors.

The Teatro dell'Opera di Roma presented a double bill of Cavalleria rusticana and the restored silent movie Rapsodia Satanica, accompanied by Mascagni’s original live score - this had already had a successful outing last season in the Circuito Regionale Lombardo. The 1917 movie, divided into three parts, could easily have accommodated any desire Mascagni may have had to write a sort of symphony in three movements; instead the composer strove to compose music around the details of the action, demonstrating an affinity with the genre. This formed the first half of the evening’s performance, with Cavalleria rusticana after the interval.

Lydia Borelli in the 1917 film Rapsodia Satanica Photo: Corrado Maria Falsini

Two casts shared the opera. The first cast featured tenor Giuseppe Giacomini as Turiddu, provoking mixed reactions at the opening; Ambrogio Maestri was reportedly very successful as Alfio. In the second cast the young Canadian tenor, Lance Ryan, displayed an adequate volume of voice but has work to do in order to achieve a good Italianate style. His Santuzza was Virginia Todisco, who sang with spirit in spite of some unpleasant vibrato in her voice. As Alfio, the veteran Silvano Carroli showed that he can still master big roles, even if with some effort. Viorica Cortez was luxury casting as Mamma Lucia in all the performances.

Stefano Vizioli’s production, with sets by Maurizio Varamo based on originals by Renato Guttuso, set the action in a sunny yet gloomy Sicily. The orchestra was conducted by Marcello Panni.

© Silvia Luraghi, 1 April 2005 

April

Tosca at the Florence Maggio Musicale Fiorentino: Violeta Urmana as Tosca and Ruggero Raimondi as Scarpia in Act II Photo: Archivio Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Turin's Teatro Regio followed a popular hit - Il trovatore - with a rarity: Italo Montemezzi's L'amore dei tre re, an opera written in 1913 with a libretto by Sam Benelli. The unlikely story and poor quality of the libretto is perhaps the reason for the opera's being so infrequently performed. In a dark medieval Italian setting, the barbarian King Archibaldo, who is blind, forces Fiora to marry his absent son Manfredo in the hope of becoming her lover. The king discovers Fiora with her long-time lover Avito, and in order to identify the man who he cannot see, kills Fiora and covers her lips with poison. Avito kisses his dead lover for the last time and dies, not before Manfredo unexpectedly arrives and falls to the same fate.

L'amore dei tre re in Turin: Roberto Scandiuzzi as Archibaldo and Francesca Patané as Fiora in Act I Photo: Ramella & Giannese

Montemezzi's music is rich and dramatic, with a Wagnerian color; his vocal writing is especially demanding for the bass (Archibaldo) and baritone (Manfredo). The Turin cast was of very high quality. Francesca Patané sang Fiora. Roberto Scandiuzzi was an excellent Archibaldo, with solid voice, compact in all registers, and excellent theatrical skills. Baritone Marco Vratogna was a perfect Manfredo, with a notably captivating timbre. Tenor Antonello Palombi, who stepped in for Jon Villars, also proved adequate as Avito. The cast was completed by Bruno Ribero, a young Portuguese tenor who effectively sang the role of a guardian.

L'amore dei tre re: Francesca Patané as Fiora and Antonello Palombi as Avito in Act II Photo: Ramella & Giannese

The opera was directed by Guy Montavon with sets and costumes by Luisa Spinatelli, a co-production with Erfurt opera. It featured a single set with lighting which evoked a dark and haunting atmosphere. The orchestra was conducted by Oleg Caetani, who highlighted the orchestral richness of the interesting score.

L'amore dei tre re: Act III Photo: Ramella & Giannese

The Maggio Musicale Fiorentino opened on April 30 with a new production of Tosca, with the much awaited debut of Violeta Urmana in the title role. Urmana lived up to expectations with a beautiful, secure and homogeneous voice which proved perfect for the role. Only the final top note was not completely focused, but this is a small fault in context. At her side, tenor Markus Haddock made a poor impression as Cavaradossi, a role that lies beyond the possibilities of his handsome but light voice. Ruggiero Raimondi presented his familiar interpretation of Scarpia. The orchestra was conducted with passion by Zubin Mehta, one of the best Puccini conductors of our time.

Tosca at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino: Violeta Urmana as Tosca and Ruggero Raimondi as Scarpia in Act I Photo: Archivio Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

The production let the performance down. For no apparent reason the action was set in the 1950s, and the costumes looked very unattractive. The soldiers in the last act were imported from an earlier time and bore World War Two helmets. Tosca did not perform the usual candle ritual after the death of Scarpia, but instead turned on a TV set showing an appearance by Scarpia. These and other oddities would have been less disturbing had they not been accompanied by a complete lack of stage directions, which was particularly apparent during the love duet of the first act when Urmana stood meters away from her partner, singing as if in a recital. The house was packed and the performance successful, with some boos at the end for the production team.

Tosca at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino: Violeta Urmana as Tosca and Markus Haddock as Cavaradossi in Act III Photo: Archivio Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Waiting for the opening of the Verdi Festival at the beginning of May, the Teatro Regio in Parma offered a beautiful concert conducted by Bruno Bartoletti. The program included Cherubini's Requiem in C minor and Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex. Stravinsky's short opera featured a luxury cast, led by Donal Kaatsch’s deeply committed Oedipus and Sonia Ganassi’s impressive Jocasta, with Michele Pertusi as Creon and the Messenger and Giacomo Prestia as Tiresias, both shining in their small roles. The chorus of the Teatro Regio, instructed by Martino Faggiani, were perfectly in tune throughout and were especially responsive in the Requiem. The orchestra of the Teatro Regio proved perfectly at one with Bartoletti’s moving conducting. As a backdrop to the orchestra, the theater displayed a newly renovated 'camera acustica', a wooden structure with paintings and decoration by Giuseppe Carmignani dating back to the early 20th century. Carmignani was a scenographer and set designer who worked in Parma and Milan and later moved to Buenos Aires.

Stravinsky's Oedipus Rex in Parma: Sonia Ganassi as Iocasta and David Kaatsch as Oedipus with the Orchestra and chorus of the Teatro Regio di Parma. In the background the 'Camera acustica' painted by Carmignani Photo: Roberto Ricci, Studio Controluce

For the first time in the history of La Scala, Handel’s Rinaldo was staged this month at the Teatro degli Arcimboldi. This is an unsuitable venue for a baroque opera, but the old house is still available only for concerts, so baroque-lovers had to acclimatise themselves to the theater’s wide space.

The cast was uneven: Daniela Barcellona, in the title role, looked and sounded very convincing, with a lush voice which adapts perfectly to this type of repertoire even if she is not exactly a baroque specialist. Annick Massis was touching as Almirena, especially in the aria 'Lascia ch'io pianga' - however at times her voice lost volume at the top. Darina Takova’s Armida had all the notes, but she sounds more or less the same in every role. Mark Steven Doss was an anonymous Argante, while Mirko Guadagnini gave a good performance as Goffredo.

Pier Luigi Pizzi’s production was first seen in 1985 in Reggio Emilia, when it earned the Abbiati award (bestowed by the Italian Association of Music Critics). It featured a typical baroque setting, with the singers moved in and out on wooden horses while bearing wide banners waving in the air. The stage directions seemed to have been well-communicated to the singers. On the whole, the visual aspect was very pleasant and gave the action a sort of unreal dimension which was appropriate to Handel's music.

The orchestra was conducted by Ottavio Dantone, considered one of the best baroque specialists of the younger generation. He succeeded in making the orchestra of La Scala follow the baroque style, which was quite an enterprise, since this is certainly not a speciality of theirs. He also added some special effects, such as bird whistles, as was customary in the 18th century. Less convincing was the conductor's decision to cut long stretches of music: the third act was reduced by about half. But perhaps this was the price that had to be paid to bring this opera to La Scala three centuries after its composition.

From May 1 La Scala will have a new general manager and artistic director. Stéphane Lissner, the former director of the Paris' Chatelet and director of the Aix en Provence Festival, has been nominated after long discussions. His appointment as general manager is initially only until November, when the new board of trustees will step in to name a permanent artistic director for the next four years. The orchestra registered their approval by cancelling the strike scheduled for the opening of Elektra, which will now go ahead on May 7. The company has also engaged Oleg Caetani to replace Riccardo Muti for the Otello revival scheduled later in May.

The young conductor Arild Remmereit agreed to conduct the last symphony concert of the La Scala season at La Scala, He elected to keep Muti’s chosen programme which featured Schubert's 4th Symphony and Beethoven's oratorio Christus am Ölberge. His reading of the two masterpieces was not especially enlightening, though this was understandable under the circumstances. The oratorio soloists were Endrik Wottrich as Jesus, Luba Orgonasova as the angel, and Robert Holl as Petrus.

The final of the 45th International Voice Competition Voci Vediane - Città di Busseto took place in Bussetto’s small Giuseppe Verdi theater on April 10th, conducted by Julian Kovatchev. The jury was headed by José Carreras and included distinguished artistic directors from opera organisations around the world, among them Katia Ricciarelli.

The Georgian baritone George Gagnidze (born 1973) walked away with the first prize, though his rendition of 'Cortigiani vil razza dannata' from Rigoletto left many wondering why; his huge voice has an open emission but very little style. Much better was the performance of Japanese soprano Mihoko Kinoshita (born 1971) who sang 'Madre pietosa' from La forza del destino, displaying a true lirico-spinto voice with a nice top. Italian tenor Leonardo Caimi (born 1975) sang the difficult 'Ingemisco' from Verdi's Requiem; his intonation was not perfect but he proved equal to the score and produced very nice piani, while the young Italian baritone Elia Fabbian (born 1981) won the special Aldo Protti prize with a performance of Rigoletto’s 'Pari siamo', which he sang with much more taste than the first prizewinner. In general, one had the impression that the average age was a little on the high side for a young singers’ competition, with most of the finalists already being established in their careers. The winners can be seen in future productions by the Fondazione Toscanini.

© Silvia Luraghi, 2 May 2005 

May

Ernani in Parma: Act I Photo: Roberto Ricci, Studio Controluce

The Verdi festival opened on May 3 at the Teatro Regio in Parma with a successful new production of Ernani. The title role was taken by Marco Berti, whose handsome, ringing tenor proved perfect for the role. Susan Neves was a powerful, but not especially refined Elvira; in spite of her vocal richness she did not convince in this role as she has in others such as Abigaille. Carlo Guelfi was Carlo; his baritone in principle has the right color for Verdi, but his technique is flawed, the voice is not always well-supported. Giacomo Prestia on the other hand was a good and idiomatic Silva.

Ernani: Carlo Guelfi as Don Carlo Photo: Roberto Ricci, Studio Controluce

The production, by Pier'Alli, featured imposing sets intended to create a suffocating atmosphere and suggest a sense of oppression leading to death, but the stage business was rather confused and it seemed that the intentions of the director had not been fully developed. The orchestra responded well to Antonello Allemandi’s somewhat unconventional choice of tempi, as did the chorus, instructed by Martino Faggiani.

Ernani: Susan Neves as Elvira, Giacomo Prestia as Silva, and Marco Berti as Ernani in Act III Photo: Roberto Ricci, Studio Controluce

The Fondazione Arturo Toscanini presented the traditional double bill of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci at the Teatro Municipale in Piacenza. In Cavalleria, tenor Renzo Zulian took over the role of Turiddu, which he sang with some effort: perhaps he should choose less taxing roles. Elisabetta Fiorillo could be a perfect Santuzza, if she could only shake off the unpleasant vibrato that unfortunately characterizes her way of singing. Alberto Mastromarino was a good if somewhat colorless Alfio, while Tiziana Carraro, a singer who can be better appreciated in other roles, was a really inadequate Lola. The cast was completed by Serena Pasquaini as Mamma Lucia.

Cavalleria Rusticana in Piacenza: Elisabetta Fiorillo as Santuzza, Renzo Zulian as Turiddu, and Tiziana Carraro as Lola Photo: Carioni

In the second part of the evening, expectations were raised by José Cura's Canio. The tenor was in good shape and did not disappoint his fans, showing that verismo is certainly the repertoire in which he is most at home. Unfortunately he was partnered by Claudia Toti Lombardozzi, whose Nedda may look sexy but has a very small and shrieky voice which loses control at the top. Alberto Mastromarino returned to sing Tonio, which proved more convincing than his Alfio, while the young baritone Luca Salsi was a very good Silvio.

Pagliacci in Piacenza: José Cura as Canio and Alberto Mastromarino as Tonio Photo: Carioni

The production by Beppe De Tomasi was functional to the action. Cavalleria was staged in a somewhat simplified Sicily; only the Good Friday ceremony which ended with a resurgent Christ was not especially tasteful. In Pagliacci the action was staged in the Italian quarter of New York City, as the skyline on the background made clear; the comedians came in from the orchestra. The orchestra was conducted by Julian Kovatchev.

Elektra at the Teatro degli Arcimboldi: Felicity Palmer as Klytemnästra and Deborah Polaski in the title role Photo: Marco Brescia

A perfectly cast Elektra was performed at the Teatro degli Arcimboldi. Deborah Polaski’s account of the title role proved once again that this heroine is especially close to her artistic abilities, as well as to her understanding. Polaski gives Elektra a whole range of different emotions, expressed through vocal inflections and colors as well as her whole body. Anne Schwanewilms as Chrysothemis and Felicity Palmer as Klytemnästra were no less thrilling: both were able to bring different forms of passion and pity to their roles. In comparison with the women, Robert Brubaker’s Aegisth and Alfred Walker’s Orest were adequately sung but failed to impress.

Luca Ronconi’s production, already seen at La Scala in 1994, proved especially apt for the stage of the Arcimboldi Theater. The sets suggested a timeless setting in which men in butchers’ garb slaughter animals with great bloodshed. The orchestra was conducted by Semyon Bychkov, who found the appropriate sound and colors for the tragedy and gave tension to the music, in a performance that kept the audience breathless: it was perhaps the best production by the company so far this season.

Alfred Walker as Orest and Deborah Polaski as Elektra Photo: Marco Brescia

Shortly after Elektra, a revival of Otello opened at the Arcimboldi Theater. The production was created in 2001 as an end to the Verdi centenary year, when the title role was taken by Plácido Domingo. His brave successor this year was Clifton Forbis, who sang the role correctly, even though his voice sounds too small and his interpretation remains on the generic side. He was partnered by Daniela Dessí as a touching and perfectly prepared Desdemona while Leo Nucci, the only principal from the original cast, was a subtle and vocally generous Iago. Special mention should go to Francesco Meli, who sang the role of Cassio with secure and ringing voice.

The opera should have been conducted by Riccardo Muti, but following his abrupt departure the baton passed to Oleg Caetani. Caetani's reading of the score is completely different from Muti's, providing an interesting contrast for those who saw the original production. His view of the orchestration was especially interesting in the love duet of the first act, highlighting parts of the score that usually remain in the background. The cylindrical design of Graham Vick’s production proved adequate for the new house; being mostly abstract it is likely to remain for a long time in the company's repertoire.

As its second title of the season the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino presented Don Giovanni at the small Teatro della Pergola. In the title role, Erwin Schrott impressed with his perfect technique and well-shaded phrasing. Giuseppe Filianoti was an elegant Don Ottavio, while Natale De Carolis did his best as Leporello, but remained on a somewhat lower level. Marco Spotti made no memorable impression as the Commendatore, but Alex Esposito's Masetto was effective and well-matched with Veronica Cangemi's joyful and fresh Zerlina.

Among the women, Mariella Devia sang the role of Donna Anna with perfectly secure top notes, but left the impression that this is not her best role. On the other hand Barbara Frittoli seemed perfect as Elvira, with a creamy soprano and deep affinity with the score which made her ideal for the role.

In Jonathan Miller’s production, revived by David Ritch, the elegant but not over-intrusive sets adapted perfectly to the small stage of the Teatro della Pergola. The singers showed commitment in their acting, but one had the impression that this demonstrated their own talents rather than those of the stage director. Zubin Mehta conducted the orchestra with great attention to detail and an ability to unite stage and pit.

Verdi's early opera Il corsaro was staged at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa. Giuseppe Gipali was on top form as Corrado, the corsair of the title, delivering the role with the required mixture of arrogance and naiveness. Gulnara was sung by the young soprano Doina Dimitriu, who undoubtedly has a huge voice but sounds completely uneducated; her screechy top notes deserved their heavy boos from the audience. In comparison, Serena Farnocchia was a very good Medora, even if she did not bring any particular insight into the role. Roberto Servile did not sound at ease as Seid, and failed to convince.

The Lamberto Puggeli staging was the Verdi Festival co-production originally premiered in Parma last summer; it featured very simple sets in which the different settings were evoked by details, with additional embellishment for the harem scene. The orchestra was conducted by Bruno Bartoletti, who did his best to indicate matters of interest in this seldom performed opera.

© Silvia Luraghi, 30 May 2005 

June

Aida at the Teatro Regio di Parma: Luciana D'Intino as Amneris in Act II Photo: Roberto Ricci - Studio Controluce

The 2005 season at the Arena di Verona opened on June 17 with a new production of La Gioconda. Once frequently seen on this stage (it provided Maria Callas with her Verona debut), the opera seems now to have lost its appeal: whole sections of the large amphitheater remained empty, and more people left at each intermission. The opera was presented without cuts, and the long performance finished well after midnight.

La Gioconda at the Arena di Verona: Act II Photo: Maurizio Brenzoni

All singers proved vocally adequate to the Arena: in particular, Andrea Gruber, a regular in Verona in recent seasons, was a good Gioconda, producing a huge volume of voice and bright high notes. Marco Berti, making his role debut as Enzo Grimaldo, is one of the most interesting tenors of his generation: his voice is flexible and secure with a pleasant timbre which he shaded in many different colors, proving that he is already equal to the score. Ildiko Komlosi was a somewhat cold Laura, and despite her usual display of vibrato, Elisabetta Fiorillo gave an idiomatic interpretation of La Cieca. Alberto Mastromarino was an uninteresting Barnaba, while Carlo Colombara was an authoritative Badoero.

La Gioconda at Verona: Act III Photo : Maurizio Brenzoni

Pierluigi Pizzi’s production was perhaps not ideal for the Arena. The sets were divided into an upper part, with a large grey background set surrounded by cypresses that resembled Böckling's Isle of the Dead, and a lower part, representing canals in Venice, where gondolas moved back and forth bringing in the principals. The ballet took place on the upper part. Unfortunately guest star Roberto Bolle slipped on the set towards the end of his performance. Conductor Renato Renzetti chose extremely slow tempi which drained any possible thrill from the score, leaving only an impression of boredom that was this performance’s most notable feature.

Macbeth at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna: The witches in Act II Photo: Primo Gnani

The season at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna ended with Verdi's Macbeth, in a co-production with the Ravenna Festival, where it was staged last summer, and the Teatro Giuseppe Verdi di Trieste. The cast was partly the same as in Ravenna. In the title role, Carlos Alvarez was a haunted Macbeth, weak and completely subjugated by his ambitious wife. Alvarez’s bronze-colored baritone is one of today’s most suitable instruments for serving Verdi's music, and his superb interpretation supplied a deep insight into all facets of the role. Soprano Tatiana Serjan sang boldly, and succeeded in portraying an impressive Lady Macbeth, even if her voice is not completely smooth and even. Giovanni Furlanetto was a technically correct Banquo, but with much less vocal weight than his colleagues he remained in the background and showed no evidence of being able to take on a central role. Giuseppe Gipali was a good Macduff, even if he still apparently has to work on the interpretation.

Micha Van Hoecke's production, inspired by Akira Kurosawa re-interpretation of Shakespeare's tragedy, proved very effective in this revival. The orchestra was beautifully conducted by Daniele Gatti, who certainly profited from being in a real theater rather than under a tent as in Ravenna. The chorus, instructed by Marcel Seminara, gave a strong contribution, and were particularly moving in ‘Patria oppressa’, one of the highlights of Gatti's inspired interpretation.

Aida at the Teatro Regio di Parma: Juan Pons as Amonasro and Maria Gulegina as Aida in Act II Photo: Roberto Ricci - Studio Controluce

As the second title of its Verdi Festival, the Teatro Regio di Parma presented a new production of Aida. At the opening, Maria Guleghina sang the title role with passion and commitment; she was able to shade her lustrous voice to produce beautiful piani when required (this was especially touching in 'Ritorna vincitor'). As Radames, Pietro Giuliacci was a last-minute replacement for Fabio Armilliato who had sung the dress rehearsal but then cancelled the first three performances. Visibly uneasy at the beginning, Giuliacci gained confidence later on, and his delivery of the role was more than acceptable. Luciana D'Intino was a vocally perfect Amneris, while Amonasro was sung by Juan Pons, perhaps not at his best.

At the third performance Daniela Dessi and Fabio Armiliato took over the roles of Aida and Radames, with an uneven result. The soprano, currently in perfect vocal shape (as also shown by her Desdemona at the Arcimboldi Theater in May), was a moving Aida, but Armiliato was clearly tackling a role beyond for his vocal ability, and was in visible difficulties in the third and fourth acts.

All performances were successful, except for some (unaccountable) boos directed at Guleghina on opening night: the resident loggionisti of the Teatro Regio reported that the booers had come in from Milan, a city where the Russian soprano has never had an easy time. The production was originally planned by the late Alberto Fassini and realized by Joseph Franconi Lee, with sets and costumes by Mauro Carosi. These set the opera in a stereotypical Egypt with stately, deep blue sets which overfilled the stage, leaving a shortage of space for the action. Bruno Bartoletti conducted the orchestra in an imposing manner, substantially contributing to the success of the production.

Werther at the Teatro Regio in Turin: Roberto Alagna as Werther in Act I Photo: Ramella & Giannese

The Teatro Regio in Turin presented an eagerly expected new production of Werther, featuring Roberto Alagna in the title role. It was the first time the French tenor had brought the role - one of his best - before an Italian audience, and he brought the house down with his charisma and vocal beauty. Alagna's interpretation is more in line with the French school than the lighter type of Werther (which has been associated for decades with Alfredo Kraus) and is better known to Italian audiences; nevertheless, Alagna's communicative skills, and his complete identification with the unhappy young man did not fail to impress. At his side, Monica Bacelli was also a very good Charlotte, somewhat detached and uninvolved prior to a passionate last act. Marc Barrard was an unimpressive Albert, while the young soprano Nathalie Manfrino was a delightful and vocally interesting Sophie.

The production was directed and designed by David and Frédérico Alagna, the tenor's brothers, who also displayed their sculptures in a small exhibition in the theater lounge. The stage directions were certainly not the high point of the production; the ridiculous interpretations of some characters, such as the Bailli and his friends, were simply embarrassing, Neither did the elaborate sets add to the experience; the Alagna brothers tried to impress by bringing in a chariot with a horse and coloring the sets with dripping blood in the final scene, at the expense of bringing any special insight into the interior drama of Werther and Charlotte, which should be brought to the fore in such an intimate work. The orchestra was skilfully conducted by Alain Guingal.

Werther: Roberto Alagna as Werther and Monica Bacelli as Charlotte in Act III Photo: Ramella & Giannese

© Silvia Luraghi, 4 July 2005 

July

Aida at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome: Act II Photo: Corrado Maria Falsini

Last summer, after several years of disruption, the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma finally resumed its summer season at the Baths of Caracalla. This world famous venue had been closed for more than a decade due to the risk of damaging the Roman ruins, and has been reopened on the condition that the stage is moved forward, leaving the ruins as a backdrop rather than a natural set. This has reduced the theater’s capacity, though recent performances have not sold out.

Aida: Juan Pons as Amonasro and Isabelle Kabatu as Aida in Act III Photo: Corrado Maria Falsini

At the opening night of Aida the title role was sung with deep commitment and great temperament by Isabelle Kabatu. Vocally she was especially touching in her third act aria, and her dramatic performance was equally convincing – in spite of a tendency to jump around, which she should try to curb.

Opposite her, Mario Malagnini was a good Radames. His voice has a nice color and the top notes are always sharp and secure; in a normal theater this voice could well be too small for the role, but here he was helped by the amplification system which worked rather well for the principals (though unfortunately not so well for the chorus). Mariana Pentcheva was a raging Amneris, lacking any subtlety, while Juan Pons was an idiomatic Amonasro.

Isabelle Kabatu as Aida in Act III Photo: Corrado Maria Falsini

The production was directed by Paolo Micchichè, and was originally designed for Washington Opera during the restoration of the Kennedy Center, when the company was performing at DAR Constitution Hall. For this reason, films and projections are used in place of sets; this proved easily adaptable to the larger space of the Baths, with the whole area of the ruins serving as a screen. The open space lent itself particularly well to the triumphal scene, which featured only a small number of extras bearing banners against a background projection of a bigger triumphal scene. The orchestra was conducted by Plácido Domingo on the first two nights; later, Giovanni Reggioli conducted several performances.

Kurt Weill's musical One Touch of Venus performed by Opera North at the Ravenna Festival: Ron Li-Paz as Whitelaw Savory and Christianne Tisdale as Molly Grant in Act II Photo: Ravenna Festival

Among various concerts and operatic performances featured this year, the Ravenna Festival presented the English company Opera North, which performed two titles: Kurt Weill's musical One Touch of Venus and Bohuslav Martinu's opera Julietta, both if which were Italian premieres. Opera North normally tours Northern England, and has a wide repertoire. Well-known works are performed in the original language, while more obscure ones, such as Julietta, are performed in English.

In One Touch of Venus, a rich art collector, Whitelaw Savory, buys a much desired statue of the Greek goddess Venus. When his barber Rodney Hatch tries the ring he bought for his fiancée on the statue's finger, Venus takes life, and immediately seeks to become his lover. After a number of mishaps, Venus chooses to become a statue again after realizing what her future as a housewife would be like. The musical premiered in 1943 in Boston, was staged a month later on Broadway directed by Elias Kazan, and in 1948 became a movie starring Ava Gardner.

In the Opera North production, directed by Tim Albery, with sets by Antony McDonald and costumes by Emma Ryott, Ron Li-Paz was Whitelaw Savory, Loren Geeting was Rodney Hatch and Karen Cocker was Venus. These principals are singers who alternate opera with musical, so they were able to act and sing very convincingly, resulting in a delightful performance. The orchestra of Opera North was conducted by James Holmes.

One Touch of Venus: Ron Li-Paz as Whitelaw Savory and Karen Coker as Venus in Act I Photo: Ravenna Festival

Bohuslav Martinu's seldom performed opera Julietta was written in 1938, and is based on a novel by surrealist writer Georges Neveux. Misha, a book salesman, travels to a small town, where nobody retains memories of the past. He is searching for a woman whose voice he heard on his first visit to the town. Their love story starts after they meet, but Misha tries to shoot her after an argument. Searching for her, Misha reaches the Central Office of Dreams where the clerk tells him that his dream is over. But Misha can still hear the voice and keeps on searching.

Martinu's Julietta performed by Opera North at the Ravenna Festival: Act I Photo: Ravenna Festival

Among the numerous principals, Paul Nilon was Misha and Rebecca Caine was Julietta. Again, all were excellent dramatically as well as vocally (as with Venus, many of them have a wide music-theatre repertoire). David Pountney’s production, with sets by Stefanos Lazaridis and costumes by Marie-Jeanne Lecca, places the action in a closed space where people can hardly move, stuck as they are in a continuous present. The orchestra was conducted by Martin André. The production has already enjoyed great success by the company around England and elsewhere in Europe, including at the Prague National Theater where the opera was originally premiered.

The ballet Caravaggio at the Giordano Festival in Baveno Photo: Piero Gatti, Baveno

The 8th Giordano Festival in Baveno opened on July 9 with a worthwhile contemporary piece, the ballet Caravaggio, with original music written in 2004 by Italian composer Giovanni Sollima, and choreography by Matteo Levaggi. Inspired by the paintings of the Italian artist, the piece also featured a contribution by countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo who took part in the ballet with the dancers. The young singer, who has taken part in every performance of this work thus far, sang with ringing voice displaying a broad and nicely shaded range.

At the end of the performance, tenor José Cura received the Award Città di Baveno for his interpretation of Giordano's operas; when his many fans insisted that he should sing, he agreed to sing only a short unaccompanied spiritual which was a great success. The two-week Festival ended on July 24 with an evening devoted to Giordano, during which tenors Giorgio Merighi and Carlo Bergonzi also received the award in recognition of their artistic achievements in relation to Giordano's music.

Caravaggio: countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo Photo: Piero Gatti, Baveno

At the end of the season, the Teatro Regio in Turin presented two performances of Verdi's Requiem. The cast assembled featured some of the best possible soloists for Verdi's masterpiece, with soprano Norma Fantini especially touching in the final ‘Libera me’. Her voice blended nicely with that of mezzo Luciana D'Intino, while bass Roberto Scandiuzzi was especially impressive in the Tuba mirum. Tenor Massimo Giordano substituted for an indisposed Fabio Sartori, singing his part with elegance in spite of some minor problems at the top in the Ingemisco. The orchestra was conducted with energy and concentration by Roberto Abbado, with a very effective ‘Dies Irae’, where the chorus (instructed by Claudio Marino Moretti) also made a strong contribution.

Next season will partly coincide with the Winter Olympics, and will feature a number of interesting titles. The season starts with Aida, featuring Fiorenza Cedolins in the title role; while Roberto Alagna, who has enjoyed major success this season, will come back for Manon Lescaut and La bohème. Other highlights include Don Carlo with Marcello Giordani and Violeta Urmana, adding the role of Elisabetta di Valois to her soprano repertoire, and a 20th-century opera in the form of Menotti's rarely performed The Consul.

As a summer bonus after the end of the season, the Orchestra Verdi in Milan gave four performances featuring music inspired by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in collaboration with the music program at Yale University. To open the short series, the orchestra hosted a company of young singers for a semi-staged version of Britten's opera, directed by American director Marc Verzatt, who also gave a witty performance as Puck. Despite the absence of sets it was a pleasant performance, in which the singers seemed to have responded well to the stage director and prepared themselves well vocally, especially countertenor Ian Howell as Oberon. The orchestra, mostly new to this music, gave a lively response to the baton of Giuseppe Grazioli.

The next two nights, also featuring American soloists, were devoted to Mendelssohn's Ein Sommernachtstraum and Purcell's The Fairy Queen, again semi-staged by Marc Verzatt. The last concert brought a complete change with the Italian premiere of music by Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla. The first piece on the programme, El sueño de una noche de verano, featured a number of songs performed by mezzo-soprano Rebecca Ringle and bass-baritone Eric Downs, alternating with two tango dancers.

The new general manager and artistic director of La Scala, Stéphane Lissner, announced the 2005-2006 season on July 21. In spite of all the problems caused by Riccardo Muti's resignation (he was scheduled to conduct four productions next season) and subsequent late programming, Lissner managed to confirm virtually complete casts and a number of interesting conductors. Some have not conducted at La Scala for several years, like Riccardo Chailly, who will conduct Rigoletto and return in the 2006-2007 season for more Verdi on opening night. Lorin Maazel will conduct Tosca; his opera 1984, which was seen at Covent Garden last season, is already scheduled for 2008. Daniel Barenboim will conduct the Christmas concert, featuring Beethoven's Ninth, and will open the 2007-2008 season with Tristan und Isolde.

The coming season will start as usual on December 7 with a young conductor on the podium: Daniel Harding, who will have his debut with the company conducting Mozart's Idomeneo. Other highlights include a number of recitals by singers such as Renato Bruson and Angela Gheorghiu, as well as a production that was cancelled last season by Muti – the double bill of Sancta Susanna (Paul Hindemith) and Il dissoluto assolto (Azio Corghi).

After the company’s much-publicized tribulations this year, the atmosphere at the press conference was of great expectation, and at the end of Lissner's speech there was long applause that seemed to indicate a feeling of relief. The company also organized a public presentation in the afternoon, open to subscribers and members of closely connected associations (such as Amici della Scala and Amici del Loggione): this new friendly face of La Scala is an innovation which has received justifiable acclaim.

© Silvia Luraghi, 31 July 2005 

August

La bohème at the Arena di Verona: Marcelo Alvarez as Rodolfo and Fiorenza Cedolins as Mimi in Act II Photo: Maurizio Brenzoni

In the framework of its summer season, this year called ‘Estate nelle terre verdiane’, the Fondazione Arturo Toscanini presented a new production of Verdi's Attila at the Campo Santa Maria degli Angeli in Busseto. Enrico Giuseppe Iori made a very convincing debut in the title role. His bass sounds well trained, with a nice timbre and perfect intonation, and his theatrical skills overcame poor stage directions. The Odabella of Chinese soprano He Hui was also very convincing vocally, but remained on the generic side in her interpretation. Stefano Secco’s lyric tenor mastered the role of Foresto in all its details. The disappointment was Roberto Servile’s Ezio: his voice lacks support with an uncontrolled vibrato, also without Verdian color.

Attila in Busseto: Roberto Servile as Ezio in Act I Photo: Montacchini, Parma

The production was directed by Riccardo Canessa, who did not do much in terms of stage business, leaving the singers to use their own initiative. Artemio Cabassi’s sets were also not especially elaborate, and one could imagine them used in a number of other productions. Colored carpets covered the background, and the atmosphere conveyed an oriental flavour appropriate for numerous other operas with few adaptations. The lighting by Fiammetta Baldisserri produced some very nice effects, with advantage being taken of the natural setting provided by pine trees and the neighboring church. The orchestra was conducted by Will Humburg who gave a functional reading, always trying to combine the orchestral music with the action on stage.

Attila in Busseto: He Hui as Odabella in Act III Photo: Montacchini, Parma

A production designed especially for a big open space can make even an intimate opera, such as La bohème, a suitable title for the Arena di Verona. The vocal cast featured first-class artists. Fiorenza Cedolins may be better suited to heavier roles, such as Butterfly, but her perfect preparation, even timbre, and commitment in interpretation made her a very moving Mimi. Marcelo Alvarez should have been perfect vocal casting for Rodolfo, but he did not always sound completely at ease: he opted to sing his first act aria down a semitone, despite a ringing top that would surely have allowed him to sing in the original key. In any case he was a passionate Rodolfo, and a good partner for his Mimi. Marius Kwiecien - not yet well known to the Italian public - made his Arena debut as Marcello, and proved to be the surprise of the evening, singing with a handsome, smooth and agile voice. At the opening Ainhoa Arteta, another singer whose visits to Italy are all too infrequent, sang a very successful Musetta; later in the run she was replaced by Donata D'Annunzio Lombardi for whom the role is a real calling card thanks to her nice top notes and first class theatrical skills.

The production could have easily looked a little on the tasteless side if staged in a normal opera house, but it was perfect for the venue. The first and fourth acts were staged on the roofs of Paris, in a large white setting, next to a chimney and a few pieces of furniture. In the second act, the Café Momus was very simply represented by a long table; numerous extras, including acrobats, milled around without disturbing the main action, and at the end there was an explosion of fireworks from the large chimney that had represented the roof of the Bohemians’ garret. In the third act, Marcello's workshop was located inside a trolley on the side of the stage. The orchestra was conducted by Daniel Oren, whose great experience of the Arena enables him to overcome the challenge of keeping stage and pit together in this wide open space. The audience loved both the production and the singers.

La bohème in Verona: Act II Photo: Maurizio Brenzoni

The Festival Settimane Musicali di Stresa e del Lago Maggiore opened on August 19, with an impressive concert conducted by the Festival’s artistic director, Gianandrea Noseda. The title of this year's Festival was ‘Nordic Colors’: Noseda, the principal guest conductor at the Mariinsky theater, attempted to present music evocative of the colors and atmosphere of the northern countries, with particular memories of his own summers spent in St Petersburg.

For the opening concert, Noseda chose Arvo Pärt's Te Deum for three choirs, piano, string orchestra and tape: a beautiful composition, whose rarefied and essential sound was appropriate to the title of the festival. The vocal writing was very touching, and consequently the superb Ars Cantica Choir (instructed by Marco Berrini) made a deep impression on the audience. In the second part of the concert, Noseda gave a sober, but involving reading of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, with soloists Alessandra Marianelli, Laura Polverelli, Evgeny Akimov and Peter Mattei all singing with commitment to the conductor’s intentions. The Orchestra delle Settimane Musicali di Stresa, especially created by Gianandrea Noseda in 2003, proved up to its task, and the concert was a success on all counts. The Festival continued with a semi-staged performance of Le nozze di Figaro, which completes the Mozart-Da Ponte cycle begun by Noseda in 2003.

At a crowded press conference on August 4, which many managed to attend in spite of the date and short notice, the Teatro Regio di Parma announced the appointment of Mauro Meli as general manager. Meli was until recently in the same position at La Scala, but was rejected by the orchestra and had to leave shortly after Riccardo Muti resigned. In Parma, Meli will have to take over the existing plans of his predecessor, Giampiero Rubiconi, and the opera house’s new general music director Maestro Bruno Bartoletti, better known as artistic director of the Verdi Festival.

Because Meli's appointment has been done in the framework of the newly launched project Parma Capitale della Musica, which also involves the Fondazione Arturo Toscanini. Because Riccardo Muti is the conductor of the Orchestra Luigi Cherubini (the Fondazione’s youth orchestra), some envisage it as a step by Muti in the direction of Parma. How exactly this may come about, and what role the Fondazione Toscanini may play in the future of the Teatro Regio (and of the musical life of Parma) remains unclear, as the city mayor Elvio Ubaldi has flatly stated that no collaboration is possible until the Fondazione returns opera to its repertoire.

© Silvia Luraghi, 28 August 2005 

Silvia Luraghi is Professor of Linguistics at the University of Pavia. Her broad interests include historical linguistics, comparative philology, linguistic typology and translation studies. In this last field, she has done research on translation for special purposes, such as opera supertitling, and libretti translation. A regular opera goer since childhood, she started a second career as an opera critic several years ago, contributing on a regular basis to leading Italian-language magazines, such as L'Opera and the 'Classic Voice', and in English to Opera japonica.

See also the archives for previous reports from Milan.