Maria Nockin's Letter from America

Parsifal at Los Angeles Opera: Plácido Domingo (left) as Parsifal and Matti Salminen as Gurnemanz Photo: Robert Millard

On December 7, Los Angeles Opera presented a fascinating performance of Giacomo Puccini's Tosca. Ian Judge's realistic production told the melodramatic story in a straight forward manner. John Gunter's box sets were visually pleasing and did a fine job of projecting the voices into the auditorium. Act I, for example, was a detailed representation of the Roman church, Sant'Andrea della Valle, in which Cavaradossi was painting his canvas on the floor. Maidie Rosengarten's lighting was always in keeping with the drama and her use of red was particularly evocative during the Act II torture scene.

One of the main reasons for the success of many productions at LA Opera is the conducting of its current music director, Kent Nagano (who, unfortunately, is leaving at the end of this season). His tempi were on the slow side but the extra time enabled him to mould the score's most luxurious sounds and bring out exquisite details.

Tosca at Los Angeles Opera: Samuel Ramey as Baron Scarpia (far left) and ensemble Photo: Robert Millard

Tosca was Violeta Urmana's first role with this company. She played the flamboyant diva to the hilt and lit up the stage with her charisma, but she also showed a vulnerability that allowed her character to find sympathy with the audience. Her voice is huge and although she was a mezzo-soprano until three years ago, she now has blowtorch top notes as well as a colorful middle register and good chest tones.

Tenor Salvatore Licitra was almost her vocal equal. He has a warm burnished timbre and considerable power, but his intonation was faulty in his first aria. His 'Vittoria' was ardently sung, however, and he accomplished a truly beautiful diminuendo in his final aria, 'E lucevan le stelle.' Samuel Ramey was a subtly menacing Scarpia who allowed his evil looking henchmen to do all the dirty work. Vocally, he was in fine form and his solid, dark timbred voice rose easily above massed voices of the 'Te Deum.'

Tosca: Violeta Urmana as Floria Tosca and Salvatore Licitra as Mario Cavaradossi Photo: Robert Millard

Sciarrone and Spoletta were dramatically portrayed by Joseph Frank and resident artist Andrew Wilkowske. Michael Gallup was an amusing, narrow-minded Sacristan and Hyung Yun was an anxious but vocally firm Angelotti. William Vendice's chorus sang a magnificent Te Deum and a polished, lyrical cantata. As with any live performance, there were a few imperfect moments, but this was undoubtedly among LA Opera's best performances of the past year.

Tosca: Samuel Ramey as Baron Scarpia Photo: Robert Millard

Lyric Opera of Chicago presented Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Die Zauberflöte on December 9 as a holiday offering. This revival of August Everding's 20 year old production was directed by Matthew Lata and it charmed both the children and the adults in the audience with its furry animals and stylized palm trees. Lata's direction never dissolved into slapstick and he avoided much of the racism found in Emanuel Schickaneder's 18th century libretto by painting Monostatos green.

A graduate of the Lyric Opera Center for American Artists, Erin Wall, sang Pamina with clear dulcet tones and well shaped phrases. Her character was physically vulnerable but mentally strong. Thus, she was perceived as a noble consort for Tamino. Michael Schade, whose voice blended beautifully with Wall's, was a princely, amorous Tamino who sang with ringing golden high notes. New Zealand baritone Jonathan Lemalu was a delightfully jolly and lovable Papageno. His dark voice had a great deal of emotional impact and he made his character much more than just a simple-minded bird catcher. German soprano Cornelia Götz debuted in the daunting role of the Königin der Nacht (Queen of the Night). Her first aria was slightly under projected, but she gained in confidence by Act II and sang the 'Vengeance Aria' with quick-silver agility and floods of tone.

The role of Sarastro demands a bass with luxurious low notes and a commanding stage presence. Franz-Josef Selig, a superb singer and a fine actor, easily filled the bill and sang his arias with elegant tonal quality. In this production Monostatos is a comic villain and Dennis Petersen's portrayal was strong and energetic. Erica Strauss, Lauren McNeese and Meredith Arwady were an appropriately evil looking trio of Ladies and they sang in tune. Kevin Langan was a robust sounding Speaker and Lauren Curnow a charming Papagena.

Sir Andrew Davis conducted energetically. The orchestra captured the colors and textures of Mozart's score as they played with translucence and perfect counterpoint. It's not always easy to find an appropriate December opera but this production was an excellent choice.

Parsifal at Los Angeles Opera: Matti Salminen as Gurnemanz (left), Albert Dohmen as Amfortas, and Plácido Domingo as Parsifal Photo: Robert Millard

On December 8, Los Angeles Opera presented Robert Wilson's production of Parsifal which had first been seen 14 years earlier in Hamburg. In this version, white faced singers assume choreographed poses and do not interact with each other in a realistic manner. Director Nicola Panzer's characters spent much of their time singing with their arms extended while either standing still or moving very slowly.

Many of Frida Parmeggiani's costumes were constructed from stiff fabrics and some had long trains which constricted movement, especially when the singers were expected to walk backward. The austere set by Stephanie Engeln provided interesting symbols which were bathed in A J Weissbard's evocative lighting.

Parsifal: Matti Salminen as Gurnemanz Photo: Robert Millard

Despite an announcement that he had a cold, Placido Domingo sang a moving Parsifal. Although he is no longer a young man, he still has the ringing top, smooth middle tones and baritonal low notes that have made him a premier tenor of our age. He moved well within the parameters of the staging and added vocal excitement to the performance.

Bass Matti Salminen has been singing for almost 40 years, but his sound is still brightly burnished bronze. He never seemed to tire and he energized the text with conviction throughout his long role. Linda Watson gave a formidable vocal portrayal of Kundry, singing with warm tones and a tireless legato.

Parsifal: Matti Salminen as Gurnemanz (left), Albert Dohmen as Amfortas, and Plácido Domingo as Parsifal Photo: Robert Millard

As Klingsor, baritone Hartmut Welker's presence was commanding even though he moved very little. He sang with thrust and acted with his voice, despite some support problems that left a few of his utterances underpowered. Because in this production the Amfortas, Albert Dohmen, did not bear a visible wound, he evoked less sympathy at first, but his vocal portrayal was moving and his diction excellent.

James Cresswell was a sonorous Titurel. As knights, Vale Rideout and Dean Elzinga sang with resonant tones, as did Esquires, Sarah Jane McMahon, Patricia Risley, David Robinson and Peter Nathan Folz. Flowermaidens, Margaret Thompson, Abby Furmansky, Jessica Swink, Martina Ruping, along with the previously named McMahon and Risley, sang with fresh clear voices and provided some much needed relief from the dark pictures of the rest of the opera.

The incisive conducting of Kent Nagano did much to make this a memorable performance. He emphasized the score's lyrical moments and gave the Los Angeles audience a scintillating version of Wagner's final work.

Parsifal: Plácido Domingo in the title role with the Flower Maidens Photo: Robert Millard

Sometimes it is difficult to find an appropriate presentation to give in December. On the 9, Palm Beach Opera solved the problem by presenting L'Opéra de Montréal's traditionally opulent production of Giuseppe Verdi's Aida. Stage director Bernard Uzan and designer Claude Girard created enormously high, solid looking, majestic sets, and for the Triumphal Scene the trumpets were placed on the top level while dancers, supernumeraries, horses and camels paraded below. It was a visually stunning Aida which appeared not to spare the budget.

Italian conductor Bruno Aprea is new to this company's post of artistic director, but he is a master at putting on Verdi's operas. Although this orchestra is lacking a few string players, he elicited admirably precise playing from the group. The brass section, in particular, deserves kudos for its rendering of the Triumphal and Judgment Scenes.

Aida at Palm Beach Opera: Indra Thomas as Aida and Gordon Hawkins as Amonasro Photo: Steven Caras

Indra Thomas was a believable Aida with the requisite vocal power. Her radiant top tones were easily audible in the ensembles and she was at her best when floating pianissimi in the Nile Scene. Russian mezzo-soprano Irina Mishura was a fiery and aristocratic Amneris who suffused her lines with emotion. Her thrilling high notes made the Judgment Scene sizzle with excitement.

Piero Giulacci had a far less powerful sound, but he sang all the notes correctly and gave a competent portrayal of Radamès. Gordon Hawkins' Amonasro was rough toned and his characterization was riveting. He was a king in dire straits, but his bearing was always regal. Peter Volpe, too, was a commanding presence and his Ramfis was vocally solid down to the lowest notes. The past year's Palm Beach Opera Contest winner, Marianne Cope, sang the priestess with lustrous tones and Indiana University student Eduardo Aladrén was promising as the messenger.

This is a time when many different types of operatic productions can be encountered. Uzan's Aida and Wilson's Parsifal could be said to represent the opposite ends of the spectrum.

Indra Thomas as Aida Photo: Steven Caras

Virginia Opera is one of the regional companies which performs in several different cities. On December 2, it presented Charles Gounod's Roméo et Juliette at the George Mason University Center for the Arts in Fairfax. Stage director David B Lefkowich is best known for his fight choreography and he put that skill to good use in this production. He also utilized the many stage skills to be found among his agile young cast members.

Scenic designer Peter Dean Beck created a substantial looking set with Italian styled facades and intricate balconies. The costumes from the Opera Theatre of St Louis dressed the Capulets in red and the Montagues in blue so that the viewer never wondered who belonged to which camp. Artistic Director Peter Mark conducted with a clearly romantic approach and he created excitement at the right moments with carefully constructed dynamics.

Roméo et Juliette at Virginia Opera: Wei Huang as Juliet and Adriane Shelton as Gertrude Photo: Anne M Peterson

Tenor Chi Liming, who had sung Cavaradossi with Mark at the first Italian language performance of Tosca in Shanghai, was a passionate Roméo who sang with a powerful voice. His tones were well focused and only one or two notes showed a bit of strain. His Juliette was the fragile Wei Huang, who was as lovely to hear as to observe. She sang with a silvery resonance, handling her role's coloratura and its more dramatic moments with seeming ease. Chi and Huang were an attractive couple and their duets were resplendent with mellifluous harmonies.

Roméo et Juliette: Wei Huang as Juliet and Chi Liming as Romeo Photo: Anne M Peterson

Jason Kaminski was a sturdy voiced Mercutio with good stage presence, Laurel Cameron a tantalizing, piquant Stéphano and Todd Robinson a dignified Capulet. Michael Shell was a contentious Tybalt, Raymond Diaz a diplomatic, strong voiced Frère Laurent and Adriane Shelton a spirited Gertrude.

Joseph Walsh's chorus sang in precise harmonies while they acted as individuals involved in the drama. They were a powerful force on stage and contributed a great deal to the performance. This company's Chinese connection makes it an interesting group to watch for new and talented young singers. Chi and Huang are promising artists from whom we can expect to hear much more.

Roméo et Juliette: Michael Shell as Tybalt (left) and Chi Liming as Romeo Photo: Anne M Peterson

© Maria Nockin, 1 January 2006 

Maria Nockin grew up in New York. Born of a German Jewish/British/Bahamian family, She enjoyed a thorough-going musical upbringing, inspired by family friends like the violinist Mischa Elman, pianist Alexander Siloti, and soprano Grete Stückgold. Eventually concentrating on vocal studies, she became a soloist in New York churches, worked for the Metropolitan Opera Guild and later became a public high school teacher. Moving to Arizona in 1993, she started a new career as a music journalist contributing reviews and articles to Opera Japonica and other print and web publications. At her ranchito in the desert near Casa Grande, she paints watercolors and keeps two cats called Figaro and Siegfried.

See also the archives for previous reports from America.