Verdi: Simon Boccanegra (Florence, 2002)

Cast: Carlo Guelfi (Simon), Karita Mattila (Maria/Amelia), Vincenzo La Scola (Gabriele), Julian Konstantinov (Fiesco), Lucio Gallo (Paolo); Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Claudio Abbado (conductor), Peter Stein (director), Maurizio Bonomi (set designer), Moidele Bickel (costume designer), Carlo Battistoni (video director)

Recorded at Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Florence in 2002

Issued on DVD by TDK in 2003 [DV-OPSIBO, PAL, menus in English, subtitles in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian]

Technical details
Aspect ratio 16:9
Sound DTS 5.1, ACS Digital 5.1, PCM Stereo

Running time: 143 minutes

Sung in Italian
If one wished to be clever, one could call this recording 'Simon Light' or 'Boccanegra in Blue'. The production is spare, using lighting in place of sets - and the lighting is predominantly blue. The performance lacks inflection, offering only the notes. Surprisingly, there is little fire from the podium, though the orchestra does its job dutifully. Overall, the opera seems to have shrunk to a minor work.

Of course, the central force in Simon Boccanegra is Simon himself, and while Guelfi succeeds in the vocal demands, there is no feeling of the character and no sense of power beyond the minimum needed. Mattila is lovely to watch and sings capably, but no more. La Scola disappoints; one hopes for the La Scola we hear in the I due Foscari DVD, but must make do with the uncertain voice and stock characterization he displayed years before, Konstantinov also walks through his part with a voice little darker than Guelfi's. Gallo is more successful with a lean and hungry look (and sound) fitting the character.

Of the alternatives in the catalogue, that from the Met under Levine with Milnes, Moldoveanu, and Tomowa-Sintow provides a contrast in almost every aspect. Where this performance is studious, that is intense; where that is dynamic, this is static.
 
Related website:
TDK Mediactive www.tdk-mediactive.com
 
Michael Richter, 22 May 2004
mrichter@cpl.net
 
See also Michael Richter's Introduction to the DVD, for a list of other reviews see the DVD Project page.