September 21, 2013: Giovanna d'Arco in Bilbao

2013-09-21 Giovanna d'Arco (Verdi), Palacio Euskalduna (Bilbao)

Giovanna d'Arco = Krassimira Stoyanova
Carlos VII = Alejandro Roy
Giacomo = Claudio Sgura*
Talbot = Miguel Ángel Zapater
Delil = Eduardo Ituarte

Yves Abel, conductor
Euskadiko Orkestra Sinfonikoa
Coro de Ópera de Bilbao

Regie - Gabriele Lavia
Scenography - Alessandro Camera
Costumes - Andrea Viotti
Light design - Boris Dujin

Production from Teatro Regio di Parma


*Debuta en ABAO-OLBE

GIOVANNA D'ARCO in Bilbao 2013-09-21
What a difference from Otello in Vienna to Giovanna d'Arco in Bilbao? In Vienna we had a modern production that unfortunately did not make sense even with Shakespeare and Boito together for the drama. In Bilbao we had a traditional production of Giovanna d'Arco.


Yves Abel conducted the opera. Giovanna d'Arco is an opera with some glorious music but that was hard to hear in Bilbao. The ouverture was sloppy and the opera seemed to be on and off during the evening. Claudio Sgura was not only literally taller than all but also figuratively speaking. Krassimira Stoyanova was a wonderful Giovanna but I did not feel that she was supported enough by the orchestra/conductor. Alejandro Roy as the King started the opera with a big scene and aria. He became better and better during the performance.

It was a beautiful production that was as historically correct as an opera can be. Historical correct costumes can be too much for modern sensibilities. It was a really good workmanship this production, but perhaps not the most exciting one. Can Giovanna d'Arco be better?


During the evening there was  coughing, coughing everywhere and often in the most sensitive moments. Not to mention the person that made some loud deep clensing from the nose and down, and not once. But that can be how live opera is. Great onstage but annoying audience. Not all the audience, but still...

OD Travel & Photos
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For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com

May 28, 2012: Nabucco in Bilbao

2012-05-28 Nabucco (Verdi), Palacio Euskalduna (Bilbao)

Nabucco = Roberto Frontali
Ismaele = Alejandro Roy
Zaccaria = Carlo Colombara
Abigaille = Maria Guleghina
Fenena = Rosanna Rinaldi
High Priest of Belo = Silverio De la O
Abdallo = Eduardo Ituarte
Anna = Ana Otxoa

Massimo Zanetti, conductor
  Orquesta del Teatro Regio di Parma
Coro de Ópera de Bilbao

Director de escena - Daniele Abbado
Scenography - Luigi Perego
Light  design - Valerio Alfieri

It was the best Nabucco production with the best singers. Only one thing stood out for me as problematic and that was the golden hair of Zaccaria. Golden hair in the Middle East what was that about? Carlo Colombara has dark hair and could have been more authentic as Zaccaria without fake hair. This production of Nabucco was one that seemed to be about authenticity as history goes. Ismaele is clearly marked by his cloths as a Prince of Judea. Zaccaria is also similarly marked an important person. There is no doubt that Nabucco is an Assyrian King. All clearly marked except that one is never shown the chorus in Assyrian cloths. They are always dressed in Jewish cloths. This can be explained by the fact that Jerusalem is taken by Assyrians pretending to be Jews. But that is just true in the first act.

This is a beautiful production, intelligent and wants to be truthful to the libretto. Roberto Frontali, who I have seen as Stankar in the ROH Stiffelio production, was a truly fine Nabucco. Alejandro Joy was wonderful as Ismaele. Strong singing, wonderful acting. Rosanna Rinaldi was also great as Fenena. But the star was Maria Guleghina as Abigaille.

Abigaille can be boring since she is sometime acted as just a one-dimensional villain. Maria Guleghina shows all the different emotions that is Abigaille. She is weak sometimes. In this production one sees Abigaille hesitate in some crucial moment. How ambitious is she? She vacillate between power and love. Most of all she wants to be accepted as Nabucco's daughter and to be loved by Ismaele. Her feelings for her sister Fenena is also torn. Love and envy. So Nabucco changes into a believer of the God of Judea. As Abigaille loses her life she is also going to her redemption and I personally believe more in Abigaille change. Nabucco is just about his daughter Fenena.

I love Abigaille! And Maria Guleghina as Abigaille is just amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OD Travel + Photos
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For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com If you want to see more photos from my OperaDuets Travels, go to www.operaduetsphotos.com