March 11, 2007: Le Villi in Genova

2007-03-11 Le Villi (Puccini), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Roberto = José Cura
Anna = Fiorenza Cedolins
Guglielmo Wulf = Gabriele Viviani

Riccardo Frizza, conductor



Le Villi
Opera-ballo in due atti di Ferdinando Fontana,
musica di Giacomo Puccini.
In forma semiscenica

Teatro Carlo Felice

Spettacoli correlati:

L'opera è preceduta dalla Sinfonia n. 1 in re minore op. 75 di Martucci


Direttore Riccardo Frizza

Prima: mercoledì 7 marzo 2007, 20.30 (A)
Repliche: venerdì 9 marzo, 20.30 (B)
domenica 11 marzo, 15.30 (C)

This was a strange day, check-out from hotel, and having to get a train after the opera. But this was the best performance, I doubt the 2007-03-07 performance was better (I was not there, but Rai Radio was there and it was transmitted on radio).

What was the difference: No glasses for Jose Cura this time. He was FREE and could really ACT out as Roberto which also meant that Fiorenza Cedolins would be able to react as the fine actress she is. Gabriele Viviani was still a bit wooden but as the old Babbo Guglielmo it was easily forgiven, his voice was all that matters, but there is only so much to do when it is a concert and your part is really small.

Teatro Carlo Felice is really a fine theater but all the same I was sitting too close to people who do not understand that chatting is not permitted during an opera or concert. It did not completely destroy my opera evenings, but it did not make me happy. And these was not young people who did not no better... Inexcusable.

Anyway, Fiorenza Cedolins was not lucky when she sang a wonderful "Se come voi" because the orchestra glitched, and that was the only fault in this performance, think, during her big aria. But she had the luck of Jose Cura completely in his role as Roberto. How he touched her face when he said he wanted a smile, touching. The duet was really wonderful. And the prayer in the end of act 1 was also wonderfully executed. The aria of Guglielmo Wolf in act 2 is not easy to get, I guess you really need a stage for that one. Jose Cura was incredible in Roberto's long aria in act 2. And the final duet Cedolins/Cura was great.

Not strange that the applause lasted a bit over 10 minutes.


March 2007: Le Villi in Genova (2007-03-11)

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March 10, 2007: Cavalleria Rusticana in Genova

2007-03-10 Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Santuzza = Susan Neves
Lola = Paola Gardina
Turiddu = Salvatore Licitra
Alfio = Vitaliy Bilyy
Mamma Lucia = Ambra Vespasiani

Bruno Bartoletti, conductor

THIS TIME Pagliacci was first, CavRust last.

Cavalleria rusticana
Melodramma in un atto di Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti e Guido Menasci, musica di Pietro Mascagni

Teatro Carlo Felice

Spettacoli correlati: Pagliacci



Orchestra director Bruno Bartoletti

Direction Sebastiano Lo Monaco

Settings Gianfranco Padovani

Costumes Avallone Giuseppe


Date
Opening night: friday 23 february, 20.30 (A)
Performances: sunday 25 february, 15.30 (C)
tuesday 27 february, 20.30 (B)
thursday 1 march, 20.30 (L)
sunday 4 march, 15.30 (R)
tuesday 6 march, 20.30 (FA)
thursday 8 march, 15.30 (GI)
saturday 10 march, 15.30 (F)

Why was Cavalleria Rusticana after Pagliacci, maybe because... No, impossible to guess. The only thing that is important is that it worked very well.

This production, unlike the Pagliacci production was not right a way just right for me. Both ideas was all action in the same place. Which naturally meant that the Siciliana was sung backstage when the curtain was down. Then when the opera started all we saw was a desert, and that was Cavalleria Rusticana. Sometimes it was a desert with Jesus on the cross etc, so that was I guess "the Church" and Easter celebration. And a desert with some chairs was Mamma Lucia's tavern. But this desert made it very real when the people came from work with oranges, except, for oranges to grow is not a desert a very natural thing, no. So it sort of worked, but just when you are not thinking :-).

So that was the production ideas. But what really made it work was the film in the back ground. Showing the sky and sea. Dark sky when it was almost night still etc. And of course the thunder that made the whole chorus disappear when it started to rain, and made it possible for Santuzza to have a private dialogue with Mamma Lucia (Voi lo sapete, o mamma). And during the duet Santuzza/Turriddu the Jesus-statures was being carried away.

But all this would not have worked if the singers had just stood there. It worked because of the great acting and singing, so the director had really done his bit. Salvatore Licitra was a wonderful Turriddu and Susan Neves was a wonderful Santuzza.

For me the only thing is that Susan Neves, she is a wonderful soprano with great vocal range, but she is NOT a MEZZO. And for me Santuzza is a mezzo voice like Agnes Baltsa.

And after the opera, we met the singers from Cavalleria Rusticana: Salvatore Licitra was dressed like a racer driver and Susan Neves looked liked she was just any normal woman, instead of the reality, a FANTASTIC soprano (wow, I wish I had managed to take a splashing good photo of her, but my camera did not take my photos when I pressed the button, but waited some seconds too many).

Well, I guess, singers sometimes long for normality after work.

March 2007: Cavalleria Rusticana in Genova (2007-0...

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March 10, 2007: Pagliacci in Genova

2007-03-10 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Canio = Salvatore Licitra
Nedda = Svetla Vassileva
Tonio = Alberto Gazale
Silvio = Roberto De Candia
Beppe = Bruno Ribeiro

Bruno Bartoletti, conductor

THIS TIME Pagliacci was first, CavRust last.

Pagliacci
Dramma in un prologo e due atti di Ruggero Leoncavallo, musica di Ruggero Leoncavallo

Teatro Carlo Felice

Spettacoli correlati: Cavalleria rusticana



Orchestra director Bruno Bartoletti

Direction Sebastiano Lo Monaco

Settings Gianfranco Padovani

Costumes Avallone Giuseppe

Opening night: friday 23 february, 20.30 (A)
Performances: sunday 25 february, 15.30 (C)
tuesday 27 february, 20.30 (B)
thursday 1 march, 20.30 (L)
sunday 4 march, 15.30 (R)
tuesday 6 march, 20.30 (FA)
thursday 8 march, 15.30 (GI)
saturday 10 march, 15.30 (F)

In Genoa the very known double-bill CAV/PAG started with PAGLIACCI. That's unusual. But not the first time. I liked this production very much. All action was in the same place in the whole opera. That Canio's troupe also had circus elements was very naturally implemented. Never did it intrude or become a distraction.

Our Silvio (Roberto De Candia) was not the usual most handsome baritone you can find as type. But in saying so, it makes you think, why should it only be believable that Nedda could love only a beautiful man... So in a way, here you are at the heart of the story; who is Nedda, or rather what does love mean for her. Nedda (Svetla Vassileva) made it clear how this is not our usual operatic heroine. She does not love her husband Canio, she does not even let him kiss her, which is humiliating when a wife does so in front a whole village. But Canio seem more good-humored and just go on joking with the children. So during the opera she is uncaring to Canio, and quite cruel to Tonio (Alberto Gazale) but tender to Silvio and good-hearted to her daughter....

Daughter, you say... Yes in this production Canio and Nedda are parents. Which naturally makes Nedda's death truly heart-breaking. In herself is Nedda not a person easy to love. But when a small child comes out, running towards mother's dead body. Then the audience and of course Canio, the father, see what a terrible thing he has just done. And then "La Commedia è finita" he says, his voice is broken, and so is the man and his family. But Tonio got his revenge on the woman he said he loved. But did not love enough to have a happy life.

No, I am not over-looking Canio (Salvatore Licitra). The reason I wanted to see CAV/PAG in the first place. What a singer, what an actor!!! He sang wonderfully, his Vesti La Giubba was the best I ever heard. And when you add to that, he was such a great actor. Totally believable...

BRAVO, Salvatore!! Bravi, tutti! and BRAVA, Bambina!


March 2007: Pagliacci in Genova (2007-03-10)

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March 9, 2007: Le Villi in Genova

2007-03-09 Le Villi (Puccini), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Roberto = José Cura
Anna = Fiorenza Cedolins
Guglielmo Wulf = Gabriele Viviani

Riccardo Frizza, conductor



Le Villi
Opera-ballo in due atti di Ferdinando Fontana,
musica di Giacomo Puccini.
In forma semiscenica

Teatro Carlo Felice

Spettacoli correlati:

L'opera è preceduta dalla
Sinfonia n. 1 in re minore op. 75 di Martucci


Direttore Riccardo Frizza

Prima: mercoledì 7 marzo 2007, 20.30 (A)
Repliche: venerdì 9 marzo, 20.30 (B)
domenica 11 marzo, 15.30 (C)

Before the opera, there was a concert piece: Sinfonia n. 1 in re minore op. 75 di Martucci. It was not a bad piece. I found it quite operatic. After the interval: LE VILLI. The disappoint was that the opera was just really a concert of a whole opera. So I don't really see this as In forma semiscenica, really. it was just a backdrop showing a film, dark and with showing up some white lines in all its blackness was that Semiscenica.... No, it was simply a concert nothing more. The conductor was energetic with his arms almost in the faces of the artists, specially in the face of soprano Fiorenza Cedolins. Fiorenza Cedolins who was almost the perfect Tosca in Verona 2006 with Salvatore Licitra as her Cavaradossi was not up to the role of Anna, I felt. She was inhibited in her approach.Much better was she on Sunday's Le Villi. Her big voice in Verona seemed to big a little voice in Genova on this Friday. But in the 2nd act she was more like a true Anna.

Jose Cura had his glasses when he sang, on this Friday. His acting was limited, this was more of pure singing than acting out the complete Roberto feeling. But on this Friday it was quite obvious that Cura's main interest lay in the Symphonic structures of the opera. As a conductor LA STREGENDA from Le Villi is sort of his specialty, so he was very much there living the music. Also Fiorenza Cedolins was very there in reading the singers partiture all the time.

Gabriele Viviani as father Guglielmo was too young to be Fiorenza Cedolins father. But in his voice he was Babbo Guglielmo, an imposing man. But his beautiful voice could not really have the bite in it that is needed in act 2.

Even if this had been my only Le Villi in Genova I would not have regretted coming to Italy. But I am really happy that I chose to stay and get the better LE VILLI performance, or should I say the near perfect one.

March 2007: Le Villi in Genova (2007-03-09)

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January 19, 2013: Macbeth in Genova

2013-01-19 Macbeth (Verdi), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Macbeth = George Gagnidze

Lady Macbeth = Maria Guleghina

Macduff = Rubens Pelizzari 

Banco = Roberto Scandiuzzi

Malcolm = Vincenzo Costanzo

Dama di Lady Macbeth = Sara Cappellini Maggiore

Medico = Francesco Verna

Domestico di Macbeth = Francesco Sorichetti

Un Sicario = Alessandro Pastorino

Un Araldo = Alessio Bianchini

Andrea Battistoni, conductor

Regia - Henning Brockhaus

Scene - Josef Svoboda

Ricostruzione allestimento scenico - Benito Leonori

Costumi - Nanà Cecchi

Allestimento in coproduzione con:

Fondazione Teatro Lirico G. Verdi di Trieste

Fondazione Pergolesi Spontini di Jesi

Maria Guleghina was the reason I had come to Genova to see Verdi's Macbeth. She was wonderful. This was a dark vision of Macbeth and his lady. Not much reason to like this two persons. In the scene of the prophecies Macbeth almost beheads Banco before he returns to reason. Lady Macbeth is one of the witches. This production is the only one that I have seen that is really successfull with the witches. This production is thoroughly thought out. Video projection is used but one never think "ah, video" it is integrated in the theatrical forms. Video is used as partt of the scenography and part of the regie. Rubens Pellizario was wonderful as Macduff. As part of this dark vision Macduff almost crowns himself but then cries of VITTORIA and Malcolm is crowned. 

O
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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 15, 2005: Il Corsaro in Genova

2005-05-15 Il Corsaro (Verdi), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Medora = Serena Farnocchia
Gulnara = Doina Dimitriu
Corrado = Giuseppe Gipali
Seid = Roberto Servile
Giovanni = Antonio De Gobbi

Bruno Bartoletti, conductor



Il corsaro
Opera in tre atti di Francesco Maria Piave
Musica di Giuseppe Verdi

Teatro Carlo Felice


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Conductor
Bruno Bartoletti

Regie
Lamberto Puggelli

Music
Giuseppe Verdi

Scene
Marco Capuana

Costumes
Vera Marzot




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Maestro d'armi: Renzo Musumeci Greco

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Date
Sunday 15 May, 15.30 (R)


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Medora Serena Farnocchia
Gulnara Doina Dimitriu
Corrado Giuseppe Gipali
Seid Roberto Servile
Giovanni Antonio De Gobbi


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Nuovo allestimento del Teatro Carlo Felice
in coproduzione con il Teatro Regio di Parma

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I wonder if this production would have been exactly like this if Bush had not decided that the Geneva convention did not apply to all. Without Abu Graib and such would one chosen to show torture on the stage. For it is torture to hold someone's head in the opening and try to close it while head held fix is there to get the trap door repeatedly on the head. Not only did Seid do that to his prisoners but the corsairs did that too, don't know what prisoner they had on their ship, but violence was shown. In the setting of Corsairs against the Moslems where the Corsairs is sort of heroes (in real life they were never true heroes, only pirates). Without Bush and Iraq, would this Corrado been staged like this. Good or evil they are all doing it, torture... USA has OK' ed it. Or just the president of USA, and his government and the Republicans.

I don't know it this was a kind of hidden critics to the US, or what, but I think the director should have refrained from showing it onstage. And of course the sword fight was spectacular but why not keep it offstage.

Both Medora's were wonderful. Doina Dimitriu was a much better Gulnara than Paola Romano. But Dimitrius voice sometimes seem to go into too thin air. Giuseppe Cipali was a sympathetic Corrado, wonderful in the duets with Medora and Gulnara. But Rubens Pellizzaro was younger and more agile both in voice and acting and climbing. Marco Di Felice was a better Seid than Roberto Servile. More elegant, refined and better voice.

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May 14, 2005: Il Corsaro in Genova

2005-05-14 Il Corsaro (Verdi), Teatro Carlo Felice, Genova

Medora = Angela Marambio
Gulnara = Paola Romanò
Corrado = Rubens Pelizzari
Seid = Marco Di Felice
Giovanni = Antonio De Gobbi

Bruno Bartoletti, conductor



Il corsaro
Opera in tre atti di Francesco Maria Piave
Musica di Giuseppe Verdi

Teatro Carlo Felice

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gulnara = Paola Romanò
Corrado = Rubens Pelizzari

Conductor
Bruno Bartoletti

Regie
Lamberto Puggelli

Music
Giuseppe Verdi

Scene
Marco Capuana

Costumes
Vera Marzot




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Maestro d'armi: Renzo Musumeci Greco

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Date
Satuday 14 May, 15.30 (F)
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Nuovo allestimento del Teatro Carlo Felice
in coproduzione con il Teatro Regio di Parma

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After the concert version of Corsaro in Barcelona in February 3rd & 6th, 2005 with Jose Cura as Corrado & Susan Neves as Gulnara I wanted to see it as a fully staged stage and that led me to Genova, Italy. The production in Teatro Carlo Felice of Genova was of the traditional sort but this of course this is 2005.

During the prelude we see Medora searching for Corrado as it seems. All scene shifts happens before our eyes as it is more usual nowadays. Scene 1 of act 1 as it is staged here happens on th ship. With ropes to climb even as he sings Corrado and later also the chorus. (Act 1 Scene 4). The change to Medora's room is done with dividing the stage in half with a stage curtain, behind is the the ship and in the front is Medora. When Corrado comes he lifts the carpet away slightly.

Act 2. In Seid's harem. Beautiful setting, Gulnara is being dressed as a bath. Chorus singing, and then Gulnara sings too. What a disappointment!! After Susan Neves wonderful singing in Barcelona, the Italian soprano Paola Romano is painful to listen too, her vibrati, her voice sounds old. But Genoa's Seid Marco Di Felice is better than Carlo Guelfi, Salve Allah is wonderfully sung and acted, very realistic. The Dervish, no other than Corrado himself (Rubens Pelizzari), what a duet!! Later he corsairs comes into the stage, and there is many sword duels on stage. Clever us of red colored curtains made the illusion of fire real. Gulnara and her odalisks cries for rescue and Corrado orders his corsairs to save them. Seid, the egocentric man is not happy that his "wife" Gulnara and his odalisks is saved from death, nope, he is just jealous instead. Stupid and violent man thanks the gallant Corsair with terrible death from torture.

PAUSE

Act 3. Seid is just thinking about jealousy and revenge. Feeling like all tyrant pity for himself. Gulnara is trying to be clever asking Seid to think of ransom money instead of death/torture for Corrado. Unfortunately Seid is just about rage. Lucky for us in the audience the vibrato of Paola Romano is not so strong here, the duet is beautifully sung. And the stage changes for the dungeon where Corrado is resting after much torture, trying to sleep as sleep is the only solace for him. This is one of the most beautiful tenor arias, Eccomi prigioniero, naturally act 1 aria is also one of the great Verdi tenor arias (Tutto parea sorridere). And lucky for us Paola Romano's voice is not too disturbing, but still not "good". Usually the Gulnara/Corrado duet is a very beautiful duet. Gulnara saved the not so willing to be saved Corrado.

Meanwhile at home Medora thinks Corrado is already dead so she takes a deadly potion of poison. And guess what ships comes in not long after. "It's him, CORRADO!". Medora dies naturally, and Corrado decides he is to die too. he climbs up and jumps!! The music is unbelievable beautiful in this scene, but unfortunately, the height voice of Gulnara full is vibrato is scorching mine ears when her voice soars over the ensemble.

Seid Marco Di Felice wonderful
Medora Angela Marambio wonderful
Corrado Rubens Pelizzari wonderful (Jose Cura is better)
Gulnara Paola Romanò not quite bottom, but not wonderful

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