December 17, 2011: Cavalleria Rusticana in Copenhagen

2011-12-17 Cavalleria Rusticana (Mascagni), The Royal Danish Theatre (Copenhagen)

Santuzza = Irene Theorin
Turiddu = José Cura
Alfio = Fredrik Zetterström
Mamma Lucia = Randi Stene
Lola = Hanne Fischer

Stefano Ranzani, Conductor
Director - Kasper Holten
Set design - Mia Stensgaard
Costume design - Anja Vang Kragh
Light design - Bruno Poet

I enjoyed Cavalleria Rusticana. I actually did enjoy it. Irene Theorin was Santuzza in this production by director Kasper Holten with set designs by Mia Stensgaard and costumes by Anja Vang Kragh. She was on the stage during the whole opera with just a few seconds off. The director was really good in how the actions of Turriddu, Santuzza, Lola, Mamma Lucia and Alfio really reflected the persons' reality. The chorus did not get the individuel treatment. Here the chorus are mostly just a crowd, a menacing group, that acts with cruelty almost all the time. The director is really using the chorus to hammer us with the cruelty of the situation of Santuzza. This is the modern way of opera production: nothing is allowed to be nuanced, not if one can just hammer it down. Still. I enjoyed it. The music was beautifully played. Irene Theorin was close to an ideal Santuzza, even if one could still notice a wide vibrato. José Cura sang one of his best Turriddus. Hanne Fischer was a joy as Lola, what a voice, lush, beautiful, and full. One could actually believe Turriddu to fall for her, and to be so blind to Lola just being so totally self-sentered. Randi Stene was wonderful as Mamma Lucia. The role doesn't give her much to work on, sadly this production makes her even more invisible. Mamma Lucia is here reduced to a woman who almosts begs the people to buy her wine. Fredrik Zetterström was Alfio. Either he had a cold and could not sing out, or the role was simply beyond his vocal means, but as an actor he owned the role.

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