May 5, 2007: Stiffelio in London

2007-05-05 Stiffelio (Verdi), Royal Opera House

Stiffelio = José Cura
Lina = Sondra Radvanovsky
Stankar = Roberto Frontali
Raffaele von Leuthold =
Reinaldo Macias
Jorg = Alastair Miles
Federico di Frengel = Nikola Matišic
Dorotea = Liora Grodnikaite

Christopher Willis, conductor



Director: Elijah Moshinsky
Set designs: Michael Yeargan
Costume designs: Peter J. Hall
Lighting: Paul Pyant
Fight Director: William Hobbs

Federico di Frengel: Nikola Matišic§
Dorotea: Liora Grodnikaite*

§ Jette Parker Young Artist
*Jette Parker Principal

First came May 5th, Stiffelio in London ROH with Jose Cura, Sondra Radvanovsky and
Roberto Frontali. Before going to London I had read the reviews, almost all complaining of the singing being to LOUD etc. What I found as being the truth in London on May 5th that yes, Sondra Radvanovsky has a big voice and that indeed I could hear her better than the other singers. But that this was just a competition of loud singing, it was not, not on May 5th, I cannot say for the previous performances since I was not there. Roberto Frontali as Stankar was good, but in my opinion he was not the only good singer her as many of the reviewer was saying. May 5th performance was not the greatest Stiffelio. Jose Cura was good but in my opinion he was over-acting, Sondra Radvanovsky as Lina was crying too much, too often, and I did not like her singing much and her lack of pronunciation of the Italian text was appalling. As I said Frontali was Ok. Reinaldo Macias as Raffaele did not cut such a great figure here as in Zurich. He was pale here.

OD Travel + Photos

Blog post: May 2007: Stiffelio in London (2007-05-05)