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)

OD Travel + Photos

January 17, 2009: Turandot in London

2009-01-17 Turandot (Puccini), Royal Opera House, London
Turandot = Iréne Theorin
Liu = Svetla Vassileva
Calaf = José Cura
Timur = Paata Burchuladze
Ping = Giorgio Caoduro
Pang = Ji-Min Park
Pong = Alasdair Elliott
Althoum = Robert Tear
Mandarin = Kostas Smoriginas

Nicola Luisotti, conductor

Turandot
Saturday, January 17 7:30 PM


Composer
Giacomo Puccini

Revival Director
Jeremy Sutcliffe

Designs
Sally Jacobs

Lighting
F. Mitchell Dana

Choreography
Kate Flatt
Performers

Original Production
Andrei Serban

Conductor
Nicola Luisotti

This production was from 1985. I must say that some of it really looked cheap, like the costumes of Ping, Pong and Pang. But it was really some wonderful ideas there. In a way it was a lot like a musical with all that dancing. Really this was China on the cheap. 1985 really is a long time ago. I missed the Verona Production I saw in 2003 and 2005. Jose Cura really was Calaf and I loved his portrayal here. Irene Theorin was wonderful as Turandot. Svetla Vassileva also great as Liu. Paata Burchuladze as Timur was wonderful when was warmed up (it took some minutes). Great Mandarin. Ping, Pong and Pang did their job well, I just didn't like how they were portrayed, but that was the director's fault. The Orchestra was often a bit too loud. But it was really good, the performance. The production, I am torn on this one. Good, or not too bad, almost Great.

Jose Cura, who was not well to sing on January 12/14, sang a wonderful Calaf. He showed very little of still being a bit sick. Unless this performance harmed him he will only be better. Naturally he left the opera house before we, his fans had the chance to say hallo to him. It was the only sensible thing to do. He sang, that is the most important fact. How well the other singers and chorus and orchestra did it, without Jose Cura it would have been little to applaud. The opera was on his shoulders.

OD Travel + Photos
2009: My first OperaDuets Travel, London's Turando...

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

July 14, 2006: Pagliacci in Verona

2006-07-14 Pagliacci (Leoncavallo), Arena di Verona

Nedda = Svetla Vassileva
Canio = José Cura
Tonio = Alberto Mastromarino
Beppe = Cristiano Olivieri
Silvio = Marco Di Felice

Lü Jia, conductor

Principal Conductor Lü Jia
Director Gilbert Deflo
Scenographer William Orlandi
Costume Designer William Orlandi




With José Cura as Canio, Svetla Vassileva as Nedda, Alberto Mastromarino as Tonio, Cristiano Olivieri as Beppe & Marco Di Felice as Silvio, Pagliacci was a great success. José Cura and Alberto Mastromarino are experts as Canio and Tonio, they can do nothing wrong in these roles. Svetla Vassileva was perfect as Nedda. Cristiano
Olivieri was wonderful as Beppe. And of course Marco di Felice was a luxury Silvio.

Arena di Verona is huge, the stage is very big and it is not easy to be a singer in the arena. And it is all outdoor. There is always the temptation to fill the whole stage. In this production of CAV/PAG it was the chorus that had the role to fill the stage. Strange as it seem it the Italian chorus seemed to have trouble with the Italian text. Maybe it was just that the stage was so big and it was a large chorus
to hold it all together.

Jose Cura was maybe tired after singing both Turriddu and Canio, so I did not see him at the stage door. That was the only disappointment of the evening.

OD Travel + Photos