IL TURCO IN ITALIA

 Hans Tashjian and Mattia Venni

Fun and frivolity ruled the evening as Maestro Will Crutchfield brought the all-too-brief Teatro Nuovo season to a stunning close with an effervescent production of an opera that we might otherwise never have seen. We heard the title and wrongly assumed that this opera would be Rossini's send up of his own L'Italiana in Algeri. Far from it. As a matter of fact, the unfortunate title may have contributed to the opera's lukewarm reception at La Scala and its fading from the canon.  Nonetheless, it was a stunning freshman work by a 22-year-old Rossini who had already enjoyed a number of successes!

As Mo. Crutchfield pointed out in his pre-performance lecture, Rossini's works are marked by symmetry of form and an architecture of proportion, as well as by a rather cold-eyed and cynical view of human nature. They are also marked by bubbly melodies with impressive embellishment of the vocal lines. It is a given that one leaves humming the melodies although maybe not with the fioriture!  If he cribs from his other operas and one is momentarily transported to a different Rossini opera, you will not hear us complain.

Crutchfields' notes in the program are always instructive but never vain attempts at justifying a director's arrogant "interpretation". The works are allowed to speak for themselves and need no justification. If you might have missed some parallels between librettist Felice Romani's manipulative poet Prosdocimo. (Hans Tashjian) and that of DaPonte's Don Alfonso in Mozart's Cosi fan tutte, Maestro prevented that from happening. This is what we want to read or to hear in a lecture.

However, none of this information could be considered necessary to the enjoyment of this piece of musical fluff and our pleasure was echoed by the generous applause and standing ovation it received.

The dramatic device which sets it apart is the use of a character representing the librettist who directs the action of the characters onstage and also addresses the audience directly, a kind of "meta" situation.  The story he is directing involves a very flirtatious wife named Donna Fiorilla (Kresley Figueroa) married to an older wealthy man named Don Geronia (Mattia Venni). She has a "side piece" named Don Narciso (Max Alexander Cook) and she uses her seductive wiles on a visiting Turkish prince named Selim (Vincent Graña) driving her husband into fits of despair and hilarious helplessness. Meanwhile... Selim is being pursued by a former slave named Zaida (Sabatina Mauro) who has joined a ban of gypsies (thereby providing a chorus).  Are you laughing yet?

Of course it is silly but there is room in the world of comedy for just this kind of silliness especially when the delicious music amplifies it. The singing was superb all around and there was not a weak link in the chain of performance. Ms. Figueroa was particularly engaging and sufficiently beautiful and sexy to be convincing in the role. Mr. Venni's physical comedy was over the top. Mr. Tashjian's portrait of a kindly, creative, and inventive storyteller pulled it all together. Let us not fail to mention David Freides whom we heard the preceding night at the pre-performance recital in which his vocal gifts shone like a beacon. His role in this opera might have been small (Albazar, a Turkish friend of Selim and Zaida) but he acquitted himself nobly in his 2nd act aria.

As was the case the prior evening, the projected slides of Adam J. Thompson served admirably, representing the Naples waterfront and Don Geronio's lavish home.  We never missed the costuming because the (uncredited) direction was so astute. The story just swept us along on a wave of melody.

We were further impressed by Elisa Citterio who served as Capo d'Orchestra and also Primo Violino, excelling as both. Maestro al Cembalo was Derrick Goff and, as usual, Mo. Crutchfield was Maetro del Coro.

Let us not fail to mention the Pre-opera Serenade devoted to music by the legendary Garcia family. Our favorite piece was a trio by Manuel Garcia--"Senti, che ognun ti chiama" performed a cappella by soprano Brittany Rose Weinstock, tenor Justin E. Bell, and baritone Jason Augustus Rober.

AFter two satisfying evenings spent with Teatro Nuovo, we can say without reservation that they are the jewel in Manhattan's opera crown. Would that they would produce many more operas during the year! They might rescue our "small town" from its opera doldrums.

© meche kroop

THE SCOTTISH OPERA

 

Romeo Lopez, Martin Luther Clark, Ricardo José Rivera, Alexandra Loutsion, and Cumhur Görgün

Verdi's masterpiece Macbeth does not seem to be burdened by the superstitions surrounding Shakespeare's brilliant tragedy. There were no mishaps Wednesday evening at New York City Center when Teatro Nuovo produced an absolutely riveting performance of Verdi's original 1847 version of the opera, composed during his early period. This version is rarely performed, having been supplanted by a revised version Verdi created nearly twenty years later, at a time when his compositional style had evolved. 

Our first contact with the opera was a quarter century ago, before we began writing about opera. Nevertheless we will never forget Lauren Flanigan's performance as the ambitious Lady Macbeth. Since then we have seen a few productions that were well done, especially one by Dell'Arte Opera Ensemble, which also brought the earlier version to light. 

Thanks to Maestro Will Crutchfield and Teatro Nuovo we were able to appreciate an intensely blood and guts creation, heavily influenced by the bel canto period with its plethora of audience favored cabalette.  Crutchfield's pre-performance lecture, given as usual without notes and drawing from an inexhaustible fund of knowledge, went a long way toward our appreciation of Verdi's incomparable skill in expanding the bel canto tropes of the period to great effect on the emotions. We have no opportunity to compare the two versions side by side but trust Crutchfield's instruction. We heard a few cabalette that were dropped for the later version as Verdi's architecture became more sophisticated. We found them rousing and most satisfying.

Sometimes we appreciate the sophistication a composer achieves in his later years, as in Mozart's final few symphonies. At other times we prefer works of an artist's early period when he or she was more daring and searching for a new voice. (In the world of visual arts we were surprised to learn how much we liked Picasso's work before he evolved into cubism). But as far as Macbeth goes, the early version we heard affected us emotionally on a deeper level. For example, in the final act when the chorus (here given a larger part) mourns the sad fate befalling Scotland, we couldn't help but think of the sad path currently being forced upon the United States by power mad forces. This is exactly what art should do--confront us with our situation in an indirect manner that allows us to draw the connection ourselves. Just as the English came to help the ailing Scotland, we fantasized that Canada would come to rescue the United States from the scarily burgeoning Fascism.

It was interesting to learn how enthusiastic the Florentine audience was in 1847, demanding many repeats. It is even more interesting when we learned that no one in Italy knew of Shakespeare's play or the glory of iambic pentameter in his use of the English language.  Probably largely responsible for the roaring success was the combination of Verdi's passionate music and Maria Piave's adaptation of Shakespeare's tale. What a partnership this pair created!

 Jakob Lehmann has the commanding presence of a man twice his size. As Maestro Concertatore e Direttore he was in full command of the orchestra, organized as is customary with Teatro Nuovo with all musician's facing each other. Lehmann conducts with his entire body and sitting close was a real treat for us.

We have nothing but praise for the singers. As the eponymous hero, tenor Ricardo José Rivera managed to color his excellent instrument with increasing darkness, having started out rather mildly but, driven by his wife's ambition and the dark work of the witches, the colors became suitably darker. Embellishments of the vocal line were clean.

Soprano Alexandra Loutsion made an equally compelling Lady Macbeth, at times seductive and at times driving, coloring her huge instrument to the text. The lavish fioritura seemed no challenge for her flexible instrument. Although it was difficult to feel sympathy for Macbeth, the gentle compassion of Lady Macbeth's  lady-in-waiting toward the sleep-walking "heroine" rubbed off on us, an amazing emotional shift.  But no wonder! It was the superlative young soprano Jihye Seo who impressed us so thoroughly this year in her performance of Cio-Cio-San and here did such a fine piece of work as the lady-in-waiting.

Another young artist that grabbed our attention was the up-and-coming tenor Martin Luther Clark whose grief-stricken Macduff tore at our heartstrings . We also enjoyed Derrick Goff as Duncano, the doomed King of Scotland, Macbeth's first victim. Bass Cumhur Görgün did well with the role of Banquo, killed off to early in our opinion! As Duncan's son Malcolm we heard Romeo Lopez who, by contrast, appeared too late. What we mean to say is we would like to hear more of them!

Let us say a few words about the staging. In place of sets we had projections--not the annoying distracting moving variety.  Just a series of still photos establishing the various locations in the castle, a woodland clearing, and Burnham Wood. There was no stage furniture save for a lone modern chair on which Lady Macbeth sat briefly. The sole attempt at staging was a roaring success-- the scene for the witches in which they danced around an impressive cauldron. The scene was inordinately powerful with young artists singing and dancing around the flaming cauldron. 

The minimal staging is quite likely due to a lack of funding which also called attention to itself in a lack of costuming a more serious lack, one which might have been remedied at minimal expense. We have seen small impoverished companies create costuming suggestive of period and place; so, we surmise, the priority of Teatro Nuovo is on top quality  music as evidenced by the superlative singing and outstanding orchestral performance. Oddly, the child Fléance sported a white tunic. Everyone else dressed in black garb or suits. With such intensely satisfying musical values, please, Dear Reader, take this as an observation, not a complaint.

Indeed, this will go down as one of the year's best productions, by virtue of its musical values, it's dramatic impact, and the unique novel effect of being introduced to a rarity.

© meche kroop

© meche kroop