“The Barber of Seville” debuted just over 200 years ago in Rome. The opera played to a jeering audience, a staged event where adherents of the composer Giovanni Paisiello – whose own version of the opera, “Il barbiere di Siviglia, ovvero La precauzione inutile” had pleased operagoers 20 years earlier – packed the house and catcalled throughout the premiere performance. Their objective was to defend the memory of their maestro’s earlier work that they felt was the definitive version. But the Paisiello mob couldn’t show up every night, and upon the conclusion of the second evening’s undisturbed performance the response from the audience was ecstatic – they adored it so much that a large group of the crowd took to the streets with torches and made their way to Rossini’s home to cheer him in person. And a hit was born.

Incredibly, for someone who writes about opera, I didn’t know the entire story of “Barber” until the final curtain of this performance. But I like the fact that I am sometimes ignorant of operatic plots because seeing and hearing a classic work of music for the first time is like breaking the shrink wrap on an LP you’ve never heard, putting the disk on the turntable, and experiencing it as if you were living in the time it was created. It’s a special thing. Even more special when you can take yourself not just back to 1988 with an unopened virgin vinyl of Lovesexy, but back 200 years ago into post-Napoleonic Europe for an essential comic romp that would never be out of repertory or out of fashion.

The absurdist tale of “Barber” concerns a distinguished nobleman, Count Almaviva, who is intent on wooing Rosina, a beautiful young woman of the town. He wants to know Rosina might love him for himself and not for his money and position. Rosina is being kept as a ward of Doctor Bartolo, one of the local bourgeoise. Bartolo intends on marrying Rosina himself when she comes of age, so he keeps a close watch on her as well as other potential suitors which complicates Almaviva’s creative courtship plans. With the help of his friend Figaro, Almaviva goes incognito to advance his agenda with Rosina under the nose of Bartolo which results in much hilarity over the opera’s two and a half hour runtime.

It is fascinating that this opera’s broad humor has stood the test of time so well. As presented by the Lyric it got robust laughter out of all in attendance, a portion of whom had surely seen it before. It seems improbable that the humor of Cesare Sterbini’s featherlight crowd-pleaser has endured as well as works from Fielding, Sterne, Twain, and Voltaire – but one can’t argue with results.

Illuminating Production & Cast

The seats at the Kauffman were filled for this opening night performance, thanks to an abundance of late summer advance press, and the local gentry showing up in force for the farce. Our philanthropists, local musician wunderkinder, and hoi polloi like me all crowded into the Founder’s Lounge for a pre-show nosh so delightful that we barely made it into our seats for first curtain.

As the curtain parted after the overture, I was entranced by the set design. The KC Lyric doesn’t have the large budgets that America’s larger opera companies have at their disposal, so they have to make do with less. And, true to form, they excelled in that department with “Barber.” The set and props from Ken MacDonald were a true delight. I could tell from the jump that the set would remain pretty much intact for both acts, but the continuity worked just fine and once again less was more on the Kaufmann stage.

Aside from familiar face Riley Findley, who played one of the military officers, the cast was assembled from out-of-towners. Matthew Swensen was an expansive Count Almaviva, carrying the action with fantastic energy and verve. Kristinn Sigmundsson as Don Basilio was a standout for spot-on casting. His befuddlement during the music lesson “mixup” was well-played.

Highly-respected globetrotting mezzo-soprano Chrystal E. Williams sparkled as Rosina. Handled the butterfly melodies of “Contro Un Cor Che Accende Amore” beautifully and her turn in the scene’s comic ensemble had us all smiling.

My personal favorite among the cast was Ashraf Sewailam as the Doctor. He projected a thick-headed pomposity of Yul Brynner proportions, stealing scene after scene whirling around the stage in that smoking robe whose design looked like it was inspired by an article on interior trends in Dwell (“Wallpaper… It’s Baaaack!”).

The orchestra was handled ably by James Lowe, a musician/conductor/arranger whose career has steered a steady course fixed to the white line in the road separating Broadway and classical opera. He’ll never be in the running for conducting “Aida,” but “Bye Bye Birdie” revivals probably aren’t in his future either. All in all, a good mainstream choice to helm the KC crew for this enjoyable affair.

More Production Highlights

When I left the Kaufmann Center, after the performance, I had a vague feeling of timeliness about the production. With all due respect to the singing and acting talent in this production, for me the real star was Ken MacDonald for creating that wild set. With their faux-Moorish look it wasn’t hard to imagine them to be found not only in the homes of the nobles of early 19th century Spain, but other eras as well: The Belle Époque of King Umberto I. The Euro deco of early Fascist Italy. That sculpted window and pianoforte bianco he worked out for the singing lesson scene would not have looked out of place in any escapist “white telephone” film of 1930’s Italy. Or in later Cinecitta films from Fellini, particularly in later films like “And The Ship Sails On,” which play on memories of a decaying continental aristocracy. And yes, one might even see something like them today in the homes of European football superstars, Russian oil barons, or tech oligarchs – villas equipped with interiors that make pretentious reference to earlier times when aristocratic power went unchallenged and the term “working class” referred to domestic servants and itinerant laborers forced to exist in squalor and despair.

Rossini and Sterbini created Barber amid a social environment of upheaval and uncertainty. The Italy (or more accurately the Italian Papal States) of 1816 was in political disarray following the Congress of Vienna, which reconstructed Europe more or less by the whim of the largest nations who were victorious over Napoleon. The Napoleonic reforms that had introduced new freedoms to the middle and working classes were rolled back, and patriots found that their country had been sold out to the Central Powers. Italian nationalists, particularly the revolutionary Carbonari, reflected a bitterly divided nation.

For many artists of the day, it was a time to take risks and express solidarity with the resistance. But Rossini’s political overtones were always subtle, and the way he weaves the silken threads of his social comment into the tapestries of his operas is the main part of his genius. If he had delivered his social critiques with a heavier hand, his works may not have survived the era of Garibaldi. In “The Barber of Seville,” Rossini and Sterbini realized that the one constant in the world is that things will always be batshit crazy. And while the public may at times crave outrage in their art, and at other times seek messages of hope and salvation – it’s certain that they will always need a laugh.

The post Lyric Opera of Kansas City 2024-25 Review: The Barber of Seville appeared first on OperaWire.

Directed by Elena Park, the new film takes viewers behind the scenes during the weeks of rehearsal leading up to the opening of Wagner’s “Lohengrin” at San Francisco Opera last October. It follows the production team and artists, headed by Caroline H. Hume Music Director, Eun Sun Kim, as they approach Wagner’s musical “Mount Everest.” Tenor Simon O’Neill and bass Kristinn Sigmundsson, veterans in their respective roles discuss their experiences juxtaposed by Maestro Kim, soprano Julie Adams, mezzo-soprano Judit Kutasi, and baritone Brian Mulligan’s reflections of their first time performing the work.

Other highlights featured in the film are a discussion about the fragile yet, resilient nature of the human voice and how the cast members prepared for the production. Orchestra musicians describe their technical, physical, and musical challenges, and their “Vulcan mind meld” bond they share in the pit with Maestro Kim.

Park, who also serves as the executive producer and head of Lumahai Productions, said in a press release, “With Eun Sun Kim at the center of the complexity, it was fascinating to see the puzzle pieces come together for this epic work. Our hope is that the film illuminates what it takes for her and hundreds of people to pull off something like Lohengrin—a remarkable feat with parallels to sports and other pursuits—and the passion and dedication of an entire company in the pursuit of something transcendent.”

The film will be broadcast on KQED 9 on Nov. 1, at 8 p.m. “Eun Sun Kim: A Journey Into Lohengrin” is now available for streaming, with optional English and Korean subtitles.

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The poet-dreamer Wagner created “Lohengrin,” out of bel canto roots, in an Italianate score filled with lustrous melodies. With it he set the downbeat for his artistic work from this opera and this hero as an artist, lover, leader, and perhaps the man he himself yearned to be. Here again, is the story of how perfection deals with what is not.

San Francisco Opera opened its first production of “Lohengrin” in 11 years with director David Alden’s production, and associate director Peter Relton, where such fairy tales and legends became modern day political realism.

The stage set, designed by Paul Steinberg and production designer Tal Rosner, was a combination of stark topsy-turvy buildings and rubble. A once-upon-a-time Brabant, Antwerp becomes a war-torn European city. Rather than romantic swans, there are blazing red, white and black banners with swans curved into fascist icons; rather than poetic dreams, we have guns and fists. The presence of the lovely swan in Wagner’s story and score appear as a flutter of flashing lights across the set rather than the magic animal itself. For magic and beauty, “swanstikas” didn’t cut it. Nor did the swan monument in Act two, positioned brazenly on stage.

The touchstone of truth in the performance was the successful bringing together of all the forces Wagner amassed to tell the story of the Swan Knight: 71 piece orchestra with a full complement of winds and brass onstage and off, 15 principals each with a demanding role, 79 choristers, and a story which, in a hard-edged age like ours, is barely acceptable except when brought down to political earth, as the San Francisco Opera does in Alden’s vision, a political view of hatred, murder and revenge.

Close to Radiance

The singers fared well overall. They were rich with stamina and fire. Simon O’Neill came closest to the radiance Wagner sought in his hero. His upper register often gleamed and with little strain. Although not full-bodied but with shots of gold, he sang with point and reach, ever steady, ever committed. His “Mein lieber Schwan” in Act one was sung with his back to the audience. He was plaintive and moving, as one might imagine.

But by Act three, the second farewell had not evolved despite all that Lohengrin had undergone. He still remained regretful and fused with loss. In “In Fernem Land,” O’Neill sacrificed a full palette of colors to his ardent sound. While he didn’t vary or explore it much, this choice of piercing beauty largely made up for that. Certainly, his solid presence anchored him in the present, where otherworldly aspirations remained fantasy. When he came right into the audience before Act three, for instance, all otherworldly suggestions dissolved. Here was groom, husband, ordinary man, and radiance largely a shadow.

Elsa, sung by soprano Julie Adams, former Merola Opera singer in her San Francisco debut, brought rich beauty and vocal fullness to her role. She portrayed both the polite and graceful woman of legend. She was a modern day female who stood up to her challenge. As a legend, she succeeded in conveying the drama the character required –  her elation over the embodiment of her dream lover, her joy over being defended from false accusation, her confusions over Ortrud’s disbelief in Lohengrin, her insistence on asking the forbidden question. In this she remained sympathetic, singing with ardor and confidence, filling the opera house with appealing legato and round tones that resonated. She asserted her desire to get what she wanted.

It did take its toll, however, as she realized she would lose Lohengrin as a result. From her sinking to the ground multiple times, crawling on occasion, even standing on the bed in Act three, from where she skewered her new husband, she began to assess the “black and white” model of her tactics. The Disney-descent of the wedding dress and her being dressed onstage, removing her veil and then pinning it back on. She became a woman who abjured magic and its appeal. Likewise the picnic bedspread plus champagne the director affixed her to earth, and the gleam of her own love and transcendence faded. Even when she and her brother reunited, the numinous moment did not catch fire.

Rich Villains

Ortrud, also a San Francisco opera debut performance by Romanian mezzo soprano Judit Kutasi sang with power and apt malicious intent. The audience loved how she ranted, raved and vowed vengeance. Despite their chuckling as if she were an Amazon Prime heroine, she continued with conviction and beauty, overcoming the satirical allusion. She performed not only as a wicked witch but as a virulent demonic woman, more than willing and able to seduce and wreak havoc on her nemeses who she bent to her will, her voice menacing and robust. Why did I marry you? Friedrich asks in Act two, but we have no doubt how come. When under her spell, who has a choice? She had her mind set and her voice kept it going, no question. She orchestrated her wicked ways with artful wiles galore, and she provided a stirring and stark contrast to Elsa. Just as Wagner wished.

Kutasi showed her wrath and wish for revenge when she seduces Friedrich; at the end of the Act when she verbally seduces Elsa, and at the finale, when she has the last word. Would Wagner want that? Perhaps not, but he was master enough to allow this character to take charge of the weaponry of evil and might not have objected. David Alden capitalized on this for the production.

Brian Mulligan sang Friedrich, Count of Telramund. His lovely baritone at first easily wooed us away from suspecting any evil and revenge he might cause at first. Beautiful round tones established his status as a trustworthy court member and as such believable. As the performance wore on, so did some of his sound, gradually seeming less vibrant and perhaps tired. So did his portrayal, even though he kept defending himself, in different ways and in different scenes. When he confronted Ortrud, for example in Act two, we thought he was going to give up. But when she managed to coax him into revenge, he rebounded.

Heinrich, sung by bass-baritone, Kristinn Sigmundsson  sang his first note with gusto, but then lapsed into a somewhat tired and sad low-energy singing, his power fading. It was as if he were outlived, as if his rule no longer counted. The Herald, sung by Thomas Lehman, did an admirable job joining the story parts together as well as singing with suavity. He was Wagner’s narrator, with a wounded and patched up leg. One curious detail – when all the major action occurred centerstage, he was off downstage left reading a newspaper. Alden deliberately included another modern anachronism but only served to emphasize the decision to blur specific time and place. He flattened the power and feeling. Alden aimed for a present that wasn’t quite here or there. This effected the costumes as well, Gideon Davey and Simon Bennison‘s revival of Adam Silverman‘s original design of the lighting, which wandered too many times, even disappearing from Friedrich as he crept through the battling soldiers.

The Choruses, conducted by chorus director John Keene, performed with ample sound, complementing their narrative role. Their diction remained only intermittently clear, as they performed this necessary story-telling function. Sometimes they were not completely coordinated, as in the use of chairs they carried back and forth, producing moments of randomness and vague full-bodied statement. So too, introduction of lectern and other furniture, and the use of dancers, while graceful, ornamented what wasn’t essential to propel the drama.

(Credit: Cory Weaver)

In Control

The brisk tempos of conductor Eun Sun Kim kept her in charge of the large orchestra the whole way, much like she did in Verdi’s “Il Trovatore.” While conducting the 71-piece orchestra in the pit and the 25-piece banda on stage, she remained on their toes, including the brass on and off-stage. She never flagged, nor did they. The opening Prelude set the downbeat of a realistic, down-to-earth performance. Eun Sun Kim concentrated the score on this world, perhaps a Berlin or a Dresden of 1945, rather than the ethereal atmosphere of myth. Right away, one might expect rubble women in a no-nonsense world rather than dream-maidens or heroes. No doubt from the music on which planet we were set.

Fortunately for the musicians and for Lohengrin himself and occasionally with Elsa and Ortrud, there was plenty of room to inject spots of the mystery that ignites the score. With slower tempi and fewer blazing climaxes, some of this could be felt. The details of the score – the otherworldly music, its melodic beauties, the human intimacies are ground down in favor of the all-too-familiar anguishes of our time. No question these familiar pains bring home some of the challenges of being an audience member for Wagner today and easier to endure. Even the four hours and 24 minutes of the performance kept the audience engaged, until the end. One could feel, however, Kim’s determination to take this story just where she wanted and that accented the main production point.

“Lohengrin” in San Francisco has more performances, including a live stream, where the production will no doubt tighten some of the looser moments but in no way alter its perspective. Terror told the story here and while its relevance sharpened the imperatives of our worldly drama, Wagner’s score remains rich with psychology and mystery.

The post San Francisco Opera 2023 Review: Lohengrin appeared first on OperaWire.

The opera will be presented from Oct. 15 to Nov. 1 and will be conducted by Caroline H. Hume Music Director Eun Sun Kim conducts.

The cast will include tenor Simon O’Neill, soprano Julie Adams, baritone Brian Mulligan, bass Kristinn Sigmundsson, and, mezzo-soprano Judit Kutasi.

The new production by Alden, which was first presented at the Royal Opera House updates the work’s setting from medieval Germany to a mid-twentieth-century European state at war.

The San Francisco Opera will offer a livestream on Oct. 21  and will be available to watch on demand for 48 hours beginning on Sunday, October 22 at 10 a.m.

The post Simon O’Neill Headlines San Francisco Opera’s ‘Lohengrin’ appeared first on OperaWire.

Lucas Meachem, Guanqun Yu, Isabel Leonard, Anthony León, Craig Colclough, Meigui Zhang, Alan Williams, and Peixin Chen star in Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.” James Conlon conducts Kasper Holten.

Performance Dates: Sept. 23–Oct. 15, 2023

Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” will star Emmett O’Hanlon, Isabel Leonard, Edgardo Rocha, Paolo Bordogna, and Luca Pisaroni. Louis Lohraseb conducts the production by Rob Ashford.

Performance Dates: Oct. 21–Nov. 12, 2023

Jenny Wong conducts “The Bride of Frankenstein.” 

Performance Dates: Oct. 27–28, 2023

The English Consort presents “Rodelinda” with Lucy Crowe, Iestyn Davies, Eric Ferring, and Aryeh Nussbaum Cohen. Harry Bicket conducts.

Performance Date: Nov. 21, 2023

Audra McDonald performs in concert.

Performance Date: Dec. 2, 2023

Gabriela Lena Frank and Nilo Cruz.’s “El Ultimo Sueno de Frida y Diego” will be conducted by Lina González-Granados and will star Daniela Mack, Alfredo Daza, Ana María Martínez, and Key’mon W. Murrah. Lorena Maza directs.

Performance Dates: Nov. 18-Dec. 3, 2023

The company will present “Artists: Highway 1, USA” with Nicole Heaston, Norman Garrett, Chaz’men Williams-Ali, and Deborah Nansteel. Kaneza Schaal directs. The work will be presented with “Artists: The Dwarf” starring Rodrick Dixon, Erica Petrocelli, and Kristinn Sigmundsson. Darko Tresnjak directs the second work. James Conlon conducts both works.

Performance Dates: Feb. 24–March 17, 2024

Patti Lupone will perform in concert.

Performance Date: April 20, 2024

Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Liparit Avetisyan, and Kihun Yoon perform Verdi’s “La Traviata.” James Conlon and Louis Lohraseb conduct Shawna Lucey’s production.

Performance Dates: April 6-27, 2024

Russell Thomas sings Joel Thompson and Imani Tolliver’s “Fire and Blue Sky.”

Performance Date: June 6, 2024

Huang Ruo and puppeteer Basil Twist reinterpret Chinese creation myths for the 21st century in “The Book of Mountains & Seas.”

Performance Dates: April 10-14, 2024

Angela Meade takes on the title role of Puccini’s “Turandot” with Russell Thomas, Guanqun Yu, and Morris Robinson. James Conlon conducts.

Performance Dates: May 18-June 8, 2024

Renée Fleming performs in recital.

Performance Date: June 15, 2024

The post Renée Fleming, Isabel Leonard, Ana María Martínez & Rusell Thomas Lead LA Opera’s 2023-24 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

The season will open with an Opera Ball featuring Roberto Alagna and Aleksandra Kurzak. Eun Sun Kim conducts the San Francisco Opera Orchestra in a program of arias and duets.

Performance Date: Sept. 8, 2023

Next up is “Il Trovatore” starring Arturo Chacón-Cruz, Angel Blue, Anita Rachvelishvilli, and George Petean. Eun Sun Kim conducts the production by Sir David McVicar.

Performance Date: Sept. 12 – Oct. 1, 2023

“The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs” makes it Bay Area premiere in a production directed by Kevin Newbury and conducted by Michael Christie. The Mason Bates / Mark Campbell opera stars Sasha Cooke, John Moore, Wei Wu, and Bille Bruley.

Performance Date: Sept. 22 – Oct. 7, 2023

That will be followed up by David Alden’s production of “Lohengrin.” Eun Sun Kim conducts a cast starring Simon O’Neill, Julie Adams, Judit Kutasi, Brian Mulligan, and Kristinn Sigmundsson.

Performance Date: Oct. 15 – Nov. 1, 2023

“Omar” makes its Bay Area premiere in a production directed by Kaneza Schall. Jamez McCorkle stars in the title role of the Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels work. He is joined by Taylor Raven, Brittany Renee, Daniel Okulitch, and Barry Banks. John Kennedy conducts.

Performance Date: Nov. 5 -21, 2023 

Closing out San Francisco Opera’s fall season will be a new production of “L’Elisir d’Amore” starring Pene Pati, Slávka Zámecniková, David Bizic, Jonah Hoskins, and Renato Girolami. Ramón Tebar makes his company debut in the production directed by Robert Innes Hopkins.

Performance Date: Nov. 19-Dec. 9, 2023

Opening the Spring / Summer 2024 season will be “The Magic Flute” in Barrie Kosky’s staging. Eun Sun Kim conducts a cast starring Amitai Pati, Christina Gansch, Lauri Vasar, and Kwangchul Youn. 

Performance Date: May 30 – June 30, 2024

Kaija Saariaho and Sofi Oksanen’s “Innocence” gets its American premiere with Clément Mao-Takacs conducting a cast starring Ruxandra Donose, Claire Sévigné, Rod Gilfry, Miles Mykkanen, Kristinn Sigmundsson, Lucy Shelton, and Vilma Jää.

Performance Date: June 1-21, 2024

Closing out the season will be “Partenope” in a production by Christopher Alden. Christopher Moulds conducts a cast starring Julie Fuchs, Daniela Mack, Alek Shrader, Hadleigh Adams, Nicholas Tamagna, and Carlo Vistoli.

Performance Date: June 15-28, 2024

The post San Francisco Opera 2023-24 Season to Star Aleksandra Kurzak, Angel Blue, Jamez McCorkle, Julie Fuchs, Arturo Chacón-Cruz appeared first on OperaWire.

Mainstage Season

Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly” opens the season with Timothy Myers conducting the production by Tomer Zvulun. Yasko Sato stars in the title role with Gianluca Terranova, Nina Yoshida Nelsen, Julius Ahn, and Allen Michael Jones.

Performance Dates: Nov. 5-13, 2022

Arthur Fagen conducts Kristine McIntyre’s new production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni.”

Performance Dates: Jan 21-29, 2023

Leonard Bernstein’s “Candide” will be conducted by James Lowe and directed by Alison Moritz. Deanna Breiwick and Jack Swanson star.

Performance Dates: March 4-12, 2023

Tomer Zvulun directs Wagner’s “Das Rheingold” with Patrick Summer conducting a cast that includes Greer Grimsley, Richard Cox, Zachary Nelson, Julius Ahn, Kristinn Sigmundsson, Joseph Barron, and Adam Diegel.

Performance Dates: April 29-May 7, 2023

Discoveries Series Productions

Béla Bartók’s “Bluebeard’s Castle” will be conducted by Stephen Higgins and directed by Daisy Evans. Susan Bullock and Michael Mayes star.

Performance Dates: Oct. 7-9, 2022

Joel Thompson’s “The Snowy Day” is set to feature a libretto by Andrea Davis Pinkney.

Performance Dates: March 31-April 2, 2023

The post Greer Grimsley, Deanna Breiwick & Susan Bullock Lead Atlanta Opera’s 2022-23 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

The showcase will be conducted by James Conlon and will star tenor Joshua Blue, baritone Michael Sumuel, soprano Tamara Wilson, mezzo-soprano Susan Graham, tenor Ben Bliss, and bass Kristinn Sigmundsson. They will be joined by the Hamburg Ballet.

“John Neumeier has few rivals in the pursuit of illuminating the full range of human emotions through the art of dance,” said Christopher Koelsch, LA Opera’s president and CEO, in an official press statement. “Our first collaboration with him, Gluck’s ‘Orpheus and Eurydice’ with the Joffrey Ballet in 2018, was one of the most deeply moving experiences that I can recall seeing on our stage. His interpretation of the ‘St. Matthew Passion’ will be an experience to treasure for years to come.”

Performances kick off on March 12, 2022 and end on March 27, 2022; in sum there will be six presentations of the work.

The post Susan Graham, Tamara Wilson, Ben Bliss Headline Los Angeles Opera’s ‘St. Matthew Passion’ appeared first on OperaWire.

The season opens with Donizetti’s “Lucia di Lammermoor” with Amanda Woodbury and Liv Redpath sharing the title role. They will be joined by Arturo Chacón-Cruz, Alexander Birch Elliott, and Eric Owens with Lina González-Granados conducting Simon Stone’s production.

Performance Dates: Sept. 17-Oct. 9, 2022

Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels’ “Omar” makes its LA Opera premiere with Kazem Abdullah conducting. The production is set to star Jamez McCorkle, Daniel Okulitch, Norman Garrett, Barry Banks, Jacqueline Echols, and Briana Hunter. Kaneza Schaal directs the opera.

Performance Dates: Oct. 23-Nov. 13, 2022

Angel Blue, Gregory Kunde, and Ryan McKinny star in Puccini’s “Tosca” with Oksana Lyniv conducting.

Performance Dates: Nov. 19-Dec. 10, 2022

James Conlon conducts Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro” in a production by James Gray. The cast will include Craig Colclough, Janai Brugger, Ana María Martínez, Lucas Meachem, Rihab Chaieb, Kristinn Sigmundsson, Marie McLaughlin, and Rodell Aure Rosel.

Performance Dates: Feb. 4-26, 2023

Sydney Mancasola, Will Liverman, Kyle Ketelsen, Susan Graham, and Ferruccio Furlanetto star in Debussy’s “Pelléas et Mélisande” with James Conlon conducting Sir David McVicar’s production.

Performance Dates: March 25-April 16. 2023

Russell Thomas is set to star in Verdi’s “Otello” with Rachel Willis-Sørensen, Igor Golovatenko, Morris Robinson, and Anthony Ciaramitaro. James Conlon conducts the production by John Cox.

Performance Dates: May 13 – June 4, 2023

Recitals & Concerts

Michael Shapiro conducts the LA Opera Orchestra in a concert reading of the 1931 film “Frankenstein.”

Performance Dates: Oct. 28 & 29, 2022

Pablo Sáinz-Villegas and Isabel Leonard sing at the Colburn as part of the Off Grand series.

Performance Dates: Dec. 3, 2022

Juan Diego Flórez and Vincenzo Scalera perform a recital.

Performance Date: Jan. 23, 2023

Russell Thomas sings at the Colburn.

Performance Dates: Feb. 23, 2023

Harry Bicket conducts the English Concert in Handel’s “Solomon.”

Performance Dates: March 10, 2023

Off Grand will produce a double bill of “Mary Motorhead” and “TRADE” by Emma O’Halloran. The works star Naomi Louisa O’Connell, Marc Kudisch, and Kyle Bielfield. Julian Wachner conducts Tom Creed’s production.

Performance Dates: April 27–30, 2023

Renée Fleming returns to LA for an evening with the soprano.

Performance Dates: June 10, 2023

The post Angel Blue, Russell Thomas, Rhiannon Giddens & Renée Fleming Lead LA Opera’s 2022-23 Season appeared first on OperaWire.

The evening presented a new cast of rising stars and veteran singers and brought to life a production that transports audiences back to a time when singing and music were at the center of opera.

The result was a refreshing evening with Vladislav Sulimski shining in the title role and making a case as a baritone the world should look out for.

A Final Bow 

Before Franco Zefirelli died in 2019, the director left behind a production of “Rigoletto,” with pictures of the set designs and would be a co-production with the Royal Opera House Muscat, Lithuanian Opera, and the Arena di Verona. Three years later the production has finally arrived and the result is classic Zefirelli.

For years, the Italian director split critics with many calling him out for his lavish and grand sets that supposedly distracted from the performers. For this critic, the director’s work was all about telling the story and bringing the audience into the world of the opera. With his final production Zeffirelli, along with stage director Stefano Trespidi, does just that.

The production brings audiences into a 1520s palace, a garden, and a shipwreck in the outskirts of Mantua. The sets are filled with the expected detail from any Zefirelli production. For instance, the Act two palace, has a large statue at the back of the stage and the walls resemble marble from the time period, each painted with a different design. The floors are all tiled with gold and silver and the columns resemble those of the renaissance. There are lavish desks with books and a globe-like item. The Act one scene two set, which represents Rigoletto’s house, resembles a real garden with different types of plants and bricks that create a truly immersive experience. The Act three shipwreck is filled with uneven rocks with wooden doors and a decaying boat. This scene actually looks like one pulled out from a ghost story and enhances the darkness of the entire act.

The costumes are all in the style of the time and help to tell the story. Gilda begins with a burgundy dress and then in Act two goes to a white bedgown before ending her night dressed in black. Rigoletto has a similar color palette, also starting with red and moving to black.

The choral sequences are all well-staged with movement in places where necessary and they never detract from the singers on stage. One of the most clever choices made was in Act one scene one where Monterone’s daughter is seen running around the stage and trying to escape her fate. She is also the last person seen on the stage as they arrest her father at the end of the scene. Durin the concertato of that same scene, there is a strong emphasis on the chorus and Count Ceprano at the center of the stage, with Rigoletto and the Duke are in the background. It’s actually quite striking as it seemingly gives more agency to the Count, while also allowing us to see how the Duke and Rigoletto are really controlling the narrative. The trio in Act three, is also filled with tension as Maddalena and Sparfucile confront each other and in many ways is staged as a battle for control. Maddalena never uses force while Sparafucile does. The result is filled with drama and unpredictability.

But what is most astonishing about this production is how it feels like you are actually watching an opera. The concentration is on the action, the singers, and the music. There are no distractions or concepts that one has to wrap your head around. There is nothing imposed. It is simply the story that allows the performers to interpret the work with their voices and interactions. And in many ways, it creates a deeper and more meaningful experience that gives freshness to the classic work.

My biggest qualm of the evening for the production was in the first scene of the opera. I thought the scene lacked in energy, perhaps because it needed more performers and dancers to fill out the lavishness and intention of a Zefirelli production. The masks also seemed to take away from the beauty of the staging but it is understandable given the moment we are living.

A Heartbreaking Turn

In the title role ​Vladislav Sulimski gave an incredible performance full of nuance and virtuosic singing. When he entered the stage during prelude, he was already living as the character with a slight limp and a hump that showed his fragility. During the first scene Sulimski was lively and physical, moving about the stage with some pompousness. He was simply playing the jester and trying to bring out laughs to each of his stage partners. And that was present in “Voi congiuraste contro noi, signore” as Sulimski’s voice boomed with an authoritative sound.

In the ensuing scene, after being damned by Monterone, the fragility of his character came out in his monologue “Pari siamo!…” It may not have been as introspective or filled with as many varying dynamics as one may be used to, but the fact that Sulimski preferred to sing with a forte sound brought out the pain in Rigoletto. There was one moment where the baritone did make an impressive crescendo during the line “il pianto” during which he went from a mezzo piano to a forte that was striking and affecting.

Then in his duet with Gilda “Deh, non parlare al misero,” the baritone sang with a tender warm voice which connected evenly with each phrase. One could hear pain in the phrase “Moria… le zolle coprano” and then a glimmer of hope in his tone as he sang “O Dio, sii ringraziato!” In “Ah! veglia o donna questo fior,” he sang with a assertive and caressing timbre as he took his Gilda, Enkeleda Kamani​, into his arms. Returning at the end of the act, in his interactions with the court, he was once again in his jester character, mocking them. But as he realized that it was him who had been played, Sulimski let out a powerful “maledizione” that foreshadowed the impending tragedy to come.

Act two was perhaps the baritone’s best as he entered singing his “La ra, la ra, la la…” with a big round sound. It was less playful than one is used to and more of a cry. During “Cortigiani vil razza dannata,” Sulimski let out a fury of sound as he ran into the crowded chorus who continuously stopped him from entering the Duke’s chambers. Realizing he was powerless, the baritone got down on his knees begging as he sang “Ah! Ebben, piango Marullo… Signore.” He moved about the stage following Marullo on his knees with his yearning sound. It was quite striking to watch and as he entered the legato line “Miei signori… perdono, pietate…” Sulimski sang with a beautful legato line all while emphasizing the text and showing Rigoletto’s desperation. In his following scene with Gilda there was a glimmer of light in his singing upon seeing her but the fury came through in his voice as he sang the lines “Ah! Solo per me l’infamia, A te chiedeva, o Dio …” There was authoratative determination in his booming baritone and one could sense the drive for vengeance. It calmed during “piangi fanciulla” as he returned to that caressing line and noble sound from the first act. That was emphasized further as he lied on the floor with Gilda in his arms. But the aggressive nature of his character returned in “Si vendetta” as the voice took on more force and he accented certain lines to emphasize his fury. As he stormed out of the palace, the tenderness in Rigoletto that one had seen was gone, leaving only a character driven by revenge.

That revenge climaxed at the end of Act three as he entered the stage in the final scene and mocked what he thinks is the Duke. There was even a moment where he stepped on the body. There was a slight snarl of delight in his vocal display as he delivered “gli è là! … morto! … Oh sì! vorrei vederlo! …Ma che importa? … è ben desso!” But as he heard the Duke deliver a reprisal of “La Donna e Mobile,” that happiness turned to horror. Sulimski’s physicality was unhinged almost as if one was watching a mad scene in an opera and delivering “Qual voce!… Illusion notturna è questa!” in a frenzy. The ensuing lines were also given an unpredicatbility and the baritone took his time to uncover the body. Upon realizing that it has been Gilda the whole, that desperation returned with each line given a breathy sound. In the final duet “lassu in ciel,” the baritone sang with passion and intensity especially on the lines “Non morir, mio tesoro, pietate…” emphasizing the pain in his character. And at the end of the opera Sulimski delivered one of the best moments of the evening. Upon seeing the dead Gilda, he spaced out his “Gilda! mia Gilda!… è morta!” giving us a sense of a shocked man not ready to let go. The spacing of each phrase and the silence it created in the auditoirum allowed the moment to be more dramatic and tense.

It’s hard to describe every single detail in Sulimski’s portrayal but what one could say is that this a Rigoletto that has to be seen on all the major stages of the world.

A Pleasant Sound

Enkeleda Kamani​ sang the role of Gilda and had a mixed evening that began shakily. The soprano has a pleasant soubrette voice that lacks a full middle but shines in the higher tessitura. Her opening duet with Rigoletto, “Deh, non parlare al misero” saw the soprano sing with a svelte sound that resonated but sometimes got overpowered by Sulimski’s booming baritone.

In her duet with Magri, “È il sol dell’anima, la vita è amore,” she phrased her “Ah, de’ miei vergini sogni son queste” with gorgeous connected lines that helped to bring out Gilda’s innocence. Her looks to the Duke during the duet were filled with purity and one could sense this was a young girl discovering love for the first time. As she arrived at the cadenza there was a sense of easiness in the coloratura lines. The “Addio addio” was also sung with a solid technique and a bright shimmering D flat.

During her subsequent “Caro Nome,” Kamani made some lovely phrases especially in the syncopated rhythms that resembled a songbird. There was such tenderness and lightness in the singing that it was a bit surprising that when she got to the cadenza there was slight hesitance as she ascended to the High E flat. Kamani spaced each phrase which made the passage a bit awkward and took away the momentum of the climactic moment. The notes also sounded as if she was pinching them, the sound forced out. However, the soprano was able to finalize the aria with a gorgeous sustained note on “Caro nome tuo sarà.” She extended the note as if she didn’t want to let go of the dreamlike state she was put under by the Duke.

In Act two audiences saw a hurt and torn woman. Kamani sang her entire duet, “Tutte le feste al tempio” while lying down and brought lyric colors to her voice. The soprano does not have a natural round lyric timbre and sometimes it felt thin in this dramatic moment. Still, she held her own with gorgeous legato lines and sweetness that projected into the auditorium. At one moment during the phrase “Amor mi protestò,” the soprano began the line with a soft piano and crescendoed to a forte, giving the text greater pain. In the second section of the duet, “Piangi fanciulla,” Kamani gave her “Padre, in voi parla un angiol” a yearning sound that emphasized the cries in Gilda’s music. Her diction was also quite astonishing as one could understand each line to perfection. The “Vendetta” duet was sung with authority and defiance but was a bit underwhelming as the soprano’s voice got lost in the orchestra.

In Act three Kamani struggled to find her footing as she was mostly on stage left and from where I was sitting, she was not always visible. Her ensemble work in the quartet and trio was sung with exactitude but was sometimes inaudible especially in the trio where the balance between the thunder and blustering orchestra, as well as her colleagues, covered her. But thankfully for the final duet “Lassu in cielo,” she truly arrived, singing with delicacy and angelic colors. This was not a Gilda who was in pain, it was a woman resigned to her death. Her phrase “Lassù in cielo, vicino alla madre …In eterno per voi pregherò,” was sung with such brightness and ethereal colors that it made the moment all the more painful. 

Uneven Duke

In the role of the Duke, Ivan Magri was a frivolous character who was having fun throughout the evening. Throughout each act, he controlled the space with his charismatic stage presence. However, vocally Magri was a bit uneven. Even though, he possesses an even middle voice with a secure top that rings into the auditorium, Magri sang with a brash timbre and aggressive accents throughout. His “Quest o quella” was aggressive in the first stanza, filled with fortes and accents, while in his second stanza there was softer singing; he eventually returned to the accented phrasing that seemed a bit off for the scene.

In his duet with Gilda, the tenor displayed a more lyrical sound with a gorgeous legato line. Here he finally displayed his bel canto expertise and gave an ardent reading of “È il sol dell’anima, la vita è amore.” His voice while a bit heftier than Kamani’s blended well at the end, especially in their cadenza as their voices displayed agility and ringing high notes.

In his Act two aria “Parmi veder le lagrime,” the tenor struggled to get a pure legato line. It seemed like he was pushing his voice during every phrase with unnecessary accents just to get a powerful sound out. His most radiant singing in the aria came during the cadenza which showcased his flexibility and his easiness into the high range. The cabaletta “Possente amor mi chiama” was also a bit uneven as he lacked power and flexibility throughout and seemed pressed for air. That eventually led to pushed high notes at the end. Still, he was able to sing the coloratura runs with purity and his opening recitative was filled with pianissimo singing and nice crescendi. 

His best act was without a doubt the final one as he dispatched a “La Donna è Mobile” with agility and charisma. Magri used the same accented phrasing but this time it worked as it showed the pompous attitude of his character. His second reprisal of the aria at the end of the opera was quite fascinating as he stretched out the final note and it rang into the hall beautifully.

Superstar Support

In the role of Maddalena, Maria Barakova brought a creamy mezzo with suave and seductive phrases in the quartet. In the ensuing trio, you could hear the desperation, which was emphasized by a more staccato and accented line. Her lower chest voice was also filled with gustiness.

​Antonio Di Matteo gave a Sparafucile a demonic quality. The bass has a sonorous timbre that is close to a basso profondo and his delivery of “Sparafucile” in Act one was chilling. In the trio, he was also filled with rage and booming power. As noted, his physicality with Barakova created a riveting dramatic moment.

Kurt Rydl sang the role of Count Ceprano with a round bass timbre that gave the character some new layers while ​Kristinn Sigmundsson sang Monterone with a chilling desperation. His Act three “Poiché fosti invano da me maledetto” was powerful and left you wanting to hear more. ​Christian Peregrino’s Marullo was frivolous and even upon seeing Rigoletto on the floor kneeling to him, this character had no pity.

Clarissa Leonardi’s Countess Ceprano was spirited and charismatic and her voice was rich, dark, and round. She blended well with Magri’s forte tenor to create a sensual moment between her and the Duke. Finally, ​Agostina Smimmero brought a luxurious voice to the short but crucial role of Giovanna.

In the pit, Jan Latham-Koenig gave a powerful reading of the score that was filled with precise rhythm and tempi that moved the music forward. His opening prelude was filled with threatening tremolos that eventually crescendoed into a bombastic sound of fury and drama. His interlude at the end of Act one as Gilda is stolen was also a highlight as the violin runs started piano and eventually crescendoed into a fortissimo that expressed the agitated moment.

But there was sometimes an imbalance between the orchestra and soloists. Many times Koenig was behind his soloists like in “Quest o quella,” the Act two “È il sol dell’anima,” and even in “Possente amor mi chiama.” Then there was the sound issue with the ensembles where singers were covered by the orchestra like in the aforementioned Act three trio in which most of the soloists were inaudible, and in the Act one scene one concertato.

Overall, this was an enjoyable evening in which Sulimski triumphed in the title role and Zeffirelli proved once more why opera is best when the story and music are given free reign.

The post Royal Opera House Muscat 2022 Review: Rigoletto appeared first on OperaWire.