COSÌ FAN TUTTE, Royal Opera House, Julho / July 202

(review in English below)

Foi com grande gosto que revi a produção da Royal Opera House de Londres da ópera Così fan Tutte de Mozart.

A encenação de Jan Philipp Gloger é muito agradável, mistura épocas e recorre ao espectáculo dentro do espectáculo.

Logo durante a abertura aparecem os cantores, vestidos à época, a agradecer os aplausos do público, fazendo os gestos habituais da ocasião. Depois percebemos que estes não são os solistas, os dois casais aparecem na plateia e são espectadores da Royal Opera. Os quadros sucessivos são muito variados, misturando épocas: um bar actual, uma estação de comboios de meados do século passado, o jardim do Éden com maçãs, dinheiro e a serpente, um teatro barroco e o final com um painel gigante onde está iluminado Cosi Fan Tutte(i). É uma encenação vistosa, alegre e muito diversificada. 

O maestro Richard Hetherington (em substituição de Julia Jones) foi óptimo e a orquestra esteve em grande nível.

Os cantores solistas foram todos excelentes. Os dois pares de noivos eram jovens, o que deu grande credibilidade à interpretação cénica. O baixo-barítono alemão Gordon Bintner foi um Guglielmo de voz bonita, firme e potente. Presença sempre muito ágil e insinuante, muito favorecido pela sua figura.

O tenor russo Bogdan Volkov fez um Ferrando muito lírico embora tenha sido o cantor que menos me impressionou, apesar de muito bom.

Jennifer Davis, soprano irlandesa, é um colosso a cantar! Voz enorme, ágil e afinada. Excelente na emotividade da aria Per pietà, ben mio, perdona, foi fabulosa em toda a récita.

A mezzo franco-canadiana Julie Boulianne foi uma Dorabella de voz bonita que esteve sempre bem e afinada ao longo de toda a récita. Em cena, uma interpretação muito boa.

O veterano barítono italiano Lucio Gallo foi um Don Alfonso muito bem adaptado à personagem e cantou sempre ao mais alto nível

A soprano italiana Serena Gamberoni foi talvez a melhor Despina que vi e ouvi. Excelente movimentação em palco, muito enérgica e a interpretação vocal também de uma qualidade elevada. 

Um excelente espectáculo!

*****

COSI FAN TUTTE, Royal Opera House, July 2022

It was with great pleasure that I reviewed the production at the Royal Opera House in London of Mozart's opera Così fan Tutte.

Jan Philipp Gloger's staging is very pleasant, mixing different time periods and picturing the performance in the performance within the show. During the overture, the singers appear, dressed in 18th century clothes, thanking the audience for the applause, making the gestures they usually do on this occasion. Later we realize that these are not the soloists, the two couples appear in the audience and are members of the public of the Royal Opera. The successive parts are very varied, mixing periods: a modern bar, a train station from the middle of the last century, the garden of Eden with apples, money and the snake, a baroque theater, and the end with a giant panel where Cosi Fan Tutte(i) is lit. It's a showy, cheerful and very diverse staging.

Conductor Richard Hetherington (replacing Julia Jones) was great and the orchestra was at a high level.

The soloist singers were all excellent. The two pairs of bride and groom were young, which gave great credibility to the scenic interpretation. German bass baritone Gordon Bintner was a Guglielmo with a beautiful, firm and powerful voice. His presence was always very agile and insinuating, much favored by his figure.

Russian tenor Bogdan Volkov was a very lyrical and beautiful-voiced Ferrando, although he was the singer who least impressed me, despite being very good.

Jennifer Davis, Irish soprano, is a singing colossus! Huge voice, beautiful, agile and in tune. Excellent in the emotionality of the aria Per pietà, ben mio, perdona, she was fabulous throughout the performance.

French-Canadian mezzo Julie Boulianne was a Dorabella with a beautiful voice that was always well and in tune throughout the entire opera. On stage, a very good performance.

Veteran Italian baritone Lucio Gallo was a Don Alfonso very well adapted to the character and always sang at the highest level.

Italian soprano Serena Gamberoni was perhaps the best Despina I have seen and heard. Excellent movement on stage, very energetic and the vocal interpretation was also of a high quality.

An excellent performance!

*****

Resultados de traduçãCOSI FAN TUTTE, Royal Opera House, July / July 2022 It was with great pleasure that I reviewed the production at the Royal Opera House in London of Mozart's opera Così fan Tutte. Jan Philipp Gloger's staging is very pleasant, mixing seasons and using the show within the show. Right during the opening, the singers appear, dressed at the time, thanking the audience for the applause, making the gestures they usually do on this occasion. Later we realize that these are not the soloists, the two couples appear in the audience and are spectators of the Royal Opera. The successive paintings are very varied, mixing periods, a current bar, a train station from the middle of the last century, a modern bar, the garden of Eden with apples, money and the snake, a baroque theater and the end with a giant panel where Cosi Fan Tutte(i) is lit. It's a showy, cheerful and very diverse staging, but a little confusing. Conductor Richard Hetherington (replacing Julia Jones) was great and the orchestra was at a high level. The solo singers were all excellent. The two pairs of bride and groom were young, which gave great credibility to the scenic interpretation. German bass baritone Gordon Bintner was a Guglielmo with a beautiful, firm and powerful voice. His presence was always very agile and insinuating, much favored by his figure. Russian tenor Bogdan Volkov made a very lyrical and beautiful-voiced Ferrando, although he was the singer who least impressed me, despite being very good. Jennifer Davis, Irish soprano, is a singing colossus! Huge voice, beautiful, agile and in tune. Excellent in the emotionality of the aria Per pietà, ben mio, perdona, she was fabulous throughout the performance. The French-Canadian mezzo Julie Boulianne was a Dorabella with a beautiful voice that was always well and in tune throughout the entire performance. On stage, a very good performance. Veteran Italian baritone Lucio Gallo was a Don Alfonso very well adapted to the character and always sang at the highest level. Italian soprano Serena Gamberoni was perhaps the best Despina I have seen and heard. Excellent movement on stage, very energetic and the vocal interpretation is also of a high quality. An excellent show! *****

GIANNI SCHICCHI, Royal Opera House, Londres, Fevereiro de 2016 /February 2016

A ópera Gianni Schicchi  de G. Puccini concluiu Il Trittico. Foi mais uma encenação fabulosa de Richard Jones para uma ópera que também não conto entre as minhas favoritas. Mas numa produção como esta, é absolutamente irresistível. De entre as óperas cómicas que já vi esta encenação foi, talvez, a mais bem conseguida. Mais uma vez, tudo o que está em palco é faz sentido e é engraçado. O guarda-roupa é também engraçadíssimo.

A casa do abastado e moribundo Buoso Donati está revestida de papel de parede florido e está mobilada num estilo “latino” e desarrumado. A sua numerosa família aguarda a morte que acontece logo no início. A encenação é muito bem conseguida e os momentos de comicidade sucedem-se continuamente, sem nunca resvalar para o gratuito nem para o ordinário. São muitas as situações verdadeiramente hilariantes, como a procura do testamento, a visita do médico, o relato do novo testamento, o comportamento das crianças e reacção dos pais e a postura de Gianni Schicchi.

Lucio Gallo, barítono italiano, foi um Gianni Schicchi muito engraçado, fazendo justiça à personagem. A voz foi sempre bem audível, esteve afinado e conseguiu imprimir a comicidade e astúcia que o papel exige. Foi o melhor em cena.

Rinuccio foi interpretado pelo tenor italiano Paolo Fanale. Esteve bem cenicamente, mas a voz é pequena e, em comparação com os colegas, a diferença foi marcada. Frequentemente deixou-se abafar pela orquestra e quando se ouvia, era sempre em esforço nas notas mais agudas, que saiam sem brilho.

Lauretta foi interpretada pela soprano inglesa Susanna Hurrell. A voz é bonita mas idêntica a tantas outras. Cantou bem a aria O mio babbino caro, uma das mais belas escritas por Puccini e pouco mais fez, mas o papel é mesmo assim.

Foram também participantes com qualidade homogénea outros cantores, incluindo Gwynne Howell, Elena Zilio, Jeremy White, Marie McLaughlin, David Kempster, Carlo Bosi e Rebecca Evans.

Um final em beleza de mais uma noite inesquecível na Royal Opera de Londres.

*****

Gianni Schicchi, Royal Opera House, London, February 2016

The opera Gianni Schicchi by G. Puccini completed Il Trittico. It was another fabulous staging of Richard Jones for an opera that I do not include in my favorites. But in a production like this, it is absolutely irresistible. Among all the comic operas I've seen so far, this staging was perhaps the best achieved. Again, everything on stage is makes sense and is funny. The clothes of the performers are also a must.

The house of the rich and dying Buoso Donati is lined with flowered wallpaper and is furnished in a "Latin" and messy style. His large family awaits his death that happens early on. The staging is very good and the moments of comedy happen continuously, without ever sliding into the vulgar. There are many truly hilarious situations, as the demand of the will, the doctor's visit, the writing of the new testament, the behavior of the children and their parents and the attitude of Gianni Schicchi.

Lucio Gallo, Italian baritone, was a very funny Gianni Schicchi. The voice was always very audible and tuned, and he managed to show the comic and cunning characteristics required. He was the best on stage.

Rinuccio was interpreted by Italian tenor Paolo Fanale. He was well on stage, but the voice was small and, in comparison with the other soloists, the difference was marked. Often he was submerged by the orchestra, and he sang always in effort the top notes, that were not beautiful.

Lauretta was interpreted by English soprano Susanna Hurrell. The voice is beautiful but identical to many others. She sang well the aria O mio babbino caro, one of the most beautiful written by Puccini, and it was it, but the character is just like that.

The other singers were also very good, including Gwynne Howell, Elena Zilio, Jeremy White, Marie McLaughlin, David Kempster, Carlo Bosi and Rebecca Evans.

A beautiful ending of another unforgettable evening at the Royal Opera in London.

*****

IL TABARRO, Royal Opera House, Londres, Fevereiro de 2016 / February 2016

(in English below) 

Cinco anos após a estreia desta produção de sucesso de Il Trittico de G. Puccini, pela Royal Opera House de Londres, numa óptima encenação de Richard Jones, foi com expectativa renovada que a revi.

A primeira das óperas apresentadas é Il Tabarro. O cenário é uma longa barcaça no Sena, atracada a uma margem onde, entre ruelas escuras de tijolos (pouco parisienses na minha opinião), há uma fábrica com costureiras em laboração. Os estivadores descarregam a barcaça. Dirigiu o maestro Nicola Luisotti.

Giorgetta foi interpretada pelo soprano americano Patricia Racette. Esteve bem, voz potente mas algo dura, com inegável cariz dramático, bem adaptado à personagem.

O barítono italiano Lucio Gallo foi Michele e teve a melhor interpretação da opera. Voz firme, bem audível e segura. Em cena expressou bem o ciúme e desconfiança que o atormentam.

Carl Tanner, tenor americano, interpretou Luigi. Ofereceu-nos uma boa interpretação, voz de timbre agradável e sempre bem audível sobre a orquestra. Teve uma presença aceitável em cena mas faltou mais expressão na paixão por Giorgetta.

Os cantores dos papéis secundários tiveram boas prestações vocais, destacando-se a excelente mezzo russa Irina Mishura como Frugola.

Começou bem este Trittico…

****

Il Tabarro, Royal Opera House, London, February 2016

Five years after the premiere of this successful production of Il Trittico by G. Puccini, at the Royal Opera House in London, directed by Richard Jones, I was expectantly happy to have the opportunity to see it again.

The first of the 3 operas was Il Tabarro. The scenario includes a long barge on the Seine, moored to a room where, among dark brick streets (not much Parisian in my opinion), there is a sewing factory in operation. The stevedores unload the barge.

Maestro Nicola Luisotti conducted. Giorgetta was interpreted by American soprano Patricia Racette. She was ok, her voice was powerful but sometimes hard, with undeniable dramatic expression, well suited to the character.

Italian baritone Lucio Gallo was Michele and had the best interpretation of the opera. He has a firm voice, well heard and tuned. On stage he expressed well the jealousy and suspicion that he feels.

Carl Tanner, American tenor, was Luigi. He offered us a good interpretation, his vocal timbre is pleasant and he was always well audible over the orchestra. He had an acceptable presence onstage, but lacked more expressive demonstration of his in love for Giorgetta.

The singers of the supporting roles gad good vocal performances. I highlight the great Russian mezzo Irina Mishura as Frugola.

It was a good start for Il Trittico ...

****