Tancredi

Tancredi is not one of Rossini's best for me, some of the story is on the static side. However, there are parts that do move me and the music is some of Rossini's most beautiful. I found myself loving this production and found it every bit as good as the 1992 performance with Nissa and Bayo, which I also loved. The costumes are not as elegant as in the previous performance but are acceptable enough, while the sets have that monumental feeling that is quite fitting. It is a more modern production in terms of production values than most productions of Rossini, but still works. The staging is still involving and does manage to letting you forgive about the nature of the story itself. Tancredi's first arrival by boat in particular is strikingly done. The musical values are even better than in the earlier production, it has more energy and more sparkle as well, the orchestral playing is stylish in the more comedic sections and nuanced in the tragic ones and the conducting is strong and authoritative. Daniella Barcelona may not be quite masculine enough for the titular character, but more than makes up for it in many other ways, like with her beautiful, firm tone, her affecting, heroic and altogether commanding acting, her impeccable passage-work and secure musicianship. Darina Takova I liked very much as Violetta and Luisa Miller, and her Amenaide is on that same level, a moving and mature performance and sung beautifully with a sense of agility and freedom. Raul Gimenez has the perfect technique for Bel Canto, and sings effortlessly and stylistically, his acting is not half-bad either. Overall, loved it, not one of my favourites of all time but a more than worthy performance. 10/10 Bethany Cox