Otello in Zurich

Photo: Zurich Opernhaus / Adrian Baer

Oxana Arkaeva

Background The penultimate opera of the brilliant Giuseppe Verdi could safely be called a long and arduous birth. Boito and Verdi have already worked before as Verdi's libretto for "Simone Boccanegra" had to be reworked. Countless and fruitless attempts to convince Verdi to compose a new opera remained unproductive. He stated, again and again, his interest towards this idea, but could not be persuaded to make a final decision. The seventy-year-old composer retired to Sant' Agata, founded the Casa di Riposo by the Musicisti in Milan, and was appointed Senator in 1874. The fact that the opera world is in possession of "Otello" is due to the perseverance and determination of Verdi's publisher Ricordi and Boito himself. In 1879, Verdi finally bought the libretto, but without making any obligation. It was only years later in 1884 when Verdi began to work on “Otello”, which lasted three years until being completed. On February 5, 1887, at the La Scala in Milan, the premiere took place under the direction of Franco Faccio and became an indescribable triumph.

Zürich performance The performance on March 5th, 2017, in Zurich was packed with the audience and began with a charming announcement by the director Andreas Homoki: the singer of Otello is ill but will sing the performance, though with a cough. A relieved sigh went through the audience, and the performance went on! A giant kiss projected on the curtain tuned up to a beautiful, if also sad love story. However, after only a few minutes it became apparent: This is not only about love, but about war, a modern war, precisely: An East-West conflict. The entire orchestra was immediately elaborated with chromatic, ruthless sound sequences in Fortissimo, with brutally rumbling timpani, horns, flutes, as well as dissonant organ clusters. The anguished interludes of the Fuoco choir was framed with images of napalm bombs, burning oil fields and flaming helicopters. The victorious hero (Otello) sings his "Esultate" on the top of a tank, whose barrel dangerously aimed directly at the audience: a frightening picture.

Stage design and Costumes The stage design by Paul Brown resembles a dark military hangar with burned cars and reminds a desert with tanks and roadblocks. The stylized palm trees symbolize the occupied country. Spacious, noble, richly decorated rooms, where Champagne and canapes are served, present a TV studio, where the rulers enjoy themselves in their splendor during a real time Live transmission. The costumes, also by Paul Brown, are held in modern military and politically-minded style, but flatter the singers hardly, except for the white wedding dress of the Desdemona.

Staging The stage action on this evening could not be more symbolic or even more up-to-date as on the day of its premiere on 20 November 2011, shortly after Gaddafi was overthrown in Libya. The Swiss election poster, leaned in its message on SVP fluffy posters propaganda proclaiming racial segregation, displays a distorted formula:  white plus white = is good, white minus black = is good, black-white = is bad. Behind the oversized image of the "Savior" one can see the poster of the minaret ban initiative and in the chore "Salvo" a model of the mosque is sunk into the ground with only a cross remains on the stage. British director Graham Vick based his interpretation on two theses: Otello should not necessarily be sung by a black-painted white tenor and that one should have zero compassion for him. Thus, in this staging, all singers are white, and Otello is portrayed as a cold-blooded killer, whose killing of Desdemona was nothing more than as a long-term planned honor murder. There are many beautiful and moving scenes full of symbolic interpretation and deep philosophical meaning. In the 1st act when Desdemona, standing on the top of the tank and dressed as a bride, resembles a white dove amidst a war wracks. Or in II act, when Jago presents his confession of faith, his Credo to the playing in the sand Arab children: A powerful scene. Here one cannot help but to wondering: who is the true evil here that sows his evil seed in the souls of innocent children? Another impressive scene shows Otello in Act III when he alone sits at the table in the middle of the celebrating crowd, covering his face with war paint.  He resembles here Leoncavallos Canio. We see here a profoundly desperate, broken man, who, despite all his fame, is an alien to this society, that does nothing but to exploit him.As convincing and as technically excellently produced this production might be, the intimate, the real drama and tragic love-story disappears remained uncovered. One feels no empathy for the figures on stage. Otello is a muscle man, immobile and roaring. Jago, a slimy imperialist, sometimes dressed in the Hawaiian shirt, or in uniform, slumbering around and intriguing. Desdemona is an elegant but seemingly naive lady, who keeps her worries hidden under either a headscarf, hat or veil, and who has no clue what so ever about intrigues developing around her. Perhaps it was due to the fact, that the main character was indisposed, or that the cast was the different one, but the singers often acted statically, almost lifeless, and somehow disorientated.

Ensemble Nevertheless, Benjamin Bernheim as Casio impressed with a beautiful lyrical tenor voice and energetic acting. Yulia Mennibaeva as Emilia pleased with warm, velvety mezzosoprano. Zeljko Lucic as Jago sung with beautifully sounding baritone without demonic harshness. Maria Agresta as Desdemona presented a warm lyric soprano voice and beautiful sounding pianos. She was the only one on this evening, who was cautiously and sensitively accompanied by the orchestra.

Orchestra and Choir Under the baton of Maestro Marco Armiliato, the Philharmonia Zurich often played loud, cold and with a brusque sound. Few touching moments such as the Duet in Act I and La Canzone del Salice in Act IV, could not soften this impression. A special praise is given to all four choirs, which were not only perfectly rehearsed (chorus director Jürg Hämmerli), but acted accordingly to the idea and spirit of the stage director and drama.

Conclusion One in all, this "Otello" surprisingly does not impress by its musical, but by its scenic interpretation. Still, the opportunity to experience this performance was worth it, since a thoughtful, by spirit of the time inspired interpretation of this great work of the genius Verdi is relatively rare nowadays and deserves its full attention.

Tosca en el Royal Opera House Covent Garden de Londres

Foto: Ashmore

Carlos Rosas

La Royal Opera de Londres revivió la producción del 2004 de Tosca concebida por Jonathan Kent, quien situó el desarrollo de la trama precisamente entre el 17 y 18 de junio de 1800, para hacerla coincidir con el contexto histórico que marca el libreto de Puccini,  quien a su vez se inspiró en la obra de Victorien Sardou, en una atmosfera de peligro y desesperación. Los diseños de la escenografía son de Paul Brown,  y contienen una iglesia iluminada por velas, un oscuro  y siniestro estudio con su sala de torturas, y al fondo la salida del solo en del amanecer de un día poco optimismo.  Cada referencia que se hace a detalle tiene sentido y coherencia dramática. Algunas referencias, por ejemplo, están relacionadas con la Batalla de Marengo, ocurrida tan solo unos cuatro días antes del evento visto sobre la escena; o el sonido de un cañón a la distancia, las campanas de iglesia y los disparos de un pelotón de fusilamiento durante el Te deum del primer acto, o la pintura de Cavaradossi, en el estilo de Jacques Louis David, el Palazzo Farnese, el techo del Castel Sant’Angelo con una enorme estatua del arcángel Miguel etc. En suma: se trató una producción visualmente sugestiva atractiva con suficiente espacio para la actuación y movimiento de los artistas. Adecuados fueron los vestuarios así como el sobresaliente manejo de manejo de iluminación, que dio un sentido de terror y miedo inminente en todo momento.  El elenco vocal fue bastante bueno y homogéneo comenzando con Roberto Alagna, quien ofreció un viril y apasionado Cavaradossi, que ya había interpretado en este teatro en el 2000.  La voz del tenor se sintió cómoda, fluida, sobre todo en los momentos más heroicos del papel resultando brillante, solida, y colorida, aunque en la interpretación de su última aria, pareció perder el control.  La soprano ucraniana Oksana Dyka, en su debut local, mostró una voz grande, potente, un poco estridente en la parte alta del registro, pero de grato color. Su interpretación de Tosca fue en términos generales creíble ya que fue delicada y afligida, aunque algunos momentos de hiperactividad sobre la escena, en particular en los pasajes de sufrimiento y dramatismo del personaje parecieron algo cargados. El barítono Marco Vratogna quien dio vida a un malévolo y agresivo Scarpia, al que prestó una robusta voz de penetrante sonoridad.  Correctos estuvieron el resto de los papeles menores, coro y actores que participaron en la puesta.  La orquesta tuvo un desempeño correcto, a pesar de una no muy precisa y fina conducción de Oleg Caetani, quien por momentos pareció transcurrir sin un claro sentido de dirección, aun asi la vivacidad de la música de Puccini siempre funciona y sale adelante. 

Lucia di Lammermoor - Teatro Regio di Torino

Foto: Maria Grazia Schiavo (Lucia) -  Ramella & Giannese/Fondazione Teatro Regio di Torino

Renzo Bellardone

Il sipario a quadretti scozzesi in sobrie tonalità di verde e blu con in basso la scritta in corsivo rosso ‘Lucia di Lammermoor’ resta abbassato per l’ouverture che fin dalle prime note fa presagire che la tragedia incombe; il Maestro Bruno Campanella è direttore di lunga esperienza ed in questo suo ritorno al Regio di Torino di cui è stato per anni direttore stabile, dimostra tutta l’abile conoscenza acquisita con la perpetuata frequentazione delle opere di repertorio, da alcuni definite di ‘bel canto’; le melodie sorgeranno dal golfo mistico con intensità, ad esaltare la scrittura ed a sostenere le voci in un dipinto a forti tinte sanguigne. La scena, pur in movimento ha il sapore di un quadro fisso: sono gli stessi elementi ad incrociarsi ed a creare effetti di poetica essenzialità valorizzate dalle luci e dalle ombre, proposte da Nick Chelton, che si sovrappongono al cielo tempestoso che diventa il leit motiv dell’ambientazione; i pochi elementi statici sono sassi ed erica nel primo atto e rose rosse poi; un albero rinsecchito su un lato del palco, ad ergersi simbolico. Eppure, proprio l’essenzialità della efficace scena di Paul Brown (suoi anche i costumi classici ripresi da Elena Cicorella), contribuisce ad amplificare i vari momenti , lasciando che sia l’opera musicale a prevalere. La regia di Graham Vick è rispettosa dei cantanti e non punta a stupire e nemmeno a tranquillizzare il pubblico replicando e riproponendo situazioni già note, ma tende a cogliere l’utile ed il necessario. Non rinuncia al didascalico duello, ma al duetto iniziale tra Alisa, ottimamente interpretata da Federica Giansanti non propone la fontana, ma la fa intuire solo per un gesto della mano di Lucia che simula di spruzzare la damigella; il simbolo di unione e fedeltà, ovvero l’anello, qui è sostituito dalla collana, ben più efficace registicamente quando Edgardo, scoperto il tradimento, la strapperà dal collo di lei. Il baritono Simone del Savio impersona Lord Enrico Ashton con disinvoltura e propone una emissione sicura e gradevole soprattutto nel secondo atto. La piccola parte di Lord Arturo è affidata al tenore Saverio Forte che la sostiene bene anche attorialmente. Piero Pretti è il tenore che canta la parte di Sir Edgardo e seppur con timbricità particolare è interessante particolarmente nei duetti.  Cristiano Olivieri sostiene la parte di Normanno con voce ferma e chiara.  Il personaggio di Raimondo è affidato ad Alessandro Guerzoni che con salda tecnica vocale e spontanea presenza fisica è superbamente inquieto mentre annuncia, con voce profonda e ben modulata, la tragedia avvenuta e l’incombente follia di Lucia. Il sempre ottimo coro diretto dal Maestro Claudio Fenoglio è parte integrante e protagonista in diverse situazioni dell’opera ed i cantanti diventano popolo festosamente danzante o coinvolti e spaventati spettatori del sangue che ricopre la bianca veste di Lucia…….  ‘Ardon gli incensi’…..e Maria Grazia Schiavo indiscussa ottima interprete, apprezzata durante tutta l’opera, conduce all’epilogo della vicenda; vaneggia, vagheggia e rimembra…. ‘Verranno a te sull’aure…’ e con voce luminosa, dona preziosi tocchi di colore alle variazioni …..con la sola intenzione di pennellare un affresco che non deve impressionare o stupire, ma che deve restare, come resta, negli occhi e nelle orecchie per la sobria armonica eleganza. La Musica vince sempre!