VIVALDI'S CATONE IN UTICA: Baroque Perfection

 VIVALDI'S CATONE IN UTICA

Catone:  Valentino Buzza

Marzia:  Valeria Girardello

Valeria:  Miriam Albano

Cesare:  Arianna Venditelli

Arbace:  Valeria La Grotta

Fulvio:  Chiaro Brunello

Ah, to have been in Ferrara for this!  Pietro Metastasio's libretto was one of Baroque opera's most famous and popular with, over time, more than 25 composers setting it to music, including Vinci (for whom it was written), Piccinni, Handel (in pastiche) and Vivaldi.  I can't imagine it being better than Antonio's which here makes as strong a case as possible for inclusion into the repertoire of early masterpieces like Handel's Giulio Cesare, or the Monteverdi trio.

Marco Belussi's direction and elegant production fit Vivaldi's drama to a T.  To that end he is aided immeasurably by Matteo Paoletto Franzatto whose white unit set - all sharp, clean lines, with busts and artifacts on pedastels, Trompe-l'œil statues and multiple proscenia, which all instantly evoke Roman antiquity.  Elisa Cobelli's simple, stunning costumes, white and Romanesque for the women, black and modernesque for the men, with splashes of color (red, gray, gold) completed the effect.

Appearing somewhat wizard-like, batonless conductor Frederico Maria Sardelli, through his mystical looking hand gestures, almost seemed to be conjuring the music from his excellent pit musicians as if through some musical sourcery. This sourcery manifested itself in every member of a strong cast of baroque specialists, all of whom seemed on fire with their assignments. I found it interesting, especially in today's world of early music practices, the choice to forgo having a single countenor in any of the castrati roles.  Indeed, the only genetically male singer was the excellent tenor, Valentino Buzzo in the title role.

All six cast members brought their characters to vivid life, and the charge often brought against baroque operas being little more than showpiece arias connected by endless, boring recitativo proves to be nothing but a canard in the hands of these splendid singers. Indeed, each one tears through them as relentlessy and with actorly skill as intensely as the arias they blaze through. Three plus hours of drama passed quicker than some shorter Donizetti comedies I've sat through!

Sadly, from several reviews I've read the prima - which is what I watched live stream - was poorly attended with only a half-filled house.  That hurts, especially when one considers the venue, the beautiful Teatro Communale Ferrara, has less than one thousand seats.  On the plus side, was interest was strong and within a couple of hours over 10,000 people worldwide were watching. I'm hopeful that this somehow translated to bigger house numbers for the remaining performances.

If you like your opera Baroque, I can't imagine a better few hours than those you'll spend with this one.

Ercolo su'l Termodonte: Vivaldi Tackles Hercules

Despite some misgivings, I very much enjoyed getting to know Vivaldi's infrequently performed opera, but couldn't help but wish for a bit more in all areas of this production, musically, and dramatically. Sadly, a good bit of the singing was sub-par which is particularly disappointing when getting acquainted with a new score.

Zachary Stains meets with some pretty rough vocalism in his first bravura aria - the voice getting coarse and reedy in some of the lower passages and with some really smudgy coloratura to boot. (Note: I recently listened to Stains in the Christie led "Ulisse" - where he sounds like a different singer altogether.)

To his credit in what can't have been an easy task, Stains appears more natural and comfortable than I've ever encountered required to be naked for more than a split second. As most are by now aware, Stains is, save for a cape and a lion skin slung over his shoulder, completely nude for almost the entire opera. Physically, the kid has nothing to be ashamed of, great abs, strong legs and arms and physically, he makes a convincing Hercules.


Fortunately, his later arias are dispatched with far more attractive tone, with an unusual beauty to the upper mid range and higher notes, even though the role doesn't offer much opportunity for showy high notes). Similarly, the fierce coloratura he tackles in Act III poses less of a problem for him, though never completely at ease. Chalk it to warming up. He's a smart singer and knows how to make the most out of the recitatives and, along with his athletic physicality, brings an almost cardboard character very strongly to life presenting a most likable Hercules.

The most beautiful singing of the evening easily comes from Randall Scotting who doesn't (physically at least) resemble your "average" countertenor. Well built and solid, some early physical gestures seem a tad elaborate, for so strong a character, particularly from such a big guy. Once alone however, Scotting projects an easy, assured masculinity and his two big arias are dispatched stunningly, each absolutely swoon inducing, for fans of baroque opera. What makes them particularly enticing is his attractive timbre, with more of a rich contralto sound than most countertenors I have heard. Smooth and rich, Scotting moves through some of Vivaldi's most virtuoso writing with ease and exhibits a freedom that only comes from a genuine joy of singing. I look forward to hearing a lot more from him.

Mary-Ellen Nesi's Antiope wins top female honors, offering thrilling, hair raising singing and never letting her intensity flag for a moment, ending with her big aria before the curtain and bathed entirely in the blood red light of hell, giving us one of the best moments in the entire show.

A bit thin toned for my taste, Laura Cerchi's Martesia nonetheless hits all the comic aspects of the character just right.

As Alceste, Luca Dordello's singing was vocally inconsistent from start to finish; sometimes producing a lovely tone and other times pure, ear splitting acid. Inaccuracies abounded in the passagework making me believe coloratura is neither friend nor forte.

I liked the Italian countertenor Filippo Mineccia's Telemone. Not a big role, but makes something fun out of it, which is harder than it sounds.

Marina Bartoli had me at first, but then the voice sounded tired, offering up even more smudged fioriture and high notes of acid tone. She is lovely to look at, however, and she and Scotting make an attractive pair of lovers.

I've liked much of his work in the past, but John Pascoe's production and direction seems to have taken a "nymphs and shepherds" approach to something that needed more blood and gore, notwithstanding what is likely a record number of severed phalluse on any stage. In an interview, Pascoe admits to taking a lighter approach stating this is the closest thing to opera buffa Vivaldi composed. I think that approach was a mistake and it shows. The battle scenes lack any real sense of danger and the female's costumes had me wondering what if Star Trek of the 70's had mounted Walküre?

From the pit, Alan Curtis ignites a mostly sparking performance from th 20 or so members of Il Complesso Barocco, though it must be said, some tempi seemed a bit brusque, likely contributing to some of the sloppy singing during the opera's more bravura moments.

Overall, it's a worthwhile watch and listen and a nice break from the overly familiar.

p.

Joyce DiDonato at Carnegie Hall

Thanks to this marvelous, sometimes frustrating technology, I was able to watch it live in real time on Medici TV, so while not quite the same as actually being there, it's the next best thing . . . and a very good thing, too.

Applying the theme "A Journey Through Venice," to the program, allowed the mezzo and her marvelous pianist David Zobel to examine a wide spectrum of music devoted to one of earth's most celebrated cities. Through the music of Vivaldi, Rossini, Hahn, Faure and
Michael Head, DiDonato revealed why she's one of today's most versatile and unique singers, approaching everything with a freshness and sense of wonderment that is infectious to the listener, drawing one in as though being gently pulled by a friend from a large party into a side room for one-on-one.

So fluidly did DiDonato move through the two gorgeous, elegant arias from Vivaldi's "Ercole su'l Termodonte," "Onde chiare che sussurrate" and "Amato ben," which opened the recital, revealing a precision and elegance smoothly seguing from the virtuosity of the first into the delicate intimacy of the second, and applying a hushed intensity to this music that was breathtaking.

Hot on the heels (after a bit of banter from the singer) came Fauré's delightful set Cinq mélodies 'de Venise, the first of which feels more like Poulenc or Debussy than one usually gets from this frequently introspective composer. With her quick vibrato and slight reedy quality, DiDonato sounds almost as though born to sing French music and hearing this entire set made me curious to hear what she might do with his Pénélope. Whether or not that happens, more Fauré, please, Joyce, it suits you like an elegant glove.

The first half of the recital closed, and the second half began with Rossini, a composer one frequently identifies with this singer, his outsized La regata veneziana contrasting nicely with Desdemona's Assisa al piè d’un salice ... Deh, calma. Again a single composer providing two sides of the same coin and an opportunity for this singer to color, bend and stretch - to play with the music - in a manner many singers seem incapable of, or uncomfortable in doing.

A bit more banter ensued as DiDonato described Michael Head's Three Songs of Venice, written for Dame Janet Baker, and still sounding mighty good from another singer in the here and now.



The crown (for me) of the recital was "Venezia" the "Venice" set of Reynaldo Hahn, long one of my favorite songwriters. They were, of course, glorious sounding, with DiDonato interrupting herself to describe how, if time allowed she'd enjoy being able to change into a costume for "Che peca!": "I would go into a white sleeveless t shirt that's about 20 years old . . . a couple stains and holes, because I would be that man who sits on his porch . . . over the canal, and I envision this song with the man whose had a lot of pasta in his life and he likes a bad cigar, and he's had it . . . and this is what he would sing about." DiDonato struck a swagger-ish pose and presented a sort of artificial huskiness and sprechstimme (built into the song) that was hilarious, and felt natural and it was clear who was having the most fun of the night.

After a warm ovation, and before presenting her two encores, Rossini's "Canzonetta spagnuola" DeCurtis great hit "Non ti scordar di me," both marvelously sung, DiDonato spoke from the heart:

"I know I'm a bit of a Pollyanna about this, but when you look at the world today and it can get a little discouraging at times . . .right? This is our teacher, right here . . . because here we are of different gender, different religion, different politics, different everything . . . and yet in this moment there is harmony and there is peace. This is our teacher, and our goal is to take this that we create here and go out. So that's why . . . and I hope I'm not lecturing you all, I just want to share with you how amazing it is that we get to do this."

Amen, sister.