Review by Natalia Dantas ©dibartolocritic —
In a Catania suddenly spring to one from a glacial stomped in winter, January 17, 2016, want to applause at Teatro Massimo Bellini, con la prima della stagione 2016, FEDRA, by Giovanni Paisiello, world premiere in Catania in modern times.
And the chill outside was offset by the heat inside the theater, where the audience has followed with interest the staid of the first show-event which opened the season.
Opera obsoleteTherefore, phèdre, that beyond the plot with a weave mythologically unreliable and almost impossible to follow in detail, suffers from the whole climate of an era. Cool music, mild even in the tragic, that of Paisiello and therefore very Italian.
Singers struggling, though, with a very long sheet musicmade of infiniti recitativesbut also to Arie respectable and certainly voices more robust and authoritative would have benefited the musical quality of the show.
On all stood out to Catherine Pogginiin the part of Ippolito, espressiva e volenterosa. Corretta la protagonista nel ruolo del titolo, Raffaella Milanesibut no particular intensity; sometimes interesting l’Aricia by Anna Maria dell ’ Innkeeperthat would, however, need more familiarity with the precise and chiseled agility that the part requires. The same can be said for the Theseus a little’ faint of Artavazd Sargysian.
Numerous secondary characters, including one unusually miked, without infamy and praise; Once pleasant and well balanced the Coro del Teatro, directed by Ross Craigmile.
The Master Jérôme Correas He maintained, with simple familiarity, on a platform of fairness and panache the music of the Neapolitan composer, ruling a reduced Orchestra for special requirements of eighteenth-century work, but with proven experience and beautiful color.
But what gave the evening was the staging Interestingly, guided by Director careful and meaningful to Andrea Swansthat would have been worthy of a Macbeth, as for wonderful memories, appearances and stage plays and choreographed, incisiveness and originality. Scene rich and costumes sumptuous and original Lorenzo Cutùli's Reversible Scene, appeared well coordinated, and bizarre but imaginative and pleasing treated tricks, all well lit by Fiammetta lights Baldisseri and enriched by interesting projectionscalligraphy, also, of Mario Spinach.
Viewers are eager to quality and, on the whole, the production proved to be level. If only the voices were more relevant, that above all very successful, certainly would be projection.
But the public, as it was called at the beginning was thirsty for entertainment; and to show if they have seen so much on stage, to the point of Visual stage paying creators deservedly the cheers heartfelt.
Therefore, despite the 18th century is not at all welcome and mythological genre has seen some defections, success for this before Phaedrathat has given rise to a Season which it is hoped will crescendo to the theatre Carpenter, onusto of unparalleled tradition.
Natalia Dantas ©dibartolocritic
Photos © James Orlando