Review: THE JOURNEY TO REIMS at the ROF in Pesaro in the historic staging by Emilio Sagi, with costumes by Pepa Ojanguren, revived by Elisabetta Courir.
By William Fratti
Pesaro, 16 August 2017
As usual, alongside the three main titles, the Rossini Opera Festival offers Il viaggio a Reims in the historic staging by Emilio Sagi, with costumes by Pepa Ojanguren, revived by Elisabetta Courir, with the participation of the young soloists of the Academy.
On the podium of the Gioachino Rossini Philharmonic is the talented Michele Spotti who knows how to dose the right colors.
Beatriz De Sousa is a pleasant Corinna, a little imprecise in the aria, but more correct in the duet. Martiniana Antonie is a Marchesa Melibea in possession of good vocal material, but still slightly bland. Giorgia Paci gives a good performance as the Countess of Folleville, confident in the high notes and brilliant in the high notes (except for a small accident at the very end of the cabaletta), but she needs to improve her legate and projection. Noluvuyiso Mpofu is a very precise and in tune Madama Cortese, with an excellent singing line.
Oscar Oré is a very good Cavalier Belfiore, especially in the high notes, perfectible in the stamping of the planes. Emmanuel Faraldo is a Count of Libenskof who is not very in tune and not very precise. Yeltsin Huseynov is a correct Lord Sidney, but with a very excessive vibrato in certain places. Roberto Lorenzi performs Don Profondo's aria excellently, but the recitatives need improvement. Michael Borth is a brilliant Baron of Trombonok.
Valeria Girardello shows beautiful color and excellent emission in the few sentences assigned to Maddalena, as does Daniele Antonangeli in those of Don Prudenzio.
Good performances by Francesco Auriemma as Don Alvaro, Alasdair Kent as Don Luigino, Francesca Tassinari as Delia, Marigona Qerkezi as Modestina, Ruzil Gatin as Zefirino and Gelsomino. Concludes Aleksandr Utkin in the role of Antonio.
© William Fratti
PHOTOS Studio Amati Bacciardi, Pesaro