By Natalia Di Bartolo
Following excerpts of french translation)
Paris, February 2, 2014
When the Opera House speaks to the soul, it is true theater and is great art. This only happens sometimes and it must exist and because such conditions converge sort of miracle is fulfilled. And’ happened with one of the masterpieces of Jules Massenet, "Werther", to Paris, the February 2, 2014.
A divine work, the French genius, which was entrusted to the best performers they can today give it life and strength to still exist and, indeed, to speak to the soul. This have been able to do in one of the most famous theatres in the world, the Theatre de l ' Opéra National de Paris Bastille, two greats:Michel Plasson and Roberto Alagna.
The Parisian Theatre orchestra It boasts a team of rare expressiveness and malleability, which produces unique sounds and in the hands of a Conductor as Michel Plasson, a monument of French music, the score of Werther was performed with such emotional force to give the shivers.
The intensity of orchestral Dynamics seem doubled, tripled, but not in excess, but sounds delicacy and color, in shades, highlights of the instrumental sections, in wonder at the ear and soul. Perfect performance, according to the Tradition Francais that the master is particularly sensitive, but fluctuating and elastic at the same time, to support the performers: Plasson He directed "shaping" admirably the score on them, but winning anyway and enhancing the brightness of music by Massenetwith expertise, farsightedness and flexibility that only personal experience and refined sensitivity can confer upon a Director of this caliber. He particularly likes the genius of French music, knows every single feature, highlights in executing each phrase and accent, it decodes the secrets and mysteries, it reveals and hands like sectioning it with the subtlety of a surgeon and reassembling it with the skill of a great artist: all this makes it the ideal Director for Werther, in the world.
It created, thanks to this “State of grace”, therefore, a particular harmony between the mystical gulf and the stage, a sort of "communion", which exalted the performance of the performers, Roberto Alagna First, as the protagonist. AWerther "fiery", Yes, as announced, but especially "likely", expressive, sweet, tender, delicate, almost naïve tenderness etc. and far from the conformity of which has been often performed romantic wanted to pull over; likelihood that leads him to die, in fourth place, in the arms of Charlotte in a Fetal position, shivering and exhausted in character, as much as I honestly tried in the sensitivity of the interpreter, expressing everything that dozens of Werther at the scene have never been able to grasp before.
These nuances of character the protagonist's specifications, which are, in the final by a joyful start to mutate a lotro suicidal, in strict concordance with the original Goethe from which the Opera is based, have permeated the whole interpretation of the great tenor, that "feels" part of Werther in a particular way and it shows nakedly in perceptible difficulty trying the "push" at the end of the show. He is able, however, to donate to the character, first of all, always wonderful, admirable voice singing line and perfect diction, giving it that indispensable purely French touch that only he can give and that usually also lacks the Werther more noble.
In singing in French, sounds are extremely refined, provided that their issue to run with the necessary perfection. Alagna He is a master at this. is the one who makes the Frenchman's proper, correct eleganceIn phrasing and style, in the rendering of sounds typical of that language, requiring absolute mastery of the technique and they are also more or less congenial to vocal characteristics specific to singers. The loudness and metrics that Massenet has given to his protagonist Werther have always been and are absolutely in the ropes and in the vocal skills of the famous artist, who manages to keep the taste for Bel Canto in perfect balance with the identification with the character and the stage action and is therefore, once again the ideal interpreter of this work on stages in the world today.
Flanked by the expressive and just as sweet Charlotte by Karine Deshayeswith consistency of interpretation as well as a ring tone unusual for the female protagonist of the Opera, she too involved positively in the "magic" of this production, and other excellent performers, including jewel-l’Albert by Jean Françoise Lapointe And the Sophie by Hélène Guilmette, the great Sicilian-French tenor was expertly led by Director attentive to Benoit Jacquot; film array Yes, but at the same time very theatrical, in the best sense of the word, and definitely has obvious artistic sense, accompanied by lights suggestive of Charles Edwardsresumed from André Diot.
In tune and in perfect accord with the music, throughout the performance, the scene was populated and depopulated, giving life to the visual drama in perfect synergy with the sound one. Remarkable, together with the fourth, especially the second acteven for the bright sunshine and scenic and the resulting amplitude, evocative potential allowed interpreters. And then when you leave the entire stage to Roberto Alagna, you may be assured that I know use it as beautiful actor and as interpreter from Superfine vocal qualities. The entire scene of his "Oui! CE qu'elle m'a ordonne…” alone on stage, with his "Appelle-moi!" final in knee, remains memorable.
The Parisian staging, born in London to the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in 2004, with the scene byCharles Edwards and customs of Christian GascHe found, however, always something new and different, with the alternation of interpreters…Therefore, this proven production of Werther was better understood and lived, also because, as well as Plasson as a musician, Jacquot as a Director has been able to leave free hand to the interpreters in the highlights, not blighting its originality, as intensifying it, because, for example, a Werther moribund It is good that does not stand up, but just try and be…So Alagna She did and, as before hinted, Werther's death in this production in Paris It was the most touching you is seen on the Opera scene for a long time.
Great music is entrusted to large, so: so maybe fate would have for this unique Werther Parisian 2014; fate that, on 29 Januaryduring performances, he travelled to Roberto Alagna, his partnerAleksandra Podnabratsya Experiencethe wonderful gift of birth the daughter Malèna.
Dalla pagina Ufficiale di Roberto Alagna on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/RobertoAlagna.Tenor?fref=ts
Excerpt-French translation:
A Werther fiery but especially believable, expressive, gentle, tender this very distant, almost naïve and fragile tenderness of conformism and of grand romanticism which we often wanted to demonstrate. a likelihood that leads him to die, in the fourth Act, into the arms of Charlotte in fetal position, embodying a character trembling, exhausted, a such sincerity by the sensitivity of the interpreter, it expresses what dozens of Werther have failed to reveal the scene before.
These special nuances specific to the nature of the character, which starts in joy to sink gradually until the final suicide, are in absolute agreement with the work of Goethe, of which the libretto is drawn, and are intimately footprints in the interpretation of the great tenor, who 'feels' the character of Werther in every detail. Proof is even the difficulty noticeable it out at the end of the show. He is able however to offer to the character, first, always splendid voice, an admirable line of singing and perfect diction, but also to give this essential touch purely French that he alone knows how to give and usually lacking in most titles Werther.
In the song in french, the sounds are extremely refined, provided that their program be carried out with absolute perfection. Alagna is a master in the field, he is the one who is able to make this french as it should, in all his elegance, his phrasing and style, and in the expression of the typical sounds of the language, which requires a perfect mastery of the technique and who fits the specificities of each singer's voice less happier way. The sound and the metric given to his character in Werther Massenet have always been and are always perfectly in strings and vocal of the great tenor, who manages to keep the taste of Bel Canto in perfect balance with the nature of his character and scenic action skills. He shows, once again, the ideal interpreter of this work to date on stages around the world.
[…] And then, when you leave the whole scene to Roberto Alagna, you can be sure that he'll know how to use it as a wonderful actor, and performer whose voice quality is of extreme finesse. The entire scene “Yes! what she orders me … ” where only on the plateau he finished with his knee “Call me!”will remain memorable.