By Natalia Di Bartolo
Catania, April 24, 2015
We all feel and suffer a theatrical evening "no"…But one wonders why, if the context always has proposed instead a harbinger of détente and of joyful use of musical art…
And’ What happened to the representation Caroline de The Turk in Italy by Gioachino Rossini, went on stage at Teatro Massimo Bellini the 24 apriile 2015.
Everything in its proper place, everything in order…So what?
After long consideration already during the representation, the conclusions have come out in the writer only after having digested in the collection a sight that could be quality, but has not kept the promises.
Michele Mirabella, who took care of the DirectorIf made in acting and dramatic chorus theatrically monitored on the particulars of the movements of extras, appeared to overlook right the main performers. He lined up in rows, like soldiers, especially in ensembles, placing them almost on the stage, alongside each other. This has benefited the projection of the voices, which should always be placed strategically, theater to theater, in favor of acoustics, and it being profoundly different from each other, instead of blending have created much confusion.
All this has benefited neither the stage action which, under stroke, stroke, despite even the interventions performed with the choreography by Silvana Lo Giudice, seemed to freeze and become theatrically solemn, lacking the panache needed that should be set by the Director for ornamenting of righteous gimmicks recitatives the sheet music of Rossini.
In this work of Rossini (and not just this one) the direction is crucial: it gives rise to the Turk in Italy only seizing those brilliant ideas that the composer has scattered here and there brilliantly and slyly. Not being able to grasp is the flattening of the whole production.
These défaillances directorial They also left space, unfortunately and mercilessly, at défaillances conducting.
The Master carpenter Leonardo Carpenterwhile committing itself to the maximum, while maintaining the brilliance of sound and providing support to the interpreters, held flat, making it virtually absent even the orchestral volume chiaroscuro: not extolling the dynamics, automatically they are missed even the actual Rossini crescendowhich contribute to making of works of the great Italian masterpiece unique in their kind.
For their part, the individual entries have not helped the collection; and a special note about the agility: the score nor is studded like a firework, but to all the interpreters, without exception and the exception, proved to be wishful thinking, as to precision and coordination, among the singers themselves and with orchestral accompaniment. Essential in this work a chisel work well as vowel: lacking that, the feeling of approximation has become at times really jarring.
Simone Alaimoby now very elderly and Matt Turk also vocally, he just echoed the resounding himself several years ago, also at Bellini, in a production that was really bubbly.
The soprano Silvia Dalla Benettacorrect, albeit Farquhar, has shone for projection, nor for ease in the high notes, and expressiveness of the interpretation. Fiorilla needs balance, neither too thin nor too bamboleggiante recitative verista: the balance of character, stereotype, of course, of "fickle but honest" infidel lightly, to be held on a razor's edge. Praise anyway to Dalla Benetta that left pretty much to herself by the Director, demonstrated a personal commitment.
As for Farquhar, was missed the characterization of the character of the husband Geronio. The baritone Marco Filippo Romano gave the character funny, dramatic, almost too stereotype, which clashed with the caricature of the character: Although the most gifted and most correct the evening was, however, evidently penalized by its dramatic mood, as well as the Director.
Great goodwill to Giorgio Maity, Don Narciso, and for Antonella Chala, Zaidaas for Julius Mastronotaro, Pasha, but still far from the level they were supposed to reach such as leading voices in the cast and, on stage, just simple silhouettes.
Same feeling of approximation for the rest of the cast and for the choir, edited by the Welsh Ross Craigmail, galvanized by the Director, but vocally lacking necessary amalgam and subtleties.
In short…a total of verbosity and stretching that hint at the time didn't seem to have a coherent explanation, but which was actually the result of a widespread deficiency in nerve that takes up the entire production, both musically as well as scenic.
The very pleasant new production the scene and especially the costumes by Alida Cappellini & John Lambert, illuminated by lights by Franco Ferrari…with an eye to the late Emanuele Luzzati. It always goes…
Cheers anyway for the performers, but varied the public comments at the end, displaced in the collection from the feeling that boredom drove too often. And to make boring an artwork of Rossini you really have to come to an engagement.
PHOTO © JAMES ORLANDO