Written by Neco Verbis —
Vienna, October 17, 2015 –
Ambitious Macbeth Vienna, in this 2015/16 season.
And’ better to start reporting on the music George Petean as Macbeth suffered acute areas of the first Act, then managing the song according to your own style, perhaps too soft for a Macbeth that is missed as much of sinister and repulsive that should characterize it. Does not appear to possess the power of the character Samuel interpreter of Verdi.
And’ almost as good natured Macbeth, not quite slimy. Posa in Don Carlo is perhaps the verdiana that more suits him from the point of view of interpretation, but not vocal. Its centerpiece is the Conte di Luna in Il Trovatore”, and it showed last summer at Chorégie of Orange, where stood alongside Roberto Alagna and Hui He…But you can't help but detect how even there has been a "bad" theatrically convincing.
Lady Macbeth, Tatiana Serjanwith a wide vibrato, has often lost sight of the orchestra, despite the efforts of maestro Altinoglu in along and support her. Too difficult for an interpreter who does not possess the requisite versatility, despite the dramatic color of the item.
He has often struggled in the agility that are not suited to his vocal style, standing out in the sleepwalking scene and showing temperament interpreter still safe enough for the part and stage presence which would also, like that of Samuel, refined and more accentuated in the roughness of the characters.
There was something he coincided, in fact, in the couple of naughty spouses, something kept them loose, despite admirable efforts…And probably the issue is related primarily to the personal nature of the performers.
Banquo, Ferruccio Furlanetto, made it back to mind the Ancient Splendors of a Procida 90 's Scala, without that we can forget his Don Pasquale, La Scala and the same golden era of his career.
In Vienna he has shown himself an instrument master yet that was always out of the ordinary and that today, at the ripe old age of 66 years, still manages to modulate with adequate mastery, despite some slowing down.
Macduff, Jorge de Leon, correct and vocally quite solid, Malcom, Jinxu Xiahoualso Matt, but scenically Duet himself equal to the situation. The same portrayals.
But what shone was Chorus, directed by Thomas Lang with admirable diction care and the coordination with the interpreters in scenes together; which made the viennese team really the star of the evening, along with the beautiful Vienna State Opera Orchestra.
The Maestro Alain Altinoglu directed with a certain anxious attention in those moments when he let dominate the idea of "darkness" that wanted to emphasize in the score, often losing verdiana views correct dynamics, in favour of orchestral color made it too "dark". What enhances this work though, of course, are the choral parts, the most demanding and probably more bother him; and therefore more oversaw.
What if the witches, registicamente, have not had due prominence, from the point of view they voice are also known to stand out, despite some moments of pronounced slowness. The inconstancy of time, sometimes too enlarged, has harmed not only to them but to the entire coherence of all management, where, instead, only the orchestral parts Manager blessed freedom (often preferred to slow down certainly also to accompany the best protagonist suffering in agility) and did the orchestra sing beautifully. But you are certain that the master, still very young, possess all the numbers to head a Macbeth truly remarkable.
Thunderous applause at the end, more than met audiences, that called to the bitter end to the fore's interpreters.
In short, high overall quality, if it weren't for costumes that chronicling the story in a hypothetical wartime or postwar and wore tight-fitting tailleurini, even the Scots and female chorus.
Commendable effort Director by Christian Räe, which, together with the staging by Gary McCann, a film inevitably recalled Richard III directed by Jan Loncraine, 1996, of the highest quality, but maybe the Director had read more carefully the Shakespearean tragedy that the Piave's librettobecause it took quite striking moments in the yield matched personalities, and at the same time, coincidental, as the mirror of the two protagonists, but also has committed blunders rash.
In fact, while it is true that resolved the scene of the apparitions with some dramatic effectiveness, thanks to the presence of a few kids in my underwear and vest bearing in the head crowns of Golden foil, effectiveness also evoked by copious blood that soaked sheets and blankets in a bedroom of the spouses Macbeth made unusual but consistent Theatre stage, has resulted in absurd genialate strokes.
How can you make invoke all ’ last act "Here the Hauberk, sword, dagger!"Macbeth, making him hold a gun in his hand and causing his head to point to his head? Or, how could you keep the Lady from behind when the doctor exclaimed "Oh how the eyes open!"…And several other goodies like that.
Some comic ingenuity, then, like the dagger in transparent plastic bag presented to the onlookers as Royal weapon crime, unfortunately, you can't fly.
© Neco Verbis only for OperaeOpera
PHOTOS of Vienna State Opera / Michael Pöhn