By Natalia Di Bartolo —
Because Bellini times have become a sorrowful mystery is there to ask every time you attend a representation of his work.
What determines a slowdown from neurasthenia, like what a famous Director and his followers have made half the world represent the right times in the "glorious" years ' 70 of last century, or, conversely, an acceleration from the rocket ship like the one which saw the Teatro Massimo “Bellini” of Catania the December 12, 2015, by the Maestro Fabrizio Maria Carminati, mindful perhaps of a few attempts, sometimes successful, contemporary Italian acceleration objectively in French territory more than anything else? Asking this question is certainly.
It can be a "fashion" that, from today's trendiest directors on podiums, tends to raise the dynamism all too neglected genius music Carpenter? Or a reaction to that slowness that, with minor exceptions, has hitherto hovered over most solemn representations Bellini? But a reaction does not mean finding the exact opposite: it is incurring the same mistake in reverse. From slow to fast too, Bellini is no longer Bellini.
The Directors are unable to find the right the "middle way"or, what then, finally able to determine the overall quality of a performance of Bellini's opera? The middle way that let singers can breathe before it is issued, that the breaks will last as it is fair to make them last, that emotions have time to be expressed and understood by the public. An evening with the Puritans fleeing is not the most serene as possible, nor for interpreters, nor for moviegoers.
The Master Campbell started and continued to direct at great speed. All the expressiveness it went in disarray, especially in part one. The singers have not had time to resist his acceleration, with moments lost, overwhelmed by unlikely times. One evening she went anyway to normalize, musically speaking, as they ran the stage action, because obviously the master could not help but make room for correct timing required of singers, especially at crucial moments. Respectable concerted, it must be said, some of the best known, in a run of critical version edited by Fabrizio della Seta, which contained obviously variations and cadences other than the version that is usually staged.
Pleasant Elvira by Laura Giordano, still immature both vocally that scenically very Scholasticism, in every sense, but hopefuls. Great voice but, therefore, must necessarily blunt many edges before reaching the expertise which the sumptuous Bellini's score takes in this role. Scenically colorless, then, was as awed by accelerated times of accompaniment.
Another question that naturally arises after hearing Jordan and several of the young singers of Italian school that tread the scenes nowadays, starting careers that hope shining: possible that there are no more masters who teach yarns and piano and pianissimo? All projected strongly pushed, all excess noise. Bel Canto? No longer in doing so.
L’Arturo by Mukeria do miracles, well defined, including: whether in her voice suited to the role, the tenor gave top notch, clambering into what is a score that does not forgive. Definitely appreciate.
Experienced and authoritative Riccardo by Carmelo Corrado Carusothat appeared at times impose their Master in excerpts that saw him protagonist, also performing the agility required by score to baritone just by performing contained rightly on time correct.
Oltretutto, appena era in grado di prendere respiro, l ’ magnificent orchestra of teatro Massimo Bellini stood out with their unmistakable color and gave life to the dynamics that, in spite of compactness and little care of light and shade, making it unique in the execution of works of Bellini.
Confirmation of a beautiful young voice from low in the role of Sir George, Dario Russo, artist who goes by refining in the expression and sound and that was one of the most valuable on stage in the evening. Another promise all Carpenter that is proving more and more a certainty.
Acceptable to the Henriette de France by Nidia Palacios, fixed secondary charactersvery sound, but quite cured, ChorusDespite some excess that sets the direction of the Master Welsh Ross Craigmile. This time the team of the theatre Carpenter became apparent of expression and better modulated, compared to other previous performances despite some vocals are soprano roles trying to breaking and even successfully, but certainly not to the advantage of compactness of the collection.
The suggestive and evocative staging by Francesco Esposito, which he signed also the beautiful costumes, inspired by Holbein's painting: directing traditional but not too respectful of Bellini's masterpiece, based also on valuable scenarios to Alfredo Tan, ben illuminati da Bruno Ciulli, and on stage as well as the creation of movements unusual moments, like the snowstorm of the scene before the third part, where the atmosphere seemed to recall more than Donizetti and Bellini, those stormy scenes of Lucia di Lammermoor.
Audiences accustomed to representations of works by the catanese, Swan, had a great desire to applaud unreservedly those Puritans awaited and desired, in a performance that has proven attractive in many ways. But it was like "curbed" by experiencing something that musically, though not by all identified, made listening to fleeting, elusive emotion. Observers, therefore, a little’ perplexed, but still gleeful, that marked the success of an evening that could have been top rate, if any gear worked properly.
© Natalia Dantas
Photo © James Orlando