Written by Natalia Di Bartolo (Following excerpt of English and French translation from Roberto Alagna’s Official Facebook page) —

Vienna, December 5, 2015 —

The Puccini's music is stainless, antique period passes, from voice to voice, hand to hand and resists, perennial, like all works of art.

At Wiener Staatsoper, the December 5, 2015, the sheet music for Tosca was entrusted to expert opinion and taste of Master Dan Ettinger.

The young Israeli Director He edited the colorful in a very careful, finding it to be molded a remarkable ensemble nell’Viennese Theatre Orchestra: serious by shiverwith a brass section never felt same, serious, especially in sensational bows of driftwood magnificent, everything else from praise; a color overall orchestral really even this writer had never heard, even by the same orchestra.

Therefore the master has found fertile ground in a stratospheric level structure, but it is also his merit be managed to take such Dynamics they have delved into the reading of Puccini's score from the standpoint of depth and balance. As much attention, however, they deserved the times: the tradition should be respected, without ever having to alter them; But if the times of the Italian tradition, that is, those written in pure stainless steel Puccini the beauty of that music is able to resist any hacks, are altered according to a personal mood, then the splendor of the collection is to lose coherence and cohesion since it is also likely to create problems for performers.

Custom dictates that it is the conductor who follows, supports and gives support to the singers, not the other way around. Instead, right at certain crucial points, this seems to have happened in Vienna and, at such moments, Roberto Alagna, as Cavaradossi, being the Maestro that he is, gave signs of wanting to do nothing other than respect the correct timing of the singing and not the widened moments of the director's inspiration. A kind of underlying dispute between the mystical gulf and the stage which emerged above all in the first act, in which, at a certain point, Alagna It tightened the times firmly, giving the feeling of finally and rightly reversed roles. A true lesson of finesse and precision by the famous tenor, a philological correctness impressive and an authority that the Director could not that pander.

A staging of Tosca suffered in toto, this in Vienna, after which the soprano protagonist holder Martina Serafin, at the premiere of 2 December, had fallen ill the last act from the stands of the Castel Sant'Angelo, fracturing a knee. Replacement immediate obligation, therefore, with the Uruguayan soprano of the French school Maria José Siri, which has distinguished itself in a scenic experience both in terms of performance as well as high-quality voice, culminated in a "Vissi d ’ art" very thick, expressive sound.

Beautiful warm voice, from very dark brown color, but with soft and acute Postgame, the Tosca "velvety" Siri created with the clear Cavaradossi by Alagna a truly commendable mix. The clear and chiseled splendor of the tenor's voice combined with the softness of the soprano's, which was absolutely up to the task. Very welcome to the public, therefore, the duetssound quality attractive, where the opposing voice of two interpreters have merged into chiaroscuro everyone to listen to and applaud, in spite of the paucity of time granted to them to link up: just two days. Professionalism at the highest level.

A show that went to grow in the first place, but to decrease to the second, how to dramatic thickness of orchestral sound flow. Maybe a little’ too d ’ lyric setting a second act that should touch the tragedy and even tap on Grand Guignolas he loved Sardou. But vocally he went definitely to grow. The "Victory" by Alagna proved sparkling, even more than its "Recondita armonia" the first Act, already beautiful.

The third act was the culmination of sound quality, interpretive and orchestral performance, topped the rock opened with a PAL from uncertain voice; peak surrounded by a set design particularly striking, signed by Nicholas Benoiswho did raise a murmur of admiration in public.

The famous notes leading to "E lucevan le stelle…” and the Herald, the audience has held my breath, and that he kept until the end of the song, which sprang from the soul as well as the extraordinary natural and technical capacity of always Roberto Alagna. The French-Sicilian tenor's interpretation on the song was unique for purity, consistency of style, elegance, empathy and surrender, both from the point of view that regards the emotion and dramatic intensity that the interpreter has tried and sent, surpassing itself: the audience has fully acknowledged, swamping of applause at the end. In addition to applause, even the consensus reached expressions sound from a theatre filled to capacity, which did not contain all the emotion of a moment of great music.

Viewers farther away from the stage you are certainly regretted that it could not, as well as hear, even properly watch the tenor, even in facial expressions. Roberto Alagna did not lose a moment of concentration for the entire play, immersed in the role with his usual generosity, in every respect, both vocal mimic, scenic, which, even as cinematic, expressive performance, until the final fall under the blows of the firing squad.

The artist, before the first performance, on 2 December, had been awarded to Vienna the prestigious title of “Österreichischer Kammersänger“. The prestigious award was presented by the Austrian culture Minister Josef Ostermayer and from the Director of the State Opera Dominique Meyer.

In very traditional viennese staging of this Tosca, the Scarpia by Michael Volle was quite at ease. But, if interpretatively flawless, treacherous and slippery by the book, the character entrusted to German baritone has not proven as effective vocal point of view, because the interpreter was in trouble in the acute area, until a moment of aphonia. Scenic expertise and experience, however, they held high figure of henchman papalino.

As for the most relevant secondary characters in the story, hopefully early in the definition of the identity of a voice low from the beautiful voce, Ryan Green Speedothat which Angelotti had to break away from habitual movements of comic opera, where he has recently shown, always in Vienna, a good don Basilio and which, in this case, would have to make much more haughty and dramatic brief appearance of the noble Patriot escaped.

Likewise, the Sexton by Alfred Ṧramek would have to indulge a little’ not funny, even vocally, without even a mangle the name of Cavaradossi; engaging instead in greater expressiveness, which certainly would be beneficial to the character, that's not funny and that is not the Benoit of Bohèmein that context so differently. The Sexton is terrified, trembling, collapses before the arrogant violent eruption Scarpiaat the entrance to the first act. Here, instead, appeared to fiddle with the basket and with paintbrushes, without stressing duly the character of a subordinate and fearful figure, placed there on purpose to give the proper tension to the action on stage.

Corrected others secondary characters, pleasant Chorus of the Staatsoper of Vienna directed by Maestro Martin Schebesta and that of Kinder der (Opernschule production) always of the Wiener Staatsoper.

Unfortunately, any excess is defect and, if the excess overflows in respect of tradition, the entire collection of Director It is compromised. The stage direction, in proven production directed by Margarethe Wallmannwith this sumptuous but a little’ "off" staging by Nicholas BenoisHe suffered moments so in keeping with tradition to become stereotypical. Unforgivable, then, the howler of deny Cavaradossi, in the last letter to write to his beloved, the presence of an Inkwell: poor Mario if you had to invent. In fact, only the experienced wit of Roberto Alagna and the grace of Maria José Siri they knew how to liven up the whole stage performance. This proved to be routine, except that in the two main actors, constantly present to themselves and the characters played and able to invent acting finesse by the book, as the kiss launched the first act from Cavaradossi-Alagna at a time of Magdalena/Attavanti painted, because she just discovered unexpectedly by Angelotti "heroine" incognito, brave, capable of organizing without trembling the escape of his brother and facilitate their attempt at salvation.

This Tosca Viennese, however, has proved altogether d high level ’ and as such was much appreciated by the audience Austrian Grand Theater, which has variegated appreciated very much and has sparked both between an Act and one that in the end, their enthusiasm, carrying over and over again all the interpreters in the limelight and decreeing the unconditional success.

A Tosca which even the world of Internet users and music lovers had the opportunity to attend thanks to live streaming curated by Wiener Staatsoper, for, among other things, the privilege of close up, definitely all to enjoy.

© Natalia Dantas

From Roberto Alagna’s Official Facebook page:

TOSCA (5/12/2015) | REVIEW by Natalia Di Bartolo for OperaeOpera.com(9/12/2015) | “A unique performance, all the emotion of a moment of great music”

EXCERPT (translated from Italian): “The bright and chiseled splendor of the tenor’s voice joined the sweetness and softness to the soprano’s one [Maria José Siri], who has proved totally up to the situation. The quality of the duets, in which the opposing vocalities of the two performers are fusing as in a chiaroscuro, was very appreciated by the audience, despite the short time the artists had to prepare together. They demonstrated their great professionalism […] Alagna’s “Vittoria” was brilliant, his “Recondita Armonia” in the first act, splendid. […] At the first notes of “E lucevan le stelle …”, the audience held its breath until the end while admiring Alagna’s extraordinary natural skills and technic. The way the tenor performed this aria proved unique by its purity, style consistency, elegance – both on a vocal and emotional standpoint – as well as the intense drama he conveyed. The audience gave him a very warm applause. The packed room hardly contained all the emotion of a moment of great music. “

© Natalia Dantas

 

Photos © JAMES LEVINE/Michael Pöhn, STAATSOPERLIVE WIENER STAATSOPER