Verdi's Il Trovatore new production of the Wiener Staatsoper —

Review by Natalia Dantas © dibartolocritic —

(Following excerpts of English and French translation from M° Roberto Alagna’s Facebook Official Page)

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Vienna, February 5, 2017

There are evenings in which an imponderable quid of energy that does not seem to belong to this earth seems to be conveyed entirely to one point of the globe. AND’ happened in Vienna, where it was staged on 5 February 2017 Il Trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi in a new production of Wiener Staatsoper.

Tremendous work due to its difficulty, due to the canons to be respected, due to the depth it requires of the voices, due to the importance it holds as a masterpiece in Verdi's production, for a billion other reasons on which volumes could be written, Il Trovatore. But when the state of grace is created, that's where the masterpieces come back to life. In Vienna, this happened on a decidedly out of the ordinary evening.

Just start from orchestral direction of M° Marco Armiliato: perfection. Not a flaw, not a failure, tight deadlines, firm and strong-willed pulse, full-blown Italian dynamics, with truly rare expertise and with excellent material available to shape in the hole, with l'Orchestra del Wiener Staatsoper, and to direct and support on stage.

The sound, the depth, the thickness, the rigor of the entire execution are grandiose. Even the volume: when you have big voices on stage, you can afford not to brake. All textbook, in Vienna, where, lately, directions had been heard that had little relevance to what was being performed. A joy for the listener and for the interpreters, who have enjoyed a support of this power and authority.

And the interpreters gave their all. A dizzying cast, from the historic edition: an unmissable evening for music lovers, enthusiasts and also fans of four of the greatest singers currently on the world stage.

* The Troubadour, Manrico, by Roberto Alagna it was, as always, a wonderful rebus. How a voice of this clarity and lyrical quality can engage in heroic roles and emerge victorious remains a mystery, attributable only to the greatness of the interpreter. For the Italian-French tenor, with a wonderfully crystalline vocal freshness, after 30 years of career still worthy of a Roméo or a Werther, being an authoritative and successful Manrico is in itself a marvel.

The fourth act, then, which allows Alagna's vocality to unfold more easily and gives him the opportunity to give body to the character also scenically, was a single thrill. Roberto Alagna knows how to do what he wants with his own voice, above all modeling it on his feelings, especially in moments of maximum emotional tension. AND’ here all his mastery comes out: full center not so much in the perilous notes of the pyre, even if resolved very well, but in that "Infame!" sung, but almost declaimed, with an inflection that for the writer, her countrywoman in Sicily, also resonates familiar and makes you shiver even more, with wonder. Chapeau to the boundless professionalism of this magnificent artist.

Switch to talk about Anna Netrebko, Leonora, seen and heard alongside Alagna over the years spent in many productions, is an equally wonderful rebus. How the famous soprano was able to transform her vocality, darkening it without weighing it down, this too remains a decidedly glorious mystery.

The bass are magnificent, which one feels as if the artist is caring more and more, turning to a vocally "heavier" repertoire; the central area is excellent, but what is best is that it has maintained the acute area, with very refined and respectable acute yarns, also in terms of body. Still all a little’ to be amalgamated, in a vocality that is still evolving, with some uncertainty in the intonation in the moments in which the orchestra is not in support, very difficult moments, an infernal trap for many Leonores. For the rest, applause to no end, even in the open stage. A vocal power, moreover, capable of imposing itself without problems and which aims to reap other laurels in future roles.

Ludovic Tézier Count of the Moon? A force of nature! Harnessing that voice, not exactly "Verdi", also because it is accustomed to a varied and multilingual repertoire, is not easy. A couple of stumbles in the literary/musical accents, but a huge, irrepressible, full-bodied and authoritative voice. Adequate acting, indisputable domination on the stage: great Conte di Luna!

lily, l'esperiente Luciana D'Intino, a loud voice too, a projection that adequately competed with the powers of the colleagues on stage: deep and dug bass, slightly stamped high notes but overall refined, credible and scenically appreciable. An Azucena of the Italian school is usually the ideal Azucena. Here is one, in fact.

There is usually little talk about Ferrando, ma Jongmin Park, deserves a mention, as well as the Ines by Simina Ivan. Adjust the other interpreters. Likewise, the choir of the Austrian theater shone, albeit after some hesitation in the first act. It is not the first time that in recent times he has been heard tending towards some off tempo and one hopes that it is only a matter of momentary hindrances.

The staging of director Daniele Abbado transposed the action in the 1930s, in a Francoist Spain of soldiers and partisans. Déjà vu, in truth: we do not know (or, better, perhaps we imagine) why this era so inspires the directors of any work, not just the one in question. In any case, guns do no good to Il Trovatore, which is epic and chivalrous by nature.

However, good direction is welcome, animated, very well cared for, contained in the rich and articulated scenography by Graziano Gregori, revived by costumes by Carla Teti and lit by lights by Alessandro Carletti.

The dissents of the public at the final applause were not entirely justified, given that there were no excesses. Indeed, the set of stage movements of the rebels, the soldiers, the nuns was well studied and very well followed and the positioning of the performers in favor of acoustics was particularly accurate, even in making Netrebko sing from behind without problems, thanks to foreseen by the scenography.

Applause finals to send the clocks into a tailspin, as well as the ears and hands of the applauding spectators and fans who are candidates for aphonia after the shouts. Scanned and fully deserved a "bravissimo!" to Tézier, superlative already of him.

An evening that was a real joy for the ears, for the eyes, but above all for the soul, worthy of the great productions that have always characterized the wonderful Austrian theatre.

 

Natalia Di Bartolo © dibartolocritic

PHOTOS © VIENNA STATE OPERA | Michael Pöhn

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* From M° Roberto Alagna’s Facebook Official Page:

REVIEWS | THE TROUBADOUR Wiener Staatsoper (05/02/2017) “A brillant and well-rounded Manrico. Hats off to the unbounded professionalism of this magnificent artist. Triumph in Vienna” by Natalia Dantas for operaeopera.com