Review: Donizetti's Elixir of Love in Vienna at the Wiener Staatsoper.
By Dalila Calisolo © dibartolocritic
Donizetti's elixir of love it is a rather "dangerous" work. But not only for the difficulty of execution and the bel canto rehearsals that it imposes on the performers, but also because, if badly directed, it risks becoming caramel, a kind of catchphrase, which plays and resounds in your head without being able to send it away, an unbearable chant that, in the long run, can make you out of love with this masterpiece.
So what's the remedy? Not to caramelize it. But without exceeding in imposing the light elixir, because you run the risk of distorting it. In medio stat virtus and this medio is very difficult to grasp.
Even the very best did not succeed Mr. Frame Armiliato, fresh from the triumph of his perfect Il Trovatore in Vienna. There really textbook… Who he February 26, 2017 always at Wiener Staatsoper, the elixir, on the other hand, has a little’ intoxicated, as for times. Just so as not to indulge in soaking, he took off a little’ too much caramel. Too fast, at times, squared off to the maximum, certainly authoritative, God forbid, but maybe a little’ too much. The elixir has its own fermentation times and running the metronome to speed them up does not help. Instead, he benefits from the wonderful chisels of the lyrical parts, in which Maestro Armiliato was able to truly grasp the essence of the work, as well as in the almost Rossinian crescendo that follow these parts. In short: a great Italian wrist, but a little’ too exuberant. The Vienna orchestra is a jewel and has followed it scrupulously, as it gave the singers the ease to breathe. Sometimes we wondered how they did it…
The beautiful and good Olga Peretyatko-Mariotti, Adina, it has nothing to envy to anybody in terms of beautiful singing.
On the contrary! Having kept this repertoire that is congenial to her, despite her recent foray into La Traviata, has only benefited her voice so far. The bel canto, therefore, seems to have no secrets for this interpreter of Russian origin, but she lacks her charm a little, her spirit a little’ spiteful and biting of Adina was not caught in full: too recited, sought, not spontaneous, a little’ cold. After all, here we are looking for a nit, because you can't hear an Adina like this so often. Praise to the perfect technique, to the phrasing, to the elegance in handing out the song and also to the diction.
A little’ less praise to the Nemorino di Dmitry Korchak which, as for singing, still has a lot to learn. Beautiful voice, including high notes, should not go into falsetto in the Stealthy tear, or the tear comes out to the listener, especially at the thought of how this good interpreter would have been able to perform it equally perfectly with the right Italian canons. As for expressiveness, he too a little’ popsicle, despite the best efforts. But certainly the part of Nemorino is for histrions: either you are there or you don't do it.
The same goes for the Belcore a little’ anonymous of the baritone Alessio Arduini, which also gave an appreciable proof of itself, but above all for the Dr. Dulcamara of Adam Plachetka. It is fine that connoisseurs cannot remove the performances of a Montarsolo or a Dara from their minds, ears and eyes, but the biting and gigantic spirit of the doctor must be fully grasped, or you risk taking away ¾ of the fun from the work. of listening and vision. The Plachetka he did what he could, but he too did not fully enter the part.
All these characters must also be treated scenically with extreme attention. Often they have been entrusted to specialists and it is not easy to improvise as such, even by the most famous singers. The elixir is a little treacherous: it should be drunk at a Mediterranean temperature and a bit of a Nordic representation’ freddina, despite its undisputed quality, does not give credit to Donizetti's genius.
Well he did the choir, well i other interpreters, evergreen like the sea pine that stands out in the background staging now historic of Otto Schenk, which retains all its charm of tender poetry, with beautiful watercolor and beautiful color scenes costumes in pastel colors at Jürgen Rose.
In short, a good elixir, but we would have preferred to come out with a little’ more than cheerfulness on him, a few more alcoholic degrees on stage would have benefited him.
Dalila Calisolo © dibartolocritic
PHOTOS © WIENER STAATSOPER | Michale Pöhn, © Uwe Arens