Review: LUCREZIA BORGIA at the Palau de les Arts Queen Sofía of Valencia, protagonist Mariella Devia.
© dibartolocritic
Oversized work for the quantity of roles on stage Lucrezia Borgia by Donizetti. Therefore the difficulty in representing her also lies in finding an up-to-date cast, which culminates in the protagonist. But the protagonist, today, April 1, 2017 it can only be her again: Mariella Devia.
Donizetti's opera has in the Devia a tip of the iceberg that doesn't make a flaw, despite the fact that the voice has now sort of "dried out", not thinned out. Perfectly in control of her vocal abilities today as yesterday, expert to the core in bel canto, the real one, the Italian one in the noblest sense of the word, Mariella Devia still today, after a very long career, is the Lucrezia Borgia who makes the difference.
They understood this well Spain, making her play the role al Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía of Valencia, in a production with the directed by Emilio Sagi which made a splash. Not so much for particular directorial qualities, nor for aesthetic beauty, in truth, but above all for the luminescence of the scene by Llorenç Corbella, lit by Eduardo Bravo, placed in a decidedly reinvented historical period, in truth, between reflections, dreamlike appearances and mirror effects, in a mix between ancient and ultramodern which, in the end, strange to say, was pleasant with some reservations, especially regarding the costumes by Pepa Ojangure.
As for the cast, as mentioned above, with Devia in the lead, the Spanish theater did not spare itself, allowing itself good voices, among which the excellent baritone stood out Marko Mimica, Alfonso d'Este.
The American tenor is less pleasant William Davenport, Gennaro, lacking support and uncertain projection. For the rest, among others, an appreciable Maffio Orsini, the Valencian Silvia Tro Santafe, played at home.
The Choir of the Generalitat Valenciana, directed by Francis Perales, gave a good account of himself, after an initial slip, in the face of the conductor's impetuosity.
In fact, on the podium, driving the Orchestra of the Valencian Community, a highly respected Master, Fabio Biondi, Director of the Spanish Theatre, who offered the stage and the spectators correct direction, with an eye on the agility of Devia, who also did not miss any.
Praise and glory to the Gaetano of our house, who with his countless more or less historical characters, still fascinates audiences today, accomplices, at times, divas who don't give up…and they do well.
PHOTOS © TATO BAEZA