2Reviews2: TORVALDO AND DORLISKA by Rossini in Pesaro The third proposed opera of the 2017 Pesaro Festival dedicated to Rossini.
By Lukas Franceschini and William Fratti
Pesaro, 9 August 2017 (dress rehearsal).
This score also reserves important peculiarities in the artistic parable of Gioachino Rossini. The libretto was the first written by Cesare Sterbini, a not famous author at the time, who collaborated on the more famous Barber of Seville. The opera, which is a remarkable work, belongs to the semi-serious genre, or "sentimental" as it was defined at the time, which was practiced by the composer from Pesaro later with greater results in Matilde di Shabran and La gazza ladra. Torvaldo and Dorliska, the first Roman commission for the composer, was performed at the Teatro Valle in 1815, with a less than triumphant outcome, and the cast included three stars such as Filippo Galli, Domenico Donzelli and Raniero Remorini, names that can make clear the commitment expected for their respective roles. The opera had a fair circulation in the first half of the 19th century, among others Colbran, Malibran and Nozzari tried their hand at the roles. Later it lost its appeal as the semi-serious genre was set aside in favor of the great drama.
The show was the one created by Mario Martone (direction), Sergio Tramonti (scenes) Ursula Patzak (costumes) and Cesare Accept (lighting) in 2006 for the first proposal in the critical edition edited by Francesco Paolo Russo. A very successful and rightly revived show. Martone, together with his usual team, creates a chivalric environment in an imaginary northern Europe, differentiating the small stage of the Rossini Theater with an imposing gate that divides the action between the Duke's castle and the forest behind it. The direction is very polite but vital. Chorus and some protagonists often disappear from the woods, while the inhabitants of the castle are more limited inside the gate. Martone develops an epic, medieval show, which contains the classic themes of war, abuse, the bad guy, the loving couple at his mercy and some funny figures. He never overdoes it when outlining the characters, in particular Giorgio, the guardian of the castle, is sober and does not fall into the easy cliché of a sketch, but even the young Dorliska is not a faint love figure, but a strong and combative woman for her Torvaldo. An admirable, spontaneous and effective read, in which there is no shortage of Risorgimento references. Patzak's costumes are beautiful, and the scene created by Tramonti is brilliant, using a catwalk which, when necessary, transforms from the background into a prison cage for the male protagonist.
The “G. Rossini” of Pesaro does not have the qualities of the Rai Symphony Orchestra, but it was able to stand out for its solid professionalism and correct execution. Thanks also to Francesco Lanzillotta, director and concertmaster, who guides the musicians with a firm hand and essentially a relevant rhythm. Sometimes he abuses some sounds, slipping into an artificial balance that is not peculiar to the work. However, overall there was no shortage of happy moments, in which the "serial novel" narrative prevailed and effectively balanced the different musical facets of the work.
The rehearsal of the Choir of the Teatro della Fortuna “M. Agostini”, instructed by Mirca Rosciani, was very professional.
Overall, the cast is very functional, starting with Nicola Alaimo's Duke of Ordow who is involved in a difficult role. The Sicilian singer offers a very relevant performance through a first-rate vocal instrument, drawing a convincing and in particular very precise character in the difficult vocal test. Other characteristics are the excellent musicality, the important voice, and the remarkable scansion of the accents. The entrance area is well done but even more so is the large “Back” page. Ah qual voci”, in the second act, in which the difficulties are overcome with marked phrasing and modulation of the voice, even if the agility singing is not always fluent. Salome Jicia, Dorliska, does not boast a very seductive timbre and the high register is often shrill, the low end is not completely refined, the agility is not particularly brilliant. A rather modest test, which only needs to be appreciated for the interpretative inspiration.
Much better is Dmitry Korchak's Torvaldo, who displays a refined and nuanced singing line, precise half-voices and a punctual high register, united by a very respectable coloratura.
Carlo Lepore was amazing in the role of Giorgio, who he played with a fractured arm with a neck band. The best performance I heard in the theater from the singer, who is the absolute master of the phrasing and the difficult coloratura, the diction is impeccable and the nuances of the colors relevant. Furthermore, the interpreter was not secondary to the singer, whose stylized, funny and human acting was to be praised which did not slip into the easily unbearable stereotype of the funny clown.
Positive performances by Raffaella Lupinacci, Carlotta, who was able to shine in her sorbet aria performed with charisma and a firm high register, and Filippo Fontana who drew a precise Ormondo.
Great success at the end.
© Lukas Franceschini
The very rare Torvaldo e Dorliska is revived on the stage of the Rossini Theatre, in Mario Martone's successful 2006 staging, for the first time in its critical edition, published only one year after the previous staging of the show.
It is useless to dwell on the importance of this title, one of Rossini's pearls belonging to the semi-serious genre, full of tragic, dramatic, romantic, pathetic moments, alongside the funny and the grotesque. Martone's direction is still perfectly efficient and captivating, even if full of self-borrowings, especially in the use of the stalls and the platform adjacent to the mystical gulf, but fortunately on this occasion he does not exaggerate in concentrating on the room rather than the stage, as has happened in other shows, therefore it works, scares, entertains, tells a story. Equally positive notes apply to Ursula Patzak's costumes, Sergio Tramonti's sets and Cesare Accept's lighting.
Francesco Lanzillotta's conducting is excellent, managing to bring out the right and heterogeneous characters from the complex score, despite having at his disposal the G. Rossini Symphony Orchestra which still demonstrates that it has ample room for improvement in almost the entire wind section. The collaboration of Gianni Fabbrini was excellent, the performance of Anselmo Pelliccioni's continuo was good, the Coro del Teatro della Fortuna M. Agostini led by Mirca Rosciani was decent.
Salome Jicia, after last year's success in La donna del lago, here appears in the guise of Dorliska and always shows off her technical skills, with well-crafted virtuosities, legates that embellish and soften the sounds, accents that express desperation , anguish, pathos, resignation and romanticism.
The excellent Dmitry Korchak renders a truly successful Torvaldo, enriching his lover's phrasings with sublime mezze voci, and then showing full and soaring high notes in moments of courage, all in perfect Rossini style.
Nicola Alaimo's Duke is excellent, a very difficult and multi-faceted character, here rendered with an appropriate variety of intentions and expressiveness, without ever really being able to understand whether he is a bad or unfortunate character.
Masterful interpretation by Carlo Lepore in the role of the caretaker Giorgio, who initially appears to be the clumsy and funny character of the situation, then kind in wanting to help the two poor lovers, finally a true devil who just wants to make his tyrant master pay. The voice is always confident and brilliant, the clear high notes act as a counterweight to the firm low notes, the flourishes always impeccable.
Raffaella Lupinacci confirms her excellent performance here as Carlotta, Giorgio's sister. Good performance by Filippo Fontana in the role of Ormondo.
© William Fratti
PHOTOS Studio Amati Bacciardi, Pesaro