Review: LUCREZIA BORGIA at the Salzburger Festspiele directed by Marco Armiliato, with Krassimira Stoyanova and Juan Diego Florez.
By William Fratti and Renata Fantoni
August 30, 2017
Lucrezia Borgia is undoubtedly one of the dramatic masterpieces of the prolific Gaetano Donizetti, a work full of intense and sometimes tragic action, only occasionally lightened by some joking or pathetic pages.
And the theatrical sense of the story is expertly told by Marco Armiliato at the helm of the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg, whose musical interpretation is rich in phrasing and nuances, with a certain Italian vigor without however sacrificing the purity of sound. The Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor conducted by Ernst Raffelsberger was excellent.
Krassimira Stoyanova's Lucrezia is of an elegance beyond measure, of an incomparable refinement, perhaps too much so, since the velvet of her voice, the homogeneity of the singing line, the beauty of the legate almost tend to diminish the dramatic yield, which flows as it must only be done in the lugubrious finale.
Juan Diego Florez's Gennaro is indescribably enchanting and it seems redundant to highlight yet another success of the tenor. Beyond the technical perfection, the pure sounds and the sensational accents, what is increasingly surprising are the chromaticisms, the phrasings, his ability to sing every single consonant, which not only makes all the words very comprehensible, but above all enriches the singing of an overall articulation that produces an increasingly pleasant listening experience.
Ildar Abdrazakov's Alfonso is excellent, a very soft singer, mellow voice, polished interpretation, skilled phrasing, perhaps too regal for the terrible role.
Teresa Iervolino is very good in the role of Maffio Orsini, whose brilliant high notes and perfect coloraturas are especially appreciated, while she always lacks a little projection and sometimes appears covered.
The long group of supporting actors (Minjie Lei, Ilker Arcayürek, Gleb Peryazev, Ilya Kutyukin, Andrej Filończyk, Gordon Bintner) is sufficient, among which only Andrew Haji's Rustighello stands out.
Great success for everyone, truly deserved, and stadium ovations for Juan Diego Florez.
William Fratti and Renata Fantoni
PHOTOS Salzburg Festival