Review: CARMEN in Florence- By William Fratti – Lhe show by Leo Muscato returns to the stage of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino –
Only a year after its debut, Leo Muscato's show returns to the stage of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.
His vision of a modern Carmen, with sets by Andrea Belli, costumes by Margherita Baldoni and lights by Alessandro Verazzi is quite interesting, above all because it is very relevant to the reality that surrounds us every day, but the development of the direction is rather monotonous, with many empty, various choral scenes with little movement and boredom makes its way immediately.
The direction of Matteo Beltrami doesn't help, who does what he has to, but doesn't go out of his way in particular stimuli or alternative readings or any marking.
Marina Comparato is the very good singer who has always been known and her execution is flawless, but Carmen is not bel canto and would need accents and phrasing with a certain polish, an intention and an accent capacity that are lacking here and make the rendering rather dull albeit more than correct.
The same goes for Roberto De Biasio's Don José, who does what he has to, but doesn't enchant.
A different situation for Laura Giordano's Micaëla which, although a little too light for the lyrical part, would have all the credentials for a good result, but during this performance – almost unrecognizable – it appears excessively gooey and sometimes even waning.
Certainly out of part Leon Kim in the role of Escamillo. Vivid and brilliant highs, but the rest – especially below – it is decidedly inconsistent.
The long band of supporting actors is quite normal, with ups and downs, no one to remember, none to forget. Dario Shikhmiri is Le Dancaïre, Manuel Amati is Le Remendado, Patrizio La Placa is Moralès, Adriano Gramigni is Zuniga, Eleonora Bellocci is Frasquita, Giada Frasconi is Mercédès.
The performance of the artistic ensembles of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino was very good. Lorenzo Fratini is the choir master.
William Fratti
PHOTOS Maggio Musicale Fiorentino