by Natalia Dantas – Maestro Stefano Ranzani on the podium at the Massimo Bellini theater in Catania: at the premiere, Maria Grazia Schiavo and Francesco Demuro in an Italian-style Lucia.
The splendor of Donizetti's music, in Lucia di Lammermoor, is the pinnacle of the masterpiece of the genius from Bergamo: never forgotten since its debut in 1835 , has always been part of the billboards of the most prestigious theaters in the world.
At Massimo Bellini Theater in Catania missing from 2013, since on the podium we had the opportunity to appreciate the M° Emmanuel Plasson, son of the even more famous Michel. And here, especially for enthusiasts also dFrench Opera, it is natural to point out how French mallets and Italian mallets, albeit in the same work, but in conditions of different musical connotations, are different.
Yet he M° Plasson, particularly appreciated by the writer even then and reviewed , directed the Italian version, not the French version, which is the splendid one “Lucie de Lammermoor”; but very visible traces were absolutely detectable, then, in terms of taste, timing and dynamics, in his Catania direction.
On the podium, at the eagerly awaited premiere of April 12, 2024, to Massimo Bellini Theater in Cataniainstead, the very Italian Concertmaster and Orchestra Director Stefano Ranzani, he conducted with absolutely personal taste, timing, dynamics and agogic progression of a great school and totally "Italian" and, therefore, absolutely correct. Not only that: the M° Ranzani, of polymorphic abilities between Symphonism and Opera, which had delighted the Catania public in the past concert dedicated to Viennese Classicism, literally took control of the entire performance, which evidently resonates with him and touches his deepest feelings. The Director skilfully guided a ship into port which today, fortunately, was sailing in calmer waters than those which had characterized production in the aforementioned year. Bellini of Catania.
A vessel in which the magnificent and nourished Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo Bellini, gave her best, galvanized by the guidance of M° Ranzani, which has the ability to involve the musicians emotionally and professionally: this was noticed in the previous concert and it was also noticed in this performance of Lucia, not only by the excellent results of theorchestral ensemble, cohesive and motivated, but also and even by the satisfied and smiling "known faces" who have worked there for decades, from "shoulder" to the wonderful Arpa, to the team of wind instruments, the horns in particular, to the set of aOrchestra which deserves particular praise.
The rehearsals that precede the premiere of an opera are fundamental and sometimes it happens that rehearsals are performed poorly and poorly, for reasons that are sometimes mysterious and varied. This was not the case and it was clear, in the iron cohesion between the mystical gulf and the stage, where a cast already interesting was made to become important thanks to the Director's spasmodic support. Even the choir, instructed by Mr. Luigi Petrozziello, hung from the wand of the Ranzani and modulated according to his indication, curbing excess sonorities and amalgamating the sounds in an excellent way.
The interpretersobviously, they too were the first to receive extreme support and benefit from it.
In the role of Lucia, Maria Grazia Schiavo, beautiful round voice, probably now ripe for a more "robust" repertoire”. The Slave Lucia was sensitive and empathetic to the public. This does not always happen, even with the most well-known and celebrated performers, and it benefits a well-calibrated voice, which has made us listen to beautiful filatos and mezze voci (rarities on the stage today) and which has stood out more in the cavatina and cabaletta. of the first act, which in the famous scene of madness, introduced in Donizetti's score by the soprano Nellie Melba in 1889 and already in 1893 canonized. The lack of glass harmonica was replaced by flute: il M° Ranzani he made the praiseworthy one take the podium in his place soloist, to duet with the soprano in the highlight of the virtuosity. The audience's fascination is guaranteed, with open applause.
Open stage applause also for theEdgardo by Francesco Demuro, who also showed off notable high notes, but who should avoid subjecting his beautiful voice to stress, since it seems that the practice on today's stages has become widespread of "stretching" the voices a little too much in favor of expressiveness interpretation closer to realism than, on this occasion, to full Donizettian romanticism. The Demuro he has all the skills to be himself and this is expected from such a capable and musically gifted performer.
L'Enrico by Christian Federici it was characterized by a beautiful color and a significant projection, but it revealed a tendency to "all strong" which should be modulated better: it possesses all the vocal prerequisites, just as it has stage presence and interpretative ability.
A little too "baritone". Raimondo of the bass George Andguladze, in problematic delivery of deep bass, despite having a nice center, which could allow him to focus on another type of repertoire.
Well framed l’Arturo by Marco Puggioni, pretty one Alisa by Claudia Ceraulo and corrected the Normanno by Nicola Pamio.
But, to return to the starting point, this Lucia from Catania, as a whole, "worked" well: proof of this is the open-air applause of a very large audience, which at the turn A he hadn't been so enthusiastic in decades. Also because the Director “traditional” of Giandomenico Vaccari he was able to calm the mood of the spectators, focusing on giving prominence to the voices, also in absolute agreement with the podium.
In an interview the director announced a Lucia “gothic” in the modern sense of the word”, “dark”, even “dark”. Instead, in the scenes and in projections spartan but effective Alfredo Troisi, also the author of the pleasant costumes, and above all the well-kept ones lights by Antonio Alario, the scene proved to be a beautiful contest for the performers, surrounded by the shadows of the Ancestors, creators, after all, of the hatred between Lucia and Edgardo's families. But Vaccari also understood them as “prankster spirits”, a sort of Poltergeist that moves objects and appears and disappears, mocking the living. His are a little more Commedia dell'arte ghosts, which gives a "gothic" atmosphere, but the director clearly enjoyed playing down the drama, maintaining the good taste of not letting them interfere too much with the tragic stage events of the protagonists.
Convinced applause, as mentioned, accompanied by verbal expressions of "well done" and requests for an encore for everyone. Which has only one meaning: the public is hungry for "Quality" and here, in the overall production, evidently, he took it over.
Natalia Di Bartolo ©
Photo by Giacomo Orlando ©