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muckefuckTonight's show in a nutshell: We had an absolutely terrific Pagliacci. Unfortunately, we had to sit through Cavalleria Rusticana in order to catch it.
At the intermission, Nuphy said, "I think that's my last Cavalleria." I agree; once is really enough. Both the drama and music are too one-dimensional to hold my interest on repeat watchings. We talked about possibilities for modern stagings and came to the same conclusion as we did discussing Welsh/Chinese fusion cuisine on the way home: Sure you could do it, but would it really repay the effort? At least before, we had a very good Turiddu in La Scola. Now I've learned just how interminable this opera can be with a weak tenor. A man a few rows back suddenly left two-thirds of the way through. At the time, I thought it was due to a weak bladder, but now I wonder if he just needed to get away from Carlo Ventre. He strained painfully through the Siciliana at the onset, and though his voice did eventually warm up, it never did gain any inflection; everything was in "the same bathetic bleat", to use Nuphy's words. He literally put me to sleep; without Guang Yang to perk things up, I might have missed half the opera.
To be fair, he might have been a bit less can belto if he hadn't been trying to rise above an orchestra that never dropped below a 6. Someone needs to tell Renato Palumbo that Mascagni is not Wagner--in oh-so-many ways. His direction brought great clarity to the melodies, which with Cav is "not a plus" (Nuphy again) "because then you really hear how threadbare they are." Thank goodness for Mark Delavan as Alfio, who this staging perversely made into much more of a gentleman than he should be. But you need someone to identify with, and lord knows it can't be a shit like Turiddu. The staging, incidentally, was the only thing significantly improved since last we saw this production. There's only so much you can do to cover up the "Chorus on! Chorus off! Chorus on!" madness of a mediocre 19th century opera, but whatever you could do they did. I just wish they hadn't kept the chorus off for their hymn to the virgin, since it only made it easier for the barnstorming orchestra to steamroller them.
So you can imagine our relief that Palumbo kept it in check for Pagliacci. Leoncavallo has a richer score, so here the sharpness of the melodies was a bonus. The one outstanding singer from Cav, Delavan, was also the only one to take a role, and he brought menace to the scheming Tonio. (Kudos to the director, btw, for restoring the final line to him.) Speaking of menace, I was really looking forward to Galouzine as the Angry Clown. He's got a voice which is really too dark for most Italian opera (Nuphy thinks Wagner is his true calling), but here it works perfectly. Tenors and sopranos, as you know, aren't really my thing, but Nuphy was quite taken with Jameson's Beppe. (Feigum, of course, was money in the bank as Silvio.)
Now I have a confession to make: I've got a soft spot for Pagliacci. I know it's old school sentimental sexist melodrama, but the final aria chokes me up (no pun intended) every time. If sitting through another Cav is the price for another Pag of this calibre, then count me in. Again, familiar production, but every element was as good as it had been before or better. We were particularly taken with the circus performers, who carried off their small bits of business with verve and talent.
All in all, a good note on which to end our opera season. Of course, it's not truly over until the Rising Young Stars perform for us in April, but this was our last chance for a pleasant meal with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
bunj and e. before the show or to cadge a trip home afterwards. (I'm truly blessed to have a SIL too kind-hearted to send me out in the icy rain even if it does mean going a half-hour or more out of her way on a school night.) Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a foot-tall furry diva much in need of my attentions.
At the intermission, Nuphy said, "I think that's my last Cavalleria." I agree; once is really enough. Both the drama and music are too one-dimensional to hold my interest on repeat watchings. We talked about possibilities for modern stagings and came to the same conclusion as we did discussing Welsh/Chinese fusion cuisine on the way home: Sure you could do it, but would it really repay the effort? At least before, we had a very good Turiddu in La Scola. Now I've learned just how interminable this opera can be with a weak tenor. A man a few rows back suddenly left two-thirds of the way through. At the time, I thought it was due to a weak bladder, but now I wonder if he just needed to get away from Carlo Ventre. He strained painfully through the Siciliana at the onset, and though his voice did eventually warm up, it never did gain any inflection; everything was in "the same bathetic bleat", to use Nuphy's words. He literally put me to sleep; without Guang Yang to perk things up, I might have missed half the opera.
To be fair, he might have been a bit less can belto if he hadn't been trying to rise above an orchestra that never dropped below a 6. Someone needs to tell Renato Palumbo that Mascagni is not Wagner--in oh-so-many ways. His direction brought great clarity to the melodies, which with Cav is "not a plus" (Nuphy again) "because then you really hear how threadbare they are." Thank goodness for Mark Delavan as Alfio, who this staging perversely made into much more of a gentleman than he should be. But you need someone to identify with, and lord knows it can't be a shit like Turiddu. The staging, incidentally, was the only thing significantly improved since last we saw this production. There's only so much you can do to cover up the "Chorus on! Chorus off! Chorus on!" madness of a mediocre 19th century opera, but whatever you could do they did. I just wish they hadn't kept the chorus off for their hymn to the virgin, since it only made it easier for the barnstorming orchestra to steamroller them.
So you can imagine our relief that Palumbo kept it in check for Pagliacci. Leoncavallo has a richer score, so here the sharpness of the melodies was a bonus. The one outstanding singer from Cav, Delavan, was also the only one to take a role, and he brought menace to the scheming Tonio. (Kudos to the director, btw, for restoring the final line to him.) Speaking of menace, I was really looking forward to Galouzine as the Angry Clown. He's got a voice which is really too dark for most Italian opera (Nuphy thinks Wagner is his true calling), but here it works perfectly. Tenors and sopranos, as you know, aren't really my thing, but Nuphy was quite taken with Jameson's Beppe. (Feigum, of course, was money in the bank as Silvio.)
Now I have a confession to make: I've got a soft spot for Pagliacci. I know it's old school sentimental sexist melodrama, but the final aria chokes me up (no pun intended) every time. If sitting through another Cav is the price for another Pag of this calibre, then count me in. Again, familiar production, but every element was as good as it had been before or better. We were particularly taken with the circus performers, who carried off their small bits of business with verve and talent.
All in all, a good note on which to end our opera season. Of course, it's not truly over until the Rising Young Stars perform for us in April, but this was our last chance for a pleasant meal with
bunj and e. before the show or to cadge a trip home afterwards. (I'm truly blessed to have a SIL too kind-hearted to send me out in the icy rain even if it does mean going a half-hour or more out of her way on a school night.) Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a foot-tall furry diva much in need of my attentions.![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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So I could fit a nap in.
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BTW, did you see my Question Month question for you?
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