SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Donizetti, La Fille du Regiment: Orquesta Sinfónica de Navarra. Coro de Ópera de Bilbao. Conductor: Yves Abel. Palacio Euskalduna de Bilbao. 2, 7 & 8.05.2009 (JMI)

Producción from Teatro Comunale di Bologna.
Director: Emilio Sagi.
Sets and Costumes: Julio Galán.
Lighting: Daniele Naldi.
Cast:
Marie: Íride Martínez/Kathleen Kim.
Tonio: Juan Diego Flórez/Cosmin Ifrim.
Sulpice: Paolo Bordogna.
Marquise Berkenfield: Annie Vavrille.
Hortensius: Alberto Arrabal.

ABAO chose this opera to close its 2008/2009 season. It is not one of Donizetti’s greatest and its attractions for artistic directors have nothing to do with its musical merits. Its appeal is as a vehicle to show off the brilliance of a great singer. This has been the tradition in Bilbao and this was also the reason for programming La Fille. The fortunate singer was Juan Diego Flórez.

On previous occasions when this opera was programmed by ABAO (1972 and 1984) Tonio was interpreted by a young Luciano Pavarotti (Mirella Freni as Marie) and by Alfredo Kraus (Adriana Anelli or Mrs. Nucci as Marie). In 1996 there was the occasion at Teatro Arriga of the Spanish debut of a completely unknown young tenor from Argentina called Marcelo Raul Alvarez - such was his announced name then. He left us breathless. This grand tradition was continued on this occasion by one of the greatest singers of today, the Peruvian, Juan Diego Flórez.

The production by Emilio Sagi harks back to Bologna, although its origin is even older: it was premiered in Oviedo in 1994 and figured in the Bilbao Teatro Arriaga season in 1996. Sagi enlarged the Bologna sets but did not change the stage direction. Instead he transplanted the action to World War II. The first act is set in a kind of bar/underground refuge and the second in a glittering hall in the mansion of the Marquise de Berkenfield. Sagi is most at home in zarzuela and operetta and his work in La Fille bears the same hallmarks. The production works well and Sagi adds several extras to Act II including the servant to the Marquise. There’s a festive atmosphere worthy of a buffo opera, although some of the gags are miscalculated being too infantile, particularly the material Sagi allocates to the Marquise. As for the presentation of the guests it is all rather unimaginative. Sets and costumes are the work of Julio Galan, who died in 2003. They are attractive and full of colour. In sum, then, this is a production that continues to work well despite the passage of the years.

Canadian Yves Abel has become one of JDF’s preferred conductors although his presence in front of the orchestra had nothing to do with the singer’s wishes. Abel is very reliable, as he has proven on several occasions in Bilbao. This time his work was effective rather than stunning. In general he strikes a just balance between pit and stage. However there some occasions where the voices suffered when singing at the back of the stage. The orchestra was good – a marked improvement on recent showings. As for the massed voices the last half century has proved that the quality of the Bilbao Choir can be relied on and this production was no exception.

La Fille du Régiment may well be Marie but the real centre of attention is Tonio, the tenor. Flórez has in recent years offered his Tonio through the most important opera houses (Scala, Metropolitan, Vienna and Covent Garden) where he has achieved enormous success. He has had to encore “Ah, mon amis” at each of these theatres. In Bilbao his singing was excellent with outstanding high Cs and a remarkable interpretation of the aria “Pour me raprocher de Marie”. There was enthusiasm in the audience, particularly after the “Ah, mes” high Cs, but not to the point where an encore was required. The reaction of the Bilbao audience was wilder after his “Perchè non posso odiarti” in La Sonnambula four years ago. Clearly, the public enjoyed his singing – it was an outstanding interpretation - but there was just that little something wanting.

In the cast of young singers we had Rumanian tenor Cosmin Ifrim, who offered a Tonio without much interest. His voice is not particularly beautiful, although he certainly has the high Cs under his belt. In this case there were 11 and not 9, following the model of Rockwell Blake. He was rather too monotonous in the big aria of Act II.

Costa Rican soprano Íride Martinez was Marie. Her presence in the cast has been a success. We are in the presence of a light-lyric soprano with reduced volume, who is a most accomplished singer and an outstanding actress. She has an excellent upper register; just a little too metallic at the very top. Her aria “Il faut partir”, was truly moving and drew a rousing ovation. A very successful Bilbao debut.

Kathleen Kim was Marie in the young cast. I had great expectations of her, after I saw her at the Metropolitan as First Nymph in Rusalka. Her soprano is beautiful and very well projected. On the other hand, she is deficient in colouring her voice and rather too monotonous in her singing. There are improvements to be made. She may also find her slight figure a drawback.

Paolo Bordogna made a good Sulpice. He is a fine actor, as he has proved on many occasions and here he offered an excellent performance. French mezzo Annie Vavrille did not convince me as the Marquise de Berkenfield. She was at her best in the dialogues but her singing generated little interest.

There was a full house at every performance. For the curtain calls there was a great reception for Juan Diego Flórez and Íride Martínez. Yves Abel and Emilio Sagi were applauded without much enthusiasm. I noted that the public for the younger cast evenings was much more youthful than usual. This was no doubt helped by the ABAO initiative of offering free tickets to youngsters in commemoration of Opera Day.

José Maria Irurzun

Other photographs from this production: Photo1   Photo2   Photo3   Photo4   Photo5   © E. Moreno Esquibel


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