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SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL OPERA REVIEW
Rossini, La Cenerentola: Soloists and Chorus of Juventus Lyrica, Academic Orchestra of Buenos Aires. Conductor: Carlos Calleja, Teatro Avenida, Buenos Aires. 22.10.2010. (JSJ)
Director: Ana D’AnnaSets: Daniel Feijóo
Costumes: María Jaunarena
Lighting: Ana D’Anna and Fernando Micucci
Chorus: Miguel Pesce
Cast:La Cenerentola: Mariana Carnovali
Ramiro: Ivan Maier / Sebastián Russo
Alidoro: Fernando Santiago / Sebastián Angulegui
Clorinda: Sabrina Cirera / Soledad De la RosaTisbe: Lara Mauro / Vanesa Tomas
Don Magnifico: Enzo Romano / Fernando Santiago
Dandini: Fernando Grassi / Leandro Sosa
Ivan Maier (Ramiro) and Cenerentola (Mariana Carnovali)
Photo © Liliana Morsia
The 2010 opera season in Buenos Aires is starting to wind down and the first of the last productions was from Juventus Lyrica with Rossini’s ever popular La Cenerentola – virtually guaranteeing, as in this case, that the end should be on a high note.
Directed by Juventus driving force Ana D’Anna with Carlos Calleja – replacing Antonio Maria Russo – in the pit, this production was everything one would want for it – no modern or way out interpretations, no over the top humour, neither too fussy nor too bland, and with simplicity suitably suggestive. This staging was of course supported with the dress and again this was entirely appropriate, although Clorinda and Tisbe’s appearance “at large” incompletely dressed with their hoops on show in the first act was somewhat curious!
The cast, made up largely of names who haven’t appeared much on local stages, at least in the recent past, was mixed in terms of experience, with the 23-year old Mariana Carnovali in the title role. She is tall – in this case somewhat more so than her prince – with a good presence and a strong voice used well, and she will undoubtedly go far as her experience grows. Her Ramiro was ardently played by Ivan Maier, who has a pleasant lyric voice, and Fernanzo Grassi was an excellent Dandini. Chilean Enzo Romano was a buffoonish Don Magnifico and the two daughters Clorinda and Tisbe were played with the right degree of preening and bitchiness by Sabrina Cirera and Lara Mauro.
As always the (male) chorus did an outstanding job and the orchestra played with precision, with good tempi maintained throughout.
Jonathan Spencer Jones
