SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL OPERA  REVIEW

Parma Verdi Festival 2010  -I Vespri Siciliani: Soloists, Orchestra and Chorus Teatro Regio di Parma. Conductor: Massimo Zanetti. Verdi Festival. Teatro Regio di Parma. 20.10.2010. (JMI)

 

(New Production)

Direction: Pier Luigi Pizzi

Sets and Costumes: Pier Luigi Pizzi

Lighting: Vincenzo Raponi

Cast:
Arrigo: Kim Myung Ho

Elena: Daniela Dessì

Monforte: Leo Nucci

Procida: Giacomo Prestia

Bethune: Dario Russo

Vaudemont: Andrea Mastroni

Ninetta: Adriana di Paola

Danieli: Raoul d’Eramo

Tebaldo: Roberto Jachini Virgili

Roberto: Alessandro Battiato

Manfredo: Camillo Facchino

Production Picture - Courtesy of the Parma Verdi Festival

I Vespri Siciliania isn’t my favourite opera by Verdi and seeing that it’s one of the least performed among his mature operas, I don’t seem to be holding that opinion exclusively. It has its moments, of course, particularly some ensembles like the whole prison scene, the beautiful aria “O, tu Palermo”, the Elena’s most difficult bolero. But that comes with music that is not excessively inspired and above all it comes with lengths. A length that lasts—without the ballet!—nearly three hours and feels even longer. Making matters worse, it presents vocal challenges and it is very difficult to find well suited voices to sing this opera these days. Of course the latter is also true for other Verdi operas, but this does not prevent them from being performed once and again. Presumably based on greater musical merit.

One of the major attractions of these performances of I Vespri Siciliani in Parma was the debut of Daniela Dessì and Fabio Armiliato in the characters of Elena and Arrigo, the Genoese couple. I don’t actually find them particularly suited to the requirements of the above-mentioned characters, but it is generally good to have well-known singers facing new challenges in their careers. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out as the organizers had planned. Problems started at the premiere already, when Fabio Armiliato sudden developed voice problems in the second part of the opera, having to ask the audience to excuse his indisposition. Parma’s loggione reacted with wrath, not so much for the problem itself, but by because he never took a solo final bow, always surrounding himself with other colleagues.

Despite that, Armiliato sang the second performance and it seems that matters had improved. Armiliato cancelled the third performance (Sunday 17), being replaced by a Korean understudy still in the Conservatory, who sang in plain clothes and with the score at hand. For the following and fourth performance, which is the one I attended, Fabio Armiliato had not yet recovered and Kim Myung Ho had to cover again, although in the production costumes this time, and without the score.

Although the stage production is announced as a new production, it is quite similar to what Pier Luigi Pizzi offered in 1987 at la Scala. Even the idea of Vespri Risorgimentale goes back to 1970, when Pizzi worked on this opera with Visconti. This work can be considered as minimalist, so that we miss one of the biggest assets of Mr. Pizzi’s productions. Here we have three boats on a bare stage for Act I, again a bare stage in Act II with a huge inclined mirror, and, finally a neoclassical altar for the last act. The nearly constant use of the whole theatre might be a novelty with Mr. Pizzi, but the result was a lack of focus on the action.

The musical direction was in the hands of Massimo Zanetti, who is a truly effective conductor and solves challenges with great professionalism and steadiness. He always supported the singers and got fine performances from Orchestra and Chorus.

As mentioned, after Fabio Armiliato had cancelled, young Kim Myung Ho tried his hand at the part. His voice is more suited to Nemorino that to Arrigo, one of the most fiendish parts Verdi ever wrote for tenor. So much was audible that night; let’s leave it at that.

Daniela Dessì made her debut in the role of Duchess Elena. She is a soprano of belcanto extraction, which is always noted and appreciated, although in the last few years she has decided to tackle heavier repertoire, not always a sound decision, as it were. Here she vacillated between good and bad, the famous Bolero having been worst, and the ensembles and the prison scene the best.

Leo Nucci, a regular artist at Parma Verdi Festival, sang Monforte. There is probably no need to indulge readers who Leo Nucci is in the world of opera, seeing that he’s been a reference in parts like Rigoletto, Foscari, Boccanegra, and even Nabucco. His presence was a case of luxury casting, even if he didn’t quite reach the level we are used to from him in the above mentioned characters. Giacomo Prestia, challenged by an occasionally too wide vibrato made for a decent Giovanni da Procida; ever the solid, dependable bass. Little surprise then that those two got the warmest reception from a very grateful audience at the sold-out Parma Theater which had applauded each of the arias, even the Bolero.

José M Irurzun