Alfano? I hear you ask, yet with a slight wrinkle of the brow
as if somewhere in the distant memory bank there is a file. Rightly
so, at least for any opera enthusiast. Alfano is mainly remembered
as the man eventually chosen by the publisher, Ricordi, and Toscanini,
the resident conductor at La Scala, to complete Puccini’s
Turandot.
It will be remembered that at the composer’s death part
of the last act remained unscored.
Born near Naples, Alfano completed his first opera, still unpublished,
in 1896. He had difficulty in getting later works performed in
Italy, finding more success abroad. Ricordi supported his opera
Risurrezione, based
on Tolstoy; it was successful in Turin in 1905. It was very much
in the Puccinian style and reached over one thousand performances.
Later operas were only modestly received. He took up teaching
at the Liceo Musicale in Bologna becoming director in 1916. It
was from the Liceo that he presented his successful
Sakuntala.
This was an opera in a completely different idiom the orientalism
of which must have been influential in Ricordi’s decision
that Alfano was the man to complete
Turandot. The completed
Turandot,
was presented at La Scala in April 1926. Alfano’s completion
was abbreviated by Toscanini and in its shortened form involves
around fifteen minutes of music.
Alfano wrote several orchestral works. His opera
Madonna Imperia reached
the Metropolitan Opera, New York in 1928, a year after its premiere.
By this time his work was more influenced by the likes of Richard
Strauss and Debussy rather than having its own particular distinctive
patina.
Alfano took up the story of
Cyrano de Bergerac as the
basis for an opera in 1933. Founded on the novel by Edmond Rostand
the opera was premiered in Rome in January 1936 under the baton
of Tulio Serafin. It was performed in Paris in May that year
in the French translation that is used in this performance. Like
other artists in Italy in that inter-war period, Alfano was forced
to become associated with the Fascist regime. This has tended
to sully his reputation somewhat.
Cyrano de Bergerac tells the story of the proboscally
challenged Cyrano. He is infatuated with Roxanne, who is also
loved by Christian. Cyrano has the heroic skills as a swordsman
and fighter denied to his rival. More importantly, he is also
a skilful poet, well able to express his love for a woman. After
various battles and duels Cyrano meets Roxanne only to discover
she is in love with the young and handsome Christian. Resigned
to the fact that his own disfigurement makes him unacceptable
to Roxanne, Cyrano realises his own inspirational eloquence and
poetry are what Christian needs and determines to help him become
Roxanne’s perfect suitor. He reads with ardour his own
poetry below her balcony as Christian stands by, giving the impression
that it is his. Cyrano agonizes as she declares her love for
the young man who climbs to the balcony and embraces her (Chs.
13-15).
Unbeknown to Christian, Cyrano writes other ardent letters in
his name that are smuggled across the lines during the battle
of Arras where Christian is killed. For many years Cyrano keeps
this information secret so as not to sully Christian’s
name. He then meets Roxanne, now in a convent. Cyrano has been
mortally wounded as Roxanne asks him to read what she believes
to be Christian’s last letter. Cyrano does so and she at
last realises the truth. Cyrano dies as Roxanne declared her
love for him despite his nose (Ch. 26).
After languishing in neglect for many years, Alfano’s
Cyrano was
seen in a production at Montpellier in 2003 with Roberto Alagna
in the title role. This has appeared on DVD. Plàcido Domingo
took up the role, as his one hundred and twenty first, and a
production was mounted at the Metropolitan Opera, New York in
May 2005, by Francesca Zambello with designs by Peter J Davidson.
This production has since transferred to Covent Garden where
it was seen in May 2006 and onwards to La Scala. It should have
been the basis of these performances celebrating the new theatre
Reina
Sofia, in Valencia whose impressive, futuristic, exterior
is seen in the introduction (Ch. 1). It seems there were problems
with a collapse of part of the theatre stage-machinery required
for the sets. The upshot was a new, simpler but affective staging
by Michail Zananiecki. Its main focus is a central rotunda with
steps and openings through which entrances and activities take
place. His staging may not be as spectacular as reports of the
Zambello production indicate, but like his direction, aided by
drapes and lighting, it is effective. My only question is as
to the relevance of what appear to be acrobats descending on
ropes and drapes from time to time. The costumes are in period.
Above anything else what
Cyrano de Bergerac needs beyond
even an accomplished production and sets, are two committed and
affecting singing actors in the title role and that of Roxanne.
As far as the eponymous role is concerned it has an outstanding
protagonist in Plàcido Domingo. His acting is fully integrated
into his singing to add a further histrionic portrayal to his
many others. The tessitura of the music suits his now baritonal
tenor perfectly, with no demanding high Cs or the like and plenty
of opportunity for dramatic involvement. His portrayal of the
death of Cyrano, after hearing Roxanne’s true thoughts
(Ch. 26), is as powerfully sung as his well known reading of
the death of
Otello in act four of Verdi’s opera.
In this histrionic
tour de force Domingo is aided, as
in the Verdi, by the composer’s music. This ending, in
the manner of its portrayal and its poignancy, reminded me also
of the death of
Boris in Mussorgsky’s opera. As
Roxanne, Sondra Radvanovsky matches Domingo in dramatic involvement
- no mean feat. Her lustrous soprano is warm and vibrant and
allied to her vocal and dramatic capacity it is an instrument
to savour. Radvanovsky lacks some clarity of diction to convince
me that she is a major force in the operatic firmament. Her outburst
of love to Christian (Ch. 20) is delivered via powerful and committed
singing of a high order.
Cyrano de Bergerac also depends on a cluster of lesser
parts the most important of which, along with Christian, is De
Guiche. This vital role is sung with strong even tones and dramatic
involvement (Ch. 17) by North American baritone Rodney Gilfry;
not ‘Rod’ as the booklet refers to him, I must note.
In the cameo role of Ragueneau, Corrado Carmelo Caruso’s
well tuned bass is a virtue. The Christian of Arturo Chacón
Cruz lacks the qualities of persona and vitality that could be
seen as appropriate to that of the role. I rather doubt that
Cruz had anything better to offer being unpoetic not only in
his acting and inflections but also in his singing.
Robert J Farr
Cyrano - Plàcido
Domingo (tenor); Roxane - Sondra Radvanovsky (soprano); Christian,
Arturo Chacón Cruz (tenor); De Guiche, Rodney Gilfry (baritone);
Ragueneau, Corrado Carmelo Caruso (bass); 
[141:00] 
