Gioachino ROSSINI (1792-1868)
Sigismondo, dramma per musica in two acts (1814)
Sigismondo – Marianna Pizzolato (mezzo-soprano)
Aldimira – Hera Hyesang Park (soprano)
Ladislao – Kenneth Tarver (tenor)
Zenovito – Guido Loconsolo (bass)
Anagilda – Rachel Kelly (mezzo)
Radoski – Gavan Ring (tenor)
Ulderico – Il Hong (bass)
Olga Watts (fortepiano)
Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Münchner Rundfunkorchester/Keri-Lynn Wilson
rec. live 12-14 October 2018, Prinzregententheater, Munich, Germany
No sung texts provided
BR KLASSIK 900327 [81:17 + 65:14]
This release is a live recording taken from concert performances of Rossini’s rarely heard opera Sigismondo given in October 2018 in the Prinzregententheater.
For Sigismondo, a dramma per musica in two acts, Rossini used an Italian libretto by the experienced Giuseppe Foppa. Although only twenty-one, Rossini already had thirteen operas under his belt when the premičre of Sigismondo took place in December 1814 at the Teatro La Fenice, Venice. Appearing quickly after the notable successes Tancredi and L'italiana in Algeri, Sigismondo received an adverse response which was disheartening for the composer. Evidently audiences found the storyline bewildering and baulked at Rossini reusing earlier music. An inveterate recycler, Rossini later reused some of the Sigismondo music in Elisabetta, regina d'Inghilterra, Il barbiere di Siviglia and Adina.
Typically strong on unlikely happenings, the plot principally concerns the title character Sigismondo, the king of Poland, married to Aldimira, whom he sentences to death, falsely believing that she has been unfaithful. Guilt-ridden Sigismondo is tormented by his actions unaware that Aldimira has not been executed but was saved from death by the Polish noble Zenovito and is now living as Egelinda.
In the trouser role of Sigismondo, mezzo-soprano Marianna Pizzolato has become a Rossini specialist, having since 2016 sung in Tancredi, Il viaggio a Reims, La donna del lago and notably L'Italiana in Algeri at several international opera houses including the New York Met, Paris and London’s Covent Garden. Sigismondo has two big solos, the Act One cavatina Non seguirmi... omai t’invola and the grand scene with chorus from Act Two O sorte barbara!...- Vincesti, iniqua sorte! Really suited to the role and singing beautifully, Pizzolato exhibits rich and attractively warm tone. Creating a convincing sense of psychological drama, the Italian mezzo-soprano’s delivery is relatively smooth and seems especially comfortable in her high register. With Rossini works prominent in her roster, South Korean Hera Hyesang Park takes the role of Aldimira and excels in her Act One cavatina Oggetto amabile and the aria Ah signor, nell'alma mia from Act Two. This is delightful singing from the lyric coloratura soprano, aptly demonstrating her smooth and appealing tone which is not over-bright. I especially enjoyed Park’s highly enthusiastic, girlish Aldimira and her capacity for fioritura and expression; she clearly relishes Rossini’s florid vocal writing. Sigismondo’s and Aldimira’s Act One duettino Un segreto č il mio tormento is a highlight with the voices of Pizzolato and Park blending impressively and generating passion assisted by particularly lovely orchestral accompaniment. Equally impressive is their Act Two duetto Tomba di morte e orrore quite wonderfully sung, creating genuine emotional drama.
Ladislao, the Prime Minister of Poland, is sung by Kenneth Tarver who is no stranger to Rossini roles. The African-American tenor shines brightly in both his Act One aria Vidi... ah no, che allor sognai! and Giusto ciel che i mali miei from Act Two, displaying his delightful fluid tone and achieving his high notes effectively. Standing out, too, is Tarver’s prowess for expression and diction. Rachel Kelly sings the part of Anagilda, Ladislao’s sister. Anagilda’s Rondō: Sognava contenti from Act Two is sung effectively by the Irish mezzo-soprano, who is successful in creating an impressive level of emotion. The bass-role of Polish nobleman Zenovito is taken by Guido Loconsolo. In Zenovito’s single aria Tu l'opra tua seconda the Italian bass-baritone is reasonably steady, providing good levels of expression.
The Chor des Bayerischen Rundfunks, directed by chorus master Yuval Weinberg, is in outstanding form, fully in tune with the demands of Rossini’s writing with a particularly enjoyable Hunter’s Chorus in Act One. Under conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson, the versatile Münchner Rundfunkorchester gives a splendidly incisive performance with judicious tempi. It is impressive how the Canadian conductor pulls together all the various threads so well, creating drama and an impressive level of tension when needed. I must mention Rossini’s quite superb woodwind writing which evokes an equally fine response from the players. Accompanying the sung recitatives, Olga Watts plays so sensitively, using an attractive-sounding fortepiano;
the instrument is a copy built by J C Neupert, Bamberg after Johann
Jakob Konnicke (1796), Vienna
Recording live at Munich’s Prinzregententheater, the engineering team at the Bayerischer Rundfunk maintain high standards, providing first class sound. It is extremely disappointing that the label does not provide both the Italian libretto and an English translation. There is a synopsis in the booklet, together with a helpful essay by Doris Sennefelder. I have heard good reports from friends of a live recording on Naxos of Sigismondo from 2016 in the Trinkhalle, Bad Wildbad with Margarita Gritskova in the title role, performed by the Virtuosi Brunensis under Antonino Fogliani. That release will have to be exceptional to better this engaging BR-Klassik performance.
Michael Cookson
Previous review: Mike Parr
