Il matrimonio segreto was premiered
at the Burgtheater in Vienna on 7 February
1792, two months after Mozart’s death
in the same city. It has some claims
to be the only opera buffa of the period,
besides Mozart’s works, that has survived
until the present day. Although not
exactly a standard work, it does have
the occasional outing. Maybe Paisiello’s
Il barbiere di Siviglia should
also be mentioned, but otherwise Mozart’s
genius has completely overshadowed the
efforts of his contemporaries. In its
day, Matrimonio was held in very
high esteem. It has gone down in the
history books as the opera that was
so appreciated by the Austrian Emperor,
Leopold II, when he saw its second performance,
that he wanted the whole work repeated
that same evening. He invited the cast
to a banquet before they had to enter
the stage again, but still ... poor
singers.
I can understand that
the Emperor, the man who said to Mozart
that there were "too many notes"
in his music, might not have been able
to appreciate the deeper dimensions
of his scores. On the other hand Cimarosa’s
more shallow, elegant, melodic, always
inventive writing was more easily digested.
This work actually brims over with gorgeous
music, composed by a maestro who knew
the possibilities and limitations of
his singers and who also knew how to
use the orchestra, not only for discreet
accompaniments but to create atmosphere
through clever use of instrumental colour.
The lively overture, light and airy,
is as good an example as any. Here it
is played on period instruments by the
expert Drottningholm Court Theatre Orchestra,
being even more transparent than ever.
He creates ethereal sounds with the
flutes and in Paolino’s long Act 2 aria
(track 30) he has a solo clarinet playing
an obbligato part reminding us of Mozart’s
use of the basset horn in La clemenza
di Tito. It should also be mentioned
that, just as with Mozart, he prefers
ensembles to arias and although he doesn’t
depict the personality of the characters
in the same way, he still manages to
hold the listeners’ attention. There
is hardly a dull moment, unless it be
the long quartet in Act 1 (track 15),
which is a bit static.
I fell in love with
this opera many years ago when I found
the old Cetra recording in a second-hand
store, awful sound quality but with
marvellous singing from Alda Noni, Giulietta
Simionato, Cesare Valletti and Sesto
Bruscantini, to mention the most prominent
names. In the late 1970s DG released
a version conducted by Barenboim with
Arleen Augér, Julia Varady, Ryland
Davies and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau.
That was a highly entertaining issue
with excellent sound and inspired singing
and acting although the all-Italian
Cetra cast feels more authentic. Both
recordings are well worth seeking out,
but I have to say that this German-based
production is a worthy competitor. Filmed
and recorded live in a beautiful18th
century theatre (I believe), with one
of the best period instrument bands
in the pit and with simple but efficient
sets and period costumes, it brings
us as close as possible to what Emperor
Leopold might have seen at the Burgtheater
more than 200 years ago. Of course there
was no Michael Hampe at hand to direct
the action then. It is in a way a minimalistic
performance: a few doors (always needed
for what my wife calls "run-in-run-out
operas") a table centre-stage and
a few chairs that are moved about to
create suitable groupings of people.
Lighting is sparse and much of the second
act plays mainly in darkness with the
actors’ candles shedding the necessary
light. There is also some amusing background
action with the chef flashing by carrying
sundry trays. Generally there is such
"go" in the performance that
2½ hours just flew by and afterwards,
having had a nice supper, we ordered
the team to "play it again, Sam".
Hilary Griffith’s work in the pit is
flexible and he is always careful with
dynamics, recitatives, of which there
are quite a lot, are delivered in lively
fashion by artists that are actors,
which is a must in a performance like
this, where most of the time we have
them in close-ups. Moreover the production
team have been very successful in picking
artists with the right looks for their
parts and with suitably contrasting
voices.
I was very impressed
by David Kuebler, whose beautiful rounded
tenor is a pleasure to listen to: elegant
and with clean runs and trills, and
in the second act aria (the one with
the clarinet) he also demonstrates his
dramatic capacity. And he is a very
convincing actor.
I haven’t so far given
even an outline of the plot, and I don’t
intend to do so, since readers who don’t
already know the opera shouldn’t be
bereft of the pleasure to find out for
themselves. There are of course a lot
of complications but I’ve seen many
operas with far sillier plots. Anyway
Georgine Resick as Carolina, the girl
Paolino loves, has exactly the right
innocent looks and has a lovely voice,
which also lends itself to the darker
mood of her second act recitativo accompagnato
(track 34). Carlos Feller is of course
famous for his buffo roles and he has
that all-embracing stage presence that
in the theatre can be felt even from
the balcony. He also sings Geronimo’s
part perfectly, and I mean "sing",
for although there is a lot of "business"
going on he never sacrifices the singing.
Just listen to his Un matrimonio
nobile (track 7). Barbara Daniels
as Carolina’s elder sister Elisetta,
and the formidable Marta Szirmay as
Geronimo’s sister Fidalma, also make
wonderful contributions and Claudio
Nicolai, although a little shaky vocally,
is a noble Count Robinson and the duet
scenes with Geronimo are really entertaining
with perfect timing and innovative direction
from Hampe.
So far I have made
no secret of the fact that I enjoyed
this performance immensely, and since
the quality of sound and pictures are
all one could wish for from a 20-year-old
recording, and since there are no less
than 43 tracks, one can pick and choose
one’s favourite scenes, I have no qualms
about recommending this DVD emphatically.
By the way, as soon as I have finished
this review I’m going back for yet another
command performance.
Göran Forsling
Drottningholm Court Theatre Orchestra/Hilary Griffith
EUROARTS DVD 2054548 [153:00] 
