Giuseppe VERDI (1813-1901)
Il trovatore - an opera in four acts (1853)
Sondra Radvanovsky (soprano) - Leonora, Marcelo Alvarez (tenor)
- Manrico, Dolora Zajick (mezzo) - Azucena, Dmitri Hvorostovsky
(baritone) - Count di Luna, Stefan Kocán (bass)
Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra/Marco
Armiliato
rec. HD transmission on 30 April 2011
Production: David McVicar
PCM Stereo and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
1080i high definition / 16:9
All regions
English (including menu language)
Italian, German, English, French, Spanish, Chinese
Introduction by Renée Fleming
DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON BLU-RAY 0734797 [143:00 + 7:00 (extras)]
As familiar as Il trovatore is in modern opera repertoire,
an outstanding performance like the one on this disc makes the
work seem new and exciting. The all-star cast of this Metropolitan
Opera HD transmission consists of consummate Verdians in an
insightful production by David McVicar. This recording of Trovatore
stands apart for its consistent quality, dramatic pitch, exquisite
sound and visual appeal, all captured in a live performance.
Through this stellar presentation, the details that make Il
trovatore meaningful fit into place to sharpen the work’s
dramatic and musical dimensions.
While Verdi’s libretto is set in fifteenth-century Spain,
this production moves the action to the late-eighteenth to early
nineteenth-century. The choice allows the design to echo in
the tableaux the images found in romantic paintings by Goya
and others. That visual dimension contributes to the overall
effect and captures the spirit of the narrative that Verdi had
already put into sound. For this production, the Met exploit
the visual scale of its immense stage to great effect. The broadcast
conveys this well, while it also suggests intimate scenes through
various cameras on the stage and above it. The listener is not
just in the Met’s spacious house, but inside the production
with intimate shots comparable to the kind found in feature
films. Yet the musical performance stands out, starting with
the impressive leadership of conductor Marco Armiliato. Armiliato
conveys the style of the score from the outset, with a fine
sense of balance and shading. His tempos lend themselves to
the clear presentation of text and also permits phrasing that
allows for a persuasive treatment of the vocal lines and a deft
treatment of the accompaniment. This well-considered reading
merits attention for its response to the score along with the
abilities of the performers.
Among the principals, the troubadour of the title, Manrico is
portrayed well by Marcelo Alvarez, whose passion and musicianship
vividly display his character. His offstage singing is as enticing
for the audience as it is for Leonora. His involvement in the
trio with Leonora and Count di Luna, “Di geloso amor sprezzato”
is powerful on its own merits and for the way in which Alvarez
and the principals build the musical climaxes to give an aural
dimension to the drama. His sense of musical line fits aptly
with the dramatic bent of Manrico. This emerges well in the
third act aria “Ah! Si, ben mio” and especially
in Manrico’s duet with Leonora “Miserere”.
In the role of Leonora. Sondra Radvanovsky is at the top of her
form vocally and dramatically, with consistently breathtaking
musicality and stage presence. As precise as her delivery is
throughout the performance it is also stunning for the sense
of timing which allows it to sound spontaneous. Her scene with
Ines in the first act sets the tone for Leonora, which leads
to the passionate trio “Anima mea” in which Count
di Luna intrudes upon her assignation with Manrico. The shocking
revelation of the Count’s presence instead of Manrico
not only jolts Leonora, but Leonora’s declaration of love
stuns Manrico, since it should be aimed at him, not this rival.
The Count’s duplicity polarizes both Manrico and Leonora,
as acted well by Alvarez and Radvanovsky. Here the die is cast,
as the three principals decide to follow their passions to resolve
the conflicts. Radvanovsky’s intensity catches fire here,
as the drama takes shape not only in the “Miserere”
with Manrico, but also the subsequent duet with Count di Luna
“Mira, di acerbe lagrime”.
As Count di Luna, Dmitri Hvorostovsky is powerful in his creation
of the ruthless character who is obsessed with Leonora. The tragic
qualities of the Count emerge in this conception of the role,
which benefits from the pre-eminent musicianship of Hvorostovsky.
In the duet “Il trovatore!” Hvorostovsky gives a
fine delivery of the familiar piece, which is nicely contrasted
with Alvarez’s counterpoint. The other ensembles are equally
convincing, with the culminating scene between the Count and
Leonora setting up the final quartet, with Hvorostovsky’s
obsessive behaviour fueling the result.
Dolora Zajick’s Azucena is equally strong in a role she
has made her own. The famous aria “Strida la vampa!”
is intensely moving, as if the character came to life on stage.
In her interactions with Alvarez, Zajick maintains her dramatic
and musical intensity. This climaxes in the duet “Madre,
non dormi”, which is vivid in its evocation of the events
that precede the action of this drama. The memories that Azucena
brings forth propel her to the dénouement, where Zajick
hauntingly delivers the gypsy’s final words.
These performances come together brilliantly in this impressive
recording. With the nicely balanced Met orchestra reproduced
effectively here, the sound sometimes evokes the carefully voiced
balances of studio recordings. Yet this is a live performance
in which the musicians’ fine interactions add to the excitement.
While some would hold that Il trovatore requires the
finest principals for an effective performance, this recording
also suggests that the sense of theatricality Verdi infused
in this score affects the singers and drives them to give the
intensely moving performances found in this exceptional release.
More than that, the visual dimensions are enhanced with shots
and angles that take the viewer to the stage. It is difficult
not to become involved in this production through this well-crafted
disc.
James L Zychowicz
These performances come together brilliantly in this impressive
recording.