Aureliano in Palmira comes in as number 12 in Rossini's
thirty-nine operatic titles. It opened the 1813-14 La Scala, Milan Carnival
Season, on 26 December 1813.
Eighteen-thirteen was generally a fabulous year for Rossini. He had seen
three of his earlier works reach the stage including the highly successful
Tancredi (see DVD
review) and
L'Italiana in Algeri (see
bargain CD with Marilyn Horne and the 2013 Pesaro
updated production on
DVD). These works projected Rossini to the forefront of
Italian opera composers and led to his being summoned, in only his
twenty-first year, to Naples by the influential impresario Barbaja. There he
was offered the position of Music Directorship of the Royal Theatres of that
city, the San Carlo and the Fondo. Barbaja's proposals appealed to Rossini
for several reasons. Foremost, his annual fee was generous and guaranteed.
Also the San Carlo had a professional orchestra unlike the theatres of
Venice and Rome. The composer saw this situation as a considerable advantage
as he aspired to push the boundaries of opera composition in more
adventurous directions.
Whatever Rossini's earlier successes of 1813,
Aureliano in
Palmira received only a modest welcome in Milan and this despite the
management of La Scala lavishing generous resources on the new opera. The
composer blamed this poor response on the singers. This related particularly
to the loss of the high tenor Giovanni David to smallpox and the limitations
of his replacement, which forced Rossini to lower the tenor tessitura in the
second act. Rossini was later to write several roles for David at the San
Carlo. Also, Rossini had to deal with the temperamental castrato Giovanni
Battista Velluti who he had earlier heard alongside the Spanish Isabella
Colbran, who in Naples was to become Verdi's mistress and later his
wife. However, by the time of
Aureliano in Palmira, Velluti, it
seems, was more preening
prima donna than vocal superstar. The role
of Arsace, written specifically for Velluti, was the only one Rossini ever
composed for this voice-type. Despite the work's modest reception in
Milan,
Aureliano in Palmira played throughout Italy, and as far
away as London, until at least 1830. Its story, and perhaps the regular
borrowings of the music in which Rossini indulged, including the overture in
another two of his operas, saw its ultimate fall into neglect. Later
performances transferred the role of Arsace, created by Velluti, to a mezzo
or contralto
en travesti.
With no autograph surviving, scholar-cum-conductor Will Crutchfield,
author of the critical edition used in this performance, has gone to sources
at other theatres where Rossini presented the opera and found music that was
not used at the premiere. In fact that there is another thirty minutes or so
music compared with the Opera Rara recording of 2012 (see
review). The brief
booklet essay does not elaborate on this issue. We can only speculate that
some of the music was missed from the premiere because of Giovanni David's
non-availability and the vocal limitations of his replacement. However, it
should also be recognised that the additional material gives extra cohesion
to the plot, particularly in the duets, whilst also, it seems to me, some
longueurs.
The plot is set in 272 AD in the ancient city of Palmyra, modern Syria. I
am thankful that Pesaro has not followed its frequent practice of updating
to the present at least in respect of costumes and armaments. Although togas
are notable by their absence there are plenty of breastplates and swords as
well as the peasants being appropriately attired in period. The story
relates how the queen, Zenobia, and her lover, the Persian general Arsace,
are defeated in battle by the Roman Emperor Aureliano who agrees to free
Arsace if Zenobia will give herself to him; she refuses. Eventually,
Aureliano is won over by the lovers' devotion, freeing them when they
pledge loyalty to Rome. Such pacifism is much like Mozart's
Tito,
somewhat imaginary and more to do with the requirement for
lieto
fine, or happy ending, as was the contemporary requirement in Italian
opera at that time. What might have been the reality then is shown in the
projections on the back wall in the final scene.
The sets perhaps reflect two things. First the limitations of the budget
and also of the size of the theatre stage. The stage is extended over the
orchestra pit necessitating the placing of the keyboard continuo on-stage
throughout, albeit with lighting often limiting its visual intrusion. Mario
Martone, the imaginative producer, has the soloist joining in the action
from time to time, but not in an excessive or gimmicky way. He also
introduces some well-behaved goats to back-up the pastoral chorus (CH.49).
The other parts of the set consist of translucent short-height vertical
sheets that are flown so as to create entrances, prison walls, cells and the
like. The stepladders used as Zenobia is dressed in her finery on her
chariot are also somewhat incongruous. Above all, and despite some visual
limitations it all works, unlike, I must add, some high budget Regietheater
efforts in more moneyed theatres and festivals in northern Europe.
Two further factors are important to the success of this enterprise.
First, the conductor Crutchfield's grasp of the fact that Rossini
self-plagiarised some of the music, particularly the overture in the buffa
Il Barbiere. He nevertheless subtly brings out differences of
emphasis, tempi and dynamic for this opera drama or seria. This is also
evident in other places where the commonality of tunes between the two works
is present. The second factor to contribute to the success of this first
series of performances ever of the work at this festival is the quality of
the singing and the acting of the soloists and chorus. The eponymous title
role is sung by the American Michael Spyres. Sometimes referred to as a
'baritenor', his tone is distinctly lyric with a good lower
extension and, most important for Rossini's writing for the role, the
ability to go up to E without sounding as if he is having his throat cut
(CH.53). Add excellent acting, his facial expressions, the manner he
bestrides the stage and his interpretation is as good as it gets. Jessica
Pratt matches his histrionic and vocal ability in her third consecutive year
in a major role at the Pesaro Rossini Opera Festival. In between she has
been singing the likes of Violetta and Lucia and at notable operatic
addresses. She is very tall and might even be described as statuesque. She
acts with her body, eyes and voice to create a moving and involved Queen
Xenobia - and her coloratura is exemplary. I'm glad I caught her at
the 2010 Garsington Festival in the UK premiere of Rossini's
Armida
(
review). She is a major talent in the coloratura
repertoire and delivers at La Scala, but has made only a fleeting visit to
Covent Garden and not yet at the Met. That she was born in England and
brought up in Australia has led to premature talk about Pratt as a successor
to Sutherland. Such talk is unfair although her skills in this repertoire
are currently as good as they get. The third principal, Lena Belkina harks
from Uzbekistan. She has a warm-toned mezzo and a good lower extension with
occasional lapses of intonation. I couldn't help thinking what Ewa Podles
would make of this role whilst accepting that her age would make her a
non-starter as a believable lover of this Queen. It is a big sing and
Belkina is a singer of much promise who delivers here as well.
All the minor roles are more than adequately taken with Raffaela Lupinacci
as Publio, secretly in love with Arsace, a visual delight as well as singing
with good expression and tone. Dimitri Pkhaladze as the High Priest of
Isisis is tuneful but I would have liked to have had the sonority of a full
bass such as is found in
Il Barbiere.
The sound and the picture quality are excellent.
Robert J Farr
