Francesco Cilea, a Calabrian, is remembered principally today for his
opera
Adriana Lecouvreur (1902), He wrote several other operas but
these are rarely performed. Quite a discovery, this is the world première on
commercial video of Cilea’s three act opera
L’Arlesiana (
The
Girl from Arles). It is directed by Rosetta Cucchia and is a
co-production with Wexford Festival Opera. The Italian libretto by Leopoldo
Marenco was based on the play
L’Arlésienne (1872) by Alphonse
Daudet one of the most celebrated of his collection of short stories
Letters from my windmill (
Lettres de mon moulin). It was
Georges Bizet who wrote the incidental music to the play
L’Arlésienne, adapted and produced by Léon Carvalho, which flopped
although Bizet’s music prospered.
Originally in four acts, Cilea’s verismo score was first performed in 1897
at Teatro Lirico di Milano with a young Enrico Caruso in the role of
Federico. Nevertheless in 1898 the score was revised as a three-act opera
with a prelude added. Over the next 44 years Cilea made a number of
revisions. In 2011 whilst going through the collection of Cilea’s papers in
Palmi the Italian tenor Giuseppe Filianoti unearthed the manuscript of
Federico’s aria
Una mattina m’apriron nella stanza that had been
cut from the four act version. Filianoti had the
Una mattina
orchestrated by composer Mario Guido Scappucci and it is here included in
Act 3.
This psychological drama revolves around Federico, a young shepherd, who
becomes increasingly infatuated with a mystery woman from Arles
(
L’Arlesiana). As his mental state deteriorates Federico’s
infatuation becomes a dangerous obsession which the people around him are
unable to assuage. The woman from Arles is traditionally never shown but
here she is depicted by an actress with long red hair as an apparition that
haunts Federico. In the traditional ending Federico jumps to his death out
of a hayloft window, whilst in this production by director Rosetta Cucchi,
our hero takes his life by slashing his own throat. The elephant in the
room, and maybe one of the reasons why this opera is rarely performed today,
is that the plot includes an important character which is Federico’s
brother, referred to as L’Innocente, who is cognitively impaired and is
described in the booklet as “mentally retarded”. Mental health can be a
difficult subject to broach as several reviewers of recent productions fail
even to mention L’Innocente. Running through the score is the prevailing
theme of mental illness and it seems that Cilea during his youth witnessed
his own mother’s mental breakdown.
Sarah Bacon’s set and Claudio Pernigotti’s costumes are mainly
contemporary with the opera’s composition date except for a few modern
touches. Bacon’s set is the courtyard of the whitewashed Provençal
farm-house that by Act 3 has become the inside of a ward in a mental home
with an elevated caged area for confinement.
Russian tenor Dmitry Golovnin plays the role of Federico. It took me some
time to warm to Golovnin’s bright vocal, nevertheless by Federico’s famous
Lament the 2 aria
È la solita storia del pastore (track 14) a
favourite of Gigli, Di Stefano and Pavarotti, Golovnin’s voice has opened
splendidly displaying fluidity and focus. It’s a moving account with the
anguished Federico lying on the kitchen table and his brother L’Innocente
cowering underneath. In act 3 the tenor’s aria
Una mattina (track
21) receives a splendidly moving rendition and Golovnin can be justly proud
of his portrayal of the tormented shepherd.
Luckless and long suffering Rosa Mamai is given a characterful and
suitably anguished portrayal by Annunziata Vestri. With plenty of steel in
her expressive voice the Italian mezzo-soprano excels in her Act 1 Romanza
Era un giorno di festa (track 6) and the great Monologue from Act 3
Esser madre è un inferno (track 23). Designer Claudio Pernigotti
sees fit to dress Rosa mannishly in a grey jacket buttoned up to the neck
rather in the manner of James Bond villains Dr. No, Blofeld and Drax.
Cutting a persuasive figure on stage, if dressed rather too stylishly for
an old shepherd, was Stefano Antonucci as Baldassarre. Complete with limp
and walking stick the compassionate Baldassarre dispenses sage-like advice
that no one seems to heed. From Act 1 the old shepherd’s aria
Come due
tizzi accesi (track 3) and from act 2
Vieni con me sui monti
(track 6) are effectively sung, expressive and focused by the Italian
baritone who acts sensitively throughout.
The part of the demure and girlish Vivetta is capably sung by the Italian
Mariangela Sicilia. Dressed mainly in grey and hiding behind her winter
tweed coat and hat it was a surprise when Vivetta undresses down to her
underwear in a pitiful attempt to seduce Federico. From Act 1 Vivetta’s
Romanza
Dalle fresche pendici is sung effectively by Sicilia with a
bright, flexible and warm soprano, although, I am not entirely convinced by
her diction.
Looking like a fearsome pantomime villain baritone Valeriu Caradja in the
small role of swarthy horse-herder Metifio is suitably dark and angry.
It’s a local superstition that a child such as L’Innocente brings good
fortune on a household. In this household only Baldassarre pays the boy any
attention. Marked by a shock of blonde hair L’Innocente is played by
counter-tenor Riccardo Angelo Strano. In what is more of an acting role
L’Innocente does slightly contribute vocally but nothing too serious.
Francesco Cilluffo conducts his Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana with
verve and assurance. Similarly the well prepared 'Coro Lirico
Marchigiano V. Bellini' maintains the high standard.
The sound formats on this Blu-ray disc are LPCM Stereo 2.0ch 48kHz/16 bit
and DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 48kHz. As I expected from Dynamic, the sound
quality is satisfactorily balanced and agreeable, being clear, if a touch
lacking in warmth. In High Definition the picture quality is most pleasing
with an excellent definition. The accompanying booklet includes translations
of a splendid essay by Giancarlo Landini and an informative note by director
Rosetta Cucchi. The synopsis provided is a traditional scenario and is not
totally in step with what we saw on stage under Rosetta Cucchi’s
direction.
Filmed at Teatro Pergolesi, Jesi, Ancona the video direction by Tiziano
Mancini is admirable, employing cameras actively. This avoids fatigue or
tedium. The audience at Teatro Pergolesi is only seen whilst taking their
seats before curtain up. The camera fixes on the stage action and doesn’t
break to any orchestral players in the pit for solos.
This is a strong production that generates considerable dramatic tension.
For those with a particular interest in verismo this Cilea work is a real
find and is easy to recommend.
Michael Cookson
