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Editors for The Americas - Bruce Hodges and Jonathan Spencer Jones
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SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL
OPERA REVIEW
Director: Marcelo Lombardero
Sets: Diego Siliano
Costumes: Luciana Gutman
Lighting: Horacio Efron
Chorus: Juan Casasbellas
Children's Chorus: Mónica Dagorret
Choreography: Ignacio González Cano
Cast:
Carmen: Adriana Mastrángelo
Don José: Martín Muehle
Escamillo: Leonardo Estévez
Micaela: Oriana Favaro
Zuñiga: Walter Schwarz
Morales: Ricardo Crampton
Frasquita: Cecilia Pastawski
Mercedes: Victoria Gaeta
Le Dancaïre: Sebastián Sorarrain
Le Remendado: Santiago Bürgi
Lillas Pasta: Mario Filgueira
Adriana Mastrángelo (Carmen) and Martín Muehle (Don José)
Photo Liliana Morsia
For its first production of 2011 Buenos Aires Lírica offered a
very modern and earthy view of Bizet's ever popular Carmen
from the experienced Marcelo Lombardero. Modern
in dress and action with no apparent attempts to "politicise"
or give it "relevance," it could speak for itself - the only
jarring factor being an unnecessary projected film of a
bullfight - and this was undoubtedly one of the reasons why it
worked so well.
The other reason is of course a cast who could give
substance to the emotions and in this they excelled both
vocally and visually, with Adriana Mastrángelo a strong and
sensual Carmen and Martín Muehle an initially simple and
finally desperate and broken Don José. Mastrángelo, Uruguayan
born, is as seductive of voice as she is in her movements, and
Muehle, originally from Brazil, was expressive and masterful.
Notable too was the Micaela of Oriana Favaro, who charmed
with her innocence and crystalline clarity. However, Leonardo
Estévez's Escamillo was less successful - although he looked
the part, slim and dashing, vocally he appeared somewhat out
of range.
Mention too must be made of the other parts and in
particular Cecilia Pastawski and Victoria Gaeta as Frasquita
and Mercedes respectively, the outlandish Dancaïre of
Sebastián Sorarrain and Remendado of Santiago Bürgi, and the
camp Lillas Pastia of Mario Filgueira.
The chorus trained by Juan Casasbellas and the children's
chorus (from the Teatro Argentino in La Plata) under Mónica
Dagorret were both impeccable, and the orchestra under Alejo
Pérez gave a polished and lively reading, without in any way
being forced. This was the original version with spoken
dialogue that was presented.
And for the Buenos Aires audiences, who are notorious for
walking out with the final fall of the curtain, a special note
in the program encouraged patrons to stay and applaud, which
in large measure they did with enthusiasm.
Jonathan Spencer Jones