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Opera Notes Cavalleria rusticana Gripping new production of 'Cavalleria rusticana' and 'Pagliacci' directed by Giancarlo del Monaco and conducted by Paolo Carignaniby Birgit Popp
As a completely rounded piece of work were the vocal performances especially in 'Cavalleria'. First to mention is Hubert Delamboye (Turiddu), whose silky tenor is winning someone over from the first tone on and who mastered all difficulties of the score with great certainty and ease. In the same time he was in his acting a convincing 'macho'. Cold and dismissive, full of harmed pride to have been discovered in his disloyalty, whose cool appearance melts only in view of a soon death. Close to him came the other members of the cast and the by Andrés Máspero excellent instructed choir of the Oper Frankfurt. Monika Krause was impressive as 'Santuzza' with her clear, expressive, nuanced soprano. Carlos Almaguer's powerful, warm baritone gave the coachman 'Alfio' a friendly, nevertheless firm appearance, which changed finally into determined revenge. As well casted were Frankfurt legend Anny Schlemm as Turiddu's mother 'Lucia' and Gudrun Pelker as seductive 'Lola'. Compared to this small diamond it was not easy for the casting of 'Pagliacci' to keep pace after the intermission, though the casting as well from the singing as from the acting part had been done very well: Adrian Thompson as the stocky head of the actors group 'Canio', the clainty Dunja Simic as his unhappy, young wife 'Nedda'; in the role of 'Peppe' an excellent singing and acting Peter Marsh; a solid farmer 'Silvio' with Zeljko Lucic and Claudio Otelli as his power and feelings not always controlling, by hurt pride and jalousie driven 'Tonio', whose prologue was enthusiastically received by the Frankfurt audience.
Giancarlo del Monaco compared 'Santuzza' with the Greek legend about 'Medea', who left a bunch of dead bodies behind her. Therefore he excluded totally the folkloristic-cheerful elements and the threatening of 'Santuzza' by the world of men becomes obviously from the first moment on. In this production the fight between 'Alfio' and 'Turiddu' does not take place behind the scenery but in front of 'Santuzza' and 'Lucia', which makes it even more affecting and present for the audience. Further performances: April 5., 8., 10., 17., 23., 30, May 3, 15, 1999. Copyright for Text & Layout © 1998 - 2001 Birgit Popp |
Suiting the contents of 'Cavalleria rusticana', of which the tragic course occurs on Easter Sunday in a Sicilian village, the Frankfurt première of 'Cavalleria rusticana' and 'Pagliacci' took place on the eve of Easter Sunday. A gripping, in its clearness and strictness fascinating production Giancarlo del Monaco delivered especially with Mascagni's 'Cavalleria rusticana', which was breath-taking by its musical and staging performance. In his first new production the future General Music Director of the Frankfurt Opera House Paolo Carignani produced with the orchestra of the Oper Frankfurt real sound fireworks form sweet-folksong-like melodies over festive, religious moments to tense-loaded duets and in piled-up power unloading dramatic.
Giancarlo del Monaco had with his stage setter Wolf Münzner created a setting from black and white, from light and shadows. Both operas play in almost the same scenery on a square in front of the church only with slight changes. The houses are white and in both operas a red curtain spans over the square, which is opened and closed in the beginning and in the end by 'Santuzza' and 'Tonio' respectively.