Corrie Stallings / Rezensionen

The Pittsburgh Opera performance was outstanding, both vocally and instrumentally. Soprano Jasmine Muhammad offered a compelling performance in the title role. She was both regal and human. Apart from a bit of edginess in a few of her highest notes, Muhammad sang with gorgeous tone and clean, precise lines. Mezzo-soprano Carrie Stallings was completely convincing as Bertarido. Her voice was vibrant and agile, while her characterization of the King was bold and heroic without a hint of exaggeration.Tenor Adam Bonanni offered a convincing picture of Grimoaldo, the usurper who talks (and sings) tougher than he is. Bonanni also sang extremely well, varying his tone and power to dramatic circumstance, and with well-arched phrasing.Philip Gay was impressive as the truly ruthless Garibaldo, who is the power behind Grimoaldo until he sees an opportunity for more power by trying to kill Grimoaldo. Gay has a one-dimensional character but sang with ample vocal heft.Bertarido's sister, Eduige, who rejects Grimoaldo's offer of marriage before he turns to her sister-in-law, was ably performed by mezzo-soprano Laurel Sernerdijian. Her voice has appealing weight, intensity and flexibility.Zachary Wood sang the countertenor part of Unulfo. He's actually a bass, but sang with confidence and appealing, consistent tone octaves above his home turf.Conductor Michael Beattie led a performance that was brilliantly unified in baroque style and dramatic thrust. The orchestra featured guest artists Chatham Baroque, along with Mark Trawka on harpsichord. The remainder of the ensemble was drawn from Pittsburgh Opera Orchestra, played as though born to the baroque manner.The staging has to work within the constraints of the small size of the stage. The dramatic focus offered by stage director Crystal Manich is well conceived. However, her idea of the opera as taking place in a war zone was overdone in the set design. More distracting is the practice of have parts of the set, including the fauna to represent the royal garden, move in and out of place while characters are singing. “Rodelinda” lasts just under three hours as presented by Pittsburgh Opera. There were many cuts; a complete performance would last about four hours. This production also cuts the opera's total duration by breaking it into two parts, rather than Handel's three acts, saving a 20-minute intermission.

It’s a smartly written tale about how the humble servant Figaro and his friends try to outsmart the handsome and powerful Count Almaviva in such a way that all can live happily ever after. You might be put off a bit because it’s in Italian. But somehow with the text above the stage, the mode of the music, and the artistic lighting, I’m sure you’ll understand every word and feeling. It’s been over 200 years since this work had its premier, and yet it almost feels like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is standing in the wings. Almost as amazing as the opera is the talent brought together to make this production a reality. As I watched, I felt like everyone on stage had been singing and performing together for years. However, after reading their biographies, you realize that these extremely talented individuals have traveled many different paths to find themselves in Pittsburgh for our enjoyment. The audience was made up of opera lovers of all ages from teens to retirees. There is no dress code for going to an opera. A small percentage of those in attendance wore jeans and another small group were in formal attire. The Benedum is a gorgeous and an extremely comfortable venue for enjoying any kind of performance. Every time an opera singer takes a part in a production as famous and popular as The Marriage of Figaro, they are compared to the many talented performers who have sang that same part in days gone by. Let the experts compare. All I want to do is to say thanks to all the talented folks that gave me an evening I won’t soon forget. A special thanks to Tyler Simpson, who played Figaro, Joelle Harvey, who sang the part of Susanna, and Christian Bowers who brought to life Count Almaviva. All three were making their Pittsburgh Opera Debut. And a special thanks goes to Pittsburgher Danielle Pastin, who sang the roll of Countess Almaviva. I have always enjoyed opera music, but I sort of kept it to myself. I started to believe being an opera fan must be a cool thing when I learned that the great race car driver, Mario Andretti was an opera fan. Now, I don’t need someone else to validate my appreciation of the art form; I simply enjoy it. And I’m sure you would too.

The orchestral part is of primary importance, evidenced from the first notes in a splendid rendition of the Prelude, which juxtaposes themes of the children’s prayer and the witch’s music. Act 2 (here played without a break from the opening scene) further showcased the orchestra, with the Witch’s Ride, forest music reminiscent of “Forest Murmurs” from Wagner’s Siegfried, and the great balletic pantomime that closes the act. The singers, all past and present members of Pittsburgh Opera’s resident artist program, were delightfully into their parts, individually and as a theatrical ensemble. Corrie Stallings, a lovely mezzo-soprano whose voice type puts her in line for lots of “trouser roles” (operatic teenaged boys) was totally convincing in gesture and demeanor as an awkward adolescent asserting his masculinity while desperately trying to conceal his fears. Ashley Fabian pranced around appealingly as his more sensible but nonetheless unpredictable sister, while Leah Heater (formerly Leah De Gruyl) and Craig Verm lent an element of pathos to the parents who cannot provide for their offspring. Marianne Cornetti, a Pittsburgh favorite who sings the big Wagner and Verdi parts all over the world, stole the show as the Witch, even though her character doesn’t sing until late in the opera. She has a formidable stage persona with voice to match. She was funny, forbidding and altogether riveting in conveying the evil glee of anticipating baking the youngsters into her dinner. The younger artists, however, struggled to be heard above the orchestra, even as somewhat reduced here, and kept in tight rein by the sensitive conductor. Ms. Fabian sang with clarity and accuracy, but her voice is not large enough for a theater of this size, and many of Gretel’s loveliest lines were lost in the fray. Ms. Stallings came through intermittently better, but the irresistible tunes of the opening scene dance duet, for one example, just didn’t have their intended effect. Ms. Heater and Mr. Verm both have solid, mature voices, but the Mother’s Act 1 solo turn demands more heft than this admirable mezzo could muster, although she conveyed convincingly the conflicting emotions. Mr. Verm brought verve and fervor to the feckless Father, but struggled with the highest notes that the role calls for. With her forceful, pungent soprano, Caitlin Gotimer had no problems being heard in the dual roles of the Sandman and the Dew Fairy – turning the Dew Fairy’s brief solo into an unexpected highlight.