Past Production Reviews
9Simpatico e gradevole l’Arlecchino di Liviu Holender
Liviu Holender è ottimo nel ruolo di Harlekin
Affiatati, ben assortiti e perfettamente calibrati anche gli altri commedianti, dalla calda voce di basso del Truffaldino di Vladimir Sazdovski, ai due ben timbrati Scaramuccio (Mathias Frey) e Brighella (Carlos Natale), Tra le tre ninfe spicca per volume e qualità dello strumento la Dryade di Adriana Di Paola, mentre appare perfettibile la Najade di Nofar Yacobi e ben centrata Chiara Notarnicola quale Echo.
How cruel these old comedies are! Don Pasquale, close to the end of Donizetti’s astonishing and tragically truncated career – this was his 64th opera; only two more were to come – is sometimes spoken of as being rather more nuanced than other examples of the genre. But at core it is the quintessential commedia dell’arte story of young love triumphing over authority in the shape of an old man. Or, to put it another way, it presents, for our approval, the spectacle of an old man being punished for attempting to foil the desires of the young.
"...Celle d’Osmin en revanche est de grande qualité expressive : Davide Giangregorio, se confirme ici comme un excellent baryton après ses débuts réussis en Ferrando dans le Trovatore de Macerata l’été dernier
vorrei sottolineare come l’Osmin di Davide Giangregorio nell’arco di una sola aria si faccia notare per una voce potente, ricca di armonici, ben assestata: insomma, ottima serata per lui.
María Rey-Joly, in the eponymous role, showed a mellow, lyrical soprano, which at the beginning seemed a bit empty in the middle register, but, in the second act, found a better foundation and richness. She was particularly effective in the larmoyant style, but she also approached the last difficult aria (“Da te solo”) with boldness, receiving great acclaim. Uberto, the father, was Markus Werba: his interpretation was full of emotion, and his bass well suited to the part, with good high notes and great support. Uberto has several madness scenes, inspired by Paisiello’s Nina; Werba was very effective, conveying his character’s madness without losing elegance and style. Edgardo Rocha was Ernesto, the unfaithful repentant lover; he had two of the most challenging arias, the second one (“Ah! Se il fato”) written by Paër for the famous tenor Marco Bordogni for the Paris debut of the opera. Rocha sailed through the coloratura and the high notes with his customary rock-solid belcanto technique. His voice found its place in the nose too often, but overall his performance was exciting. The director made a mockery of the character of Ernesto: he had an improbable blonde tuft and acted in an exaggerated and affected manner. Rocha was irresistible, his natural comic vein perfectly suited to this interpretation. Filippo Morace, as Don Pasquale, showed perfect style and a measured, elegant interpretation of the buffo character, although his voice lacked the projection required in the large Teatro Regio. Giulia Della Peruta was an adorable Vespina, her high soprano well suited to the spirited maid. The other singers rounded out the performance, contributing to a well-deserved success.
