Nearly 22,000 spectators fill the amphitheater to watch the spectacle unfold on the world’s largest opera stage. Director Alfonso Signorini’s production of Puccini’s beloved La Bohème transports the summery Arena to a snow-covered Paris of the 19th century. The tragic love story at the centre of the work is convincingly portrayed by audience favourite Vittorio Grigòlo and rising star Juliana Grigoryan, who is making her debut in the Arena. Grigòlo’s “‘full throttle’ Rodolfo shows energy and charisma, winning the audience over from the first notes” and Grigoryan moves the crowd as Mimì: “Her voice is rich, flowing with phrasing and precision, conveying emotions of love, hope and suffering without being victimized” (Artes News). The rest of the ensemble gives remarkable performances, toeing the line between light-heartedness and heartbreak perfectly. Especially outstanding: Eleonora Bellocci as Musetta “steals the show…her vocal agility and dynamism remain steadfast from her charming and flawless Waltz onwards” (Artes News). The orchestra, in the capable hands of Daniel Oren, “creates expressive and effective musical fabric” (Corriere dello Spettacolo).
La Gioconda
Amilcare Ponchielli’s La Gioconda, presented by the Teatro di San Carlo, in a co-production with the Gran Teatre del Liceu of Barcelona, presents a stellar cast under the baton of Pinchas Steinberg: Anna Netrebko, here in one of the most complex roles in the repertoire, shows “her vocal ability with an absolute mastery of her instrument” (Bachtrack). Ludovic Tézier’s Barnaba, “exhibited brilliant ease in every nuance of tone, register and phrasing” (Bachtrack) and Jonas Kaufmann’s Enzo proved his great presence and vocal skills. Romain Gilbert’s stage direction and the excellent performance from the orchestra fullfilled the expectations of a great production.
La Calisto
With David MacVicar’s production of La Calisto, the Cavalli renaissance has finally arrived at La Scala in Milan. In the pit, Christophe Rousset provides a musical moment of glory.
Norma
“Marta Torbidoni as Norma: triumphant” (L’Ape Musicale) To mark its 60th anniversary, the Macerata Opera Festival at the Sferisterio is celebrating with Bellini’s Norma in a new production by Milanese director and documentary filmmaker Maria Mauti. In the pit is Bellini specialist Fabrizio Maria Carminati, artistic director of the Teatro Bellini in Catania. Rising soprano Marta Torbidoni in the title role is flanked by an excellent, young cast including Roberta Mantegna (Adalgisa), Antonio Poli (Pollione) and Riccardo Fassi (Oroveso). Torbidoni’s “high notes soar and are always well controlled, her declamato is incisive in its power, and her timbre stands out for its luminosity and softness”. At her side, Mantegna is “always in perfect harmony” as the two sopranos demonstrated “beautiful and complementary voices” (Teatro). The festival orchestra under the masterful baton of Carminati is “magnificent, as was the sound of the festival choir under the direction of Martino Faggiani” (Klassik-begeistert.de).
Arena di Verona Festival 2021: La Traviata
With a spectacular new production, the Arena di Verona is celebrating its restart after the forced Corona break. La Traviata is a story of great emotions in the unique setting of the ancient amphitheatre of the Arena di Verona and with a star cast: Sonya Yoncheva, Vittorio Grigolo and George Petean offer a feast for the ears – and the new production is great theatre for the eyes. The action takes place in the golden Parisian era, the time of the world exhibition of 1889. On the huge stage, an LED wall measuring over 400 square meters unleashes impressive virtual imagery with a selection of paintings. These images from the Uffizi in Florence add additional perspectives to the concept of the mise-en-scene by creating a synergy between the arts of opera and painting.
Moïse et Pharaon
Moise et Pharon opened the 2021 Rossini Opera Festival. Stage director Pier Luigi Pizzi handling direction, sets and costumes worked his magic: The sparse sets and computer animations were reminiscents of American artist James Turrell’s lights and spaces in their simplicity and impact. The extensive ballet is a highly imaginative and irresistibly camp dance interlude and Eleonora Buratto’s (Anaï) sumptuous voice sparkles through the registers and displays extraordinarily beautiful moments witnessed in decades. Mezzo-soprano Vasilisa Berzhanskaya (Sinaide) is a magnificent discovery: Possessing a true bel canto voice, her second act is spine-tingling. Among the highlights is also Roberto Tagliavini’s splendid final prayer “Des cieux ou tu resides” in the role of Moise. The RAI orchestra under the baton of Giacomo Sagripanti delivers an emotional and powerful interpretation of the score.
Les Vêpres siciliennes
“The Teatro Massimo succeeds in creating a masterpiece. This is also due to music director Omer Meir Wellber.” (Neue Zürcher Zeitung) Giuseppe Verdi composed Les Vêpres siciliennes (The Sicilian Vespers) – a story of oppression and revolt against the French rulers – in French. Palermo-born writer and director Emma Dante links the opera to present-day Palermo with the city’s mafia past and the tragic deaths of judges Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. This was the catalyst for a series of uprisings and social actions that led to the reopening of the Teatro Massimo and the re-appropriation of urban spaces, which are reflected in Dante’s production. While Emma Dante’s imagery creates a richness and intensity feast for the eyes, musical director Omer Meir Wellber ties the knot to make this production from the Teatro Massimo a true gem.
Arena di Verona Festival 2022: Carmen
After many worldwide successes as Carmen, Elina Garanca now makes her long-awaited debut on the world’s largest opera stage, the nearly 2,000-year-old Arena di Verona. “With perfect diction, [Elina Garanca’s] bohemian is a true stage beast who makes a mockery of life with panache, taunting her lover just out of prison with sarcastic ‘taratata’ and then daring to face an adverse fate with implausible aplomb.” (Crescendo-Magazine.be). Italian film and stage director Franco Zeffirelli also made his debut at the Arena back then with Carmen. On the occasion of his 100th birthday, his three versions were put together for the first time in a “best of” version. The side set painted for the first edition and the large number of people and wide movements that characterized the original production are set back on stage. Highlights of the 2003 and 2009 stagings are skillfully combined with this. The 2022 production is hence something never seen before, which even proposes scenography’s elements that haven’t been realized in the previous stagings, but were originally planned by Zeffirelli.
Rossini Opera Festival 2022: Le Comte Ory
“French soprano Julie Fuchs was a superb Adèle […] a terrific soprano, light yet incisive, and the pinpoint accuracy of her coloratura was staggering.” (Bachtrack.com) Le comte Ory is a comedic opera by Gioachino Rossini set in medieval France. The opera, Rossini’s only French comedy, is known for its sparkling music, including well-known arias such as Adèle’s aria “En proie à la tristesse”, Comte Ory’s aria “Que les destins prospères” and the duet Ory-Isolier “Voyez donc, voyez donc le traître”. Rossini’s score is characterized by its elaborate vocal lines, quick-witted humour, and beautiful ensemble pieces. Le comte Ory is a delightful and light-hearted comedy that showcases Rossini’s skill at blending humour and music.
Rossini Opera Festival 2014: Armida
Armida is one of Rossini’s most beautiful operas and a work which clearly privileges the prima donna, here interpreted by Carmen Romeu, a Spanish soprano who started in Pesaro as a student with the Rossini Academy in 2011 and has graduated to important roles. On her side, a brilliant trio of three tenors: Randall Bills, Dmitry Korchak and the outstanding Antonino Siragusa. In this “Dramma per musica”, loosely based on episodes from Torquato Tasso’s epic “Jerusalem Delivered”, is a visually striking magical opera. Luca Ronconi, the second grand master among the great Italian directors alongside Giorgio Strehler, has staged the conflict between Christians and pagans, between the love of the sorceress Armida and the knight Rinaldo, as a homage to Sicilian puppet theatre. A sold out highlight of the Festival.