Spain Verdi, Aida: Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro Real / Nicola Luisotti (conductor). Teatro Real, Madrid, 24, 25, 26.10.2022. (JMI)
Production:
Director, Sets and Costumes – Hugo de Ana
Lighting – Vinicio Cheli
Choreography – Leda Lojodice
Video – Sergio Metalli
Cast:
Aida – Krassimira Stoyanova / Anna Netrebko / Roberta Mantegna
Radamés – Piotr Beczała / Yusif Eyvazov / Jorge de León
Amneris – Jamie Barton / Ketewan Kemoklidze / Sonia Ganassi
Amonasro – Carlos Álvarez / Artur Ruciński / Gevorg Hakobyan
Ramfis – Alexander Vinogradov / Jongmin Park / Simón Orfila
The King of Egypt – Deyan Vatchkov
Messenger – Fabián Lara
Priestess – Marta Bauza / Jacquelina Livieri
Teatro Real opened the brand new opera season with this Verdi masterpiece and the presence within the Royal field of King Felipe and Queen Letizia, who had been acquired with applause by the general public.
For such an important day Teatro Real, determined to once more stage the well-known Aida by Hugo de Ana (a co-production with the Abu Dhabi Festival) which premiered right here in 1998 and was revived in 2018. It mirrors the same old idea of his works: massive units, sensible costumes and poor stage path. In this case, it appeared as if we had been transferred to the Verona Arena, which has held quite a few de Ana stagings.
De Ana has revised the unique staging and made some adjustments, amongst them a variety of video projections. Of course, we’re in clearly in Egypt, with an obelisk in Act I and pyramids within the background. The Triumphal March takes place in a type of Roman theater with stairs on which the refrain is positioned.
As in 2018, the musical path was beneath Nicola Luisotti, whose studying had two completely different elements. The first two acts had been reasonably flat and even noisy, not what I count on from this excellent maestro, and particularly in Verdi operas. Fortunately, issues improved remarkably within the final two acts, the place there was the emotion I had missed within the first half. The Teatro Real orchestra and refrain gave wonderful performances.
In the primary solid, Aida was carried out by soprano Krassimira Stoyanova who – if I’m not mistaken – was making her debut at Teatro Real. Her voice is well-suited to the half, and he or she is a outstanding singer, however she wants extra character in her singing to be a real star.
The cancellations of singers and their corresponding substitutions are an enormous drawback that opera homes and aficionados need to take care of often. At Teatro Real, we witnessed one of many only a few events the place the cancellations and substitutions have been acquired with pleasure by the general public. Just a few days in the past, María Agresta, who was to sing the a part of Aida, cancelled. It was introduced that the singer changing her was none apart from Anna Netrebko, who beforehand had already been booked to sing two performances and had now added one other three.
Netrebko carried out on the stage of what one expects from such an excellent soprano. She is an completed stage performer whose voice continues to have an excellent high quality like few others, with an beautiful singing line during which her pianissimos stood out. I need to spotlight her scene on the Nile in Act III, the place ‘O, patria mia’ was a type of arias one will hear sung and shall be lengthy remembered.
The subsequent Aida was soprano Roberta Mantegna, who confirmed the impression she left on me the primary time I noticed her on stage. Her center vary is ok, however the coloration adjustments and turns into extra metallic and fewer enticing because the vary rises. For my style, she was much less profitable than the 2 Aidas who preceded her.
Radamés was performed within the first solid by tenor Piotr Beczała, who’s undoubtedly probably the most distinguished singers these days. He has a ravishing voice that he employs properly within the service of the character and was at his finest within the final two acts. The following day, Radamés was sung by tenor Yusif Eyvazov. His voice has amplitude, and he sings accurately. He was clearly much less convincing than Beczała the day earlier than, however he did properly, and you must settle for that he’s a part of the Netrebko pack.
The third Radamés was Jorge de León, whom I had not seen on stage for 3 years. At that point, I discovered him in wonderful voice, however he was much less convincing right here. He has a noticeable vibrato, though issues improved as his voice warmed up. I’m not revealing a secret by saying that his ‘Celeste Aida’ resulted in a prime word at full voice, held for a very long time.
Amneris within the first solid was mezzo-soprano Jamie Barton, who returned to the Teatro Real after her magnificent efficiency within the La favourite live performance 5 years in the past. She was excellent because the Pharaoh’s daughter after the primary scene, the place I used to be stunned by the truth that she was virtually inaudible. Fortunately, issues normalized, and one might take pleasure in her stunning, broad voice. The following day, Amneris was sung by Ketewan Kemoklidze. She has a voice of a sure high quality and sings with expression, however her voice doesn’t reply to the calls for of the function – she sounds extra like a soprano than a mezzo.
Mezzo-soprano Sonia Ganassi is a singer who has developed her profession in bel canto operas, and her Amneris received my consideration. It is a crucial change of repertoire, and he or she was not snug – her voice shouldn’t be suited to one of these character. She clearly held again in Act I to have the ability to get to the large scene of Act III, which she dealt with properly however with out brilliance.
In the primary solid, Amonasro was sung by baritone Carlos Álvarez, luxurious casting for a personality who, regardless of being vital, shouldn’t be one of many essential protagonists. He was wonderful, though it appeared to me that his voice didn’t have the fullness of earlier occasions. Baritone Artur Ruciński was good within the half, and has a voice suited to the function. The third Amonasro was Gevorg Hakobyan, who provided an acceptable voice.
There had been good performances by Alexander Vinogradov, Jongmin Park and Simón Orfila as Ramfis, the High Priest. I discovered Deyan Vatchkov because the King disappointing and under what’s required in a home of this significance. In the secondary characters, I might word Fabián Lara within the a part of the Messenger, and sopranos Marta Bauza and Jacquelina Livieri because the Priestess.
José M. Irurzun