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United States Verdi, Don Carlos: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Lyric Opera of Chicago / Enrique Mazzola (conductor). Civic Opera House, Chicago, 25.11.2022. (JLZ)
Production:
Original Director – Sir David McVicar
Revival Director – Axel Weidauer
Sets – Robert Jones
Costumes – Brigitte Reiffenstuel
Revival Lighting – Jan Hartmann
Revival Choreographer – August Tye
Fight director – Chuck Coyl
Chorus grasp – Michael Black
Cast:
Carlos – Joshua Guerrero
Thibault – Denis Vélez
Elisabeth – Rachel Willis-Sørensen
Count of Lerma – Laureano Quant
Monk – Peixin Chen
Rodrigue – Igor Golovatenko
Eboli – Clémentine Margaine
Philippe II – Dmitri Belossselskly
Royal Herald – Alejandro Luévanos
Voice from Above – Lindsey Reynolds
Grand Inquisitor – Soloman Howard
Much is fabricated from the revisions to Verdi’s Don Carlos, notably the five-act model in French that Lyric used right here, and the choices level to the persevering with attraction of the opera. Within these selections, performers have the inventive area to make a manufacturing persuasive once they convey the rating to trendy audiences. While audiences at Lyric Opera of Chicago have been accustomed to Don Carlo, the Italian model, this primary staging of the French-language revision succeeded on many counts.
The manufacturing itself is a revival of the one Sir David McVicar designed for Oper Frankfurt. The set for all of the acts is predicated on a collection of white columns that serve varied features, and this environment friendly idea facilitates scene modifications. While suggesting a pavilion within the forest of Fontainebleau, the addition of crosspieces and matching white bricks in Act II shifted it easily to the monastery. With the removing of Charles V’s tomb, the monastery inside steered a chamber at Philippe’s courtroom within the subsequent act. This allowed for an virtually uninterrupted move between the primary three acts. (The efficiency had a single intermission between Acts III and IV).
Unfortunately, the transition close to the shut of the opera was awkward: actors moved across the darkened stage whereas it was reset for the ultimate scene. This interrupted the widely easy move and may be reconsidered if Lyric makes use of the manufacturing in a future season. If that have been to happen, Lyric may also discover a strategy to enable the Voice from Above (Lindsey Reynolds) on the finish of Act III to be heard extra clearly inside the tableau.
Against the widely static white background, a number of particulars emerged, corresponding to Eboli’s distinguished use of a veil in her Act III scene with Carlos that related the ‘Veil’ track within the earlier act to the narrative. Yet it was odd to see the chandelier within the opening scene, when it belonged within the subsequent act the place it served as a censer above the tomb. It referred to as consideration to the affect that Charles V had on the plot, and in addition bolstered the voice that Verdi had given to the putatively deceased ruler in his rating. These and different visible components supported that textual content, which was sung with outstanding type.
The principals within the solid have been equally sturdy interpreters of their roles. Tenor Joshua Guerrero conveyed his character’s type from the beginning, with the aria ‘Je l’ai vue’ setting the tone for the next duet with Rachel Willis-Sørensen’s Elisabeth. Guerrero’s remarkably facile higher register allowed him to phrase passages with an ear towards the road. The full, supported sound was welcome within the uncovered phrases that require such a gifted and expert musician to sound convincing. Guerrero introduced related ardour to the scene with Igor Golovatenko as Rodrigue, the Marquis of Posa. In the duet ‘Dieu, tu semas dans nos âmes’, the 2 complemented one another, their voices mixing with an identical, rounded tone. This continued later of their compelling farewell scene of Act IV.
The constant strategy Guerrero delivered to the singing with Posa prolonged to his later scene with Clémentine Margaine’s Eboli. Here, the shock that Guerrero confirmed when Eboli confessed her love for him was as spontaneous as Golovatenko’s response earlier within the opera when he realizes that Carlos is in love with the queen. Margaine’s voice and appearing mixed to offer the rating dimensions that elicited a robust response – heat applause accompanied virtually each quantity.
Dmitri Belossselskly gave a strong interpretation of Philippe II. While his voice sounded barely hole in his Act II entrance, he rapidly warmed to the acoustics of the home with a wealthy and full bass. The soliloquy on the opening of the ultimate act confirmed his eager strategy to Verdi because it arrange the deadly actions that may observe. With this work, the position of the Catholic Church takes on dimensions that problem the tenets of mercy and forgiveness on the core of the religion, and Verdi embodied this within the position of the Grand Inquisitor. Bass Soloman Howard, resolute and threatening, introduced the position to life. The decrease pitches of his resonant voice introduced a chill to the home in his well-known duet with Belossselskly as they foresee the our bodies that can must be buried to take care of the established order of the courtroom and, indisputably, the Church.
In an identical means, Margaine was a multi-dimensional, gorgeous Eboli. Her interpretation of the acquainted ‘Veil’ track was note-perfect and benefited from refined pauses that made the piece appear recent. Her ‘O don fatal’ virtually stopped the motion as the assorted threads of deception and betrayal merged musically and dramatically with consummate type. The full-bodied ardour of a strong girl thwarted by destiny got here alive on stage.
The highly effective music-making continued, as Rachel Willis-Sørensen introduced a comparable depth to her farewell aria. She bolstered the elegiac components of ‘Toi qui sus le néant’ together with her swish phrasing, considerate pauses and refined dynamics. She made this acquainted aria sound like chamber music, which helped to arrange the ending. In the Italian model, the dénouement is ambiguous as Carlos is taken into the crypt when the members of the Inquisition come for him. Here, Carlos is executed onstage. As a outcome, the voice of the monk within the last bars takes on totally different dimensions. If nothing else, that second on the conclusion helped everybody recall all of the voices that made this manufacturing sturdy, particularly these of Golovatenko and Guerrero.
Conductor Enrique Mazzola deserves credit score for his convincing interpretation of the rating, and for bringing out a few of the refined colours on this model. His tempos allowed the French to be heard distinctly over the total orchestration. In his palms varied particulars and motives emerged, particularly the friendship between Carlos and Rodrigue. The particular person instrumental timbres that Verdi utilized in his scoring weren’t obscured, and it was good to see Mazzola recognizing varied members of the orchestra on the finish of the efficiency. Credit goes to Lyric Opera of Chicago for assembling a outstanding worldwide solid and giving us a Don Carlos that can lengthy be remembered.
James L. Zychowicz
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