Germany Verdi, Aida: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Bayerische Staatsoper / Daniele Rustioni (conductor). Nationaltheater, Munich, 5.15.2023. (ALL)
Production:
Director – Damiano Michieletto
Set design – Paolo Fantin
Costume design – Carla Teti
Lighting – Alessandro Carletti
Choreography – Thomas Wilhelm
Video – rocafilm
Dramaturgy – Katharina Ortmann, Mattia Palma
Choruses – Johannes Knecht
Cast:
Aida – Elena Stikhina
Radamès – Brian Jagde
Amneris – Anita Rachvelishvili
Ramfis – Alexander Köpeczi
Amonasro – George Petean
The King – Alexandros Stavrakakis
A Messenger – Granit Musliu
A Priestess – Elmira Karakhanova
Priests – Andrés Agudelo, Elmira Karakhanova
We reside in a world at struggle. This new manufacturing of Aida was seemingly scheduled earlier than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, however how can one not assume of the present state of affairs when experiencing this opera that speaks of victorious troopers, as a lot because it does of these defeated, in addition to of affection and fervour.
The decisions made by director Damiano Michieletto on this Aida had been fairly ‘clever’. Paolo Fantin’s set represents a kind of college transformed right into a refugee camp, one thing we are actually fairly accustomed to from different stagings. Carla Teti’s costumes are fashionable and it’s unattainable to inform who the winners are and who’re the losers. Several ballet scenes are carried out by kids. The triumphal march is remodeled into an anti-militaristic video. The set for the second half is a big pyramid of ash, a theme that’s referred to a number of occasions. The closing scene presents the 2 protagonists accompanied by a considerably dreamlike parade à la Fellini, together with a younger Aida and her father…
All of this isn’t with out intelligence, though it is a case by which the manufacturing is much less attention-grabbing than the Konzept, particularly as a result of one can not assist however assume that the textual content and the story of this opera will not be on the identical degree because the placing War and Peace (assessment click on right here) not too long ago offered on this exact same stage. More than as soon as this comparability jogged my memory that we had moved from Tolstoy to reasonably one-dimensional characters.
But the musical calibre was very excessive. In the title position, Elena Stikhina, who sang the half in Salzburg final yr, as soon as once more demonstrated her nice expertise. Her timbre is obvious, with stunning dynamics, very good phrasing, and actual emotion emanating from her singing. Beside her, Brian Jagde was a radiant Radamès, excessive notes really highly effective. He would profit from utilizing his assets to work just a little extra on his phrasing and sure softer nuances, however this was a tenor efficiency with the Italianate type required for the position.
Anita Rachvelishvili (Amneris) had the amount and resonant low notes we all know her for, even when she struggled barely in her greater register throughout the first half. Alexander Köpeczi (Ramfis) had an excellent depth of timbre. Both George Petean as Amonasro and Alexandros Stavrakakis within the position of the King sang flawlessly, however had been just a little extra bland of their performing.
The nice triumph of this Aida was within the pit. Daniele Rustioni confirmed us how delicate Verdi’s music is. The tempos had been full of life however by no means rushed, permitting the phrasing to develop and underline the structure of Verdi’s musical line. Orchestra and refrain had color, energy, and dynamics. Every premiere normally suffers from a number of musical inaccuracies that disappear because the performances progress, however this was not the case right here, as the standard was extraordinarily excessive all through.
Antoine Lévy-Leboyer