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| Marcelo Alvarez in "Pagliacci" and "Cavellaria Rusticana" (photo: Metropolitan Opera) |
The Metropolitan Opera's last HD broadcast of the
current season is that of the traditional combination of Pietro
Mascagni's “Cavalleria Rusticana” (1890) and Ruggero
Leoncavallo's “Pagliacci” (1892), familiarly known as
“Cav/Pag”. Though verismo operas aren't as much in
favor these days as they used to be, what with their unsavory plots
involving lower class heroes, fast-paced naturalism, and lack of the
currently popular coloratura singing, this is a welcome sign
of the Met's recent attempts at diverse repertoire. Not seen at the
opera house for the past six seasons, this duo is being presented in
a brand new production, replacing that of the 1970 Franco Zefferelli
era. Both of the operas in this combo utilize the same Sicilian
setting, (designed by Rae Smith of “War Horse” fame), the former
set in the early 1900's, the latter about fifty years later (despite
being set not in Sicily but in Calabria in the libretto) and the same
lead, tenor Marcelo Àlvarez,
as Turiddu in the former and Canio in the latter (not an
unprecedented event), as well as George Gagnidze as the baritone in
each opera. Both are under the Direction of David McVicar and the
baton of Conductor Fabio Luisi. There the similarities pretty much
end in this offering.
Except for their common themes of adultery and murder,
that is. Cavalleria Rusticana”, or “Rustic Chivalry”,
based on a very short story by the same name, centers around these
sordid topics, on Easter Sunday yet. It fulfills the naked “truth”
requirement inherent in the verismo category, as it deals
with the continuation of the traditions of the past, with much
emphasis on religious faith and an ancient, even primitive, code of
honor. Turiddu sings of his love for Lola (mezzo Ginger
Costa-Jackson), wife of Alfio (Gagnidze), having seduced and
abandoned Santuzza (soprano Eva-Maria Westbroek) previously. After
speaking with Turiddu's Mamma Lucia (mezzo Jane Bunnell), Santuzza,
in a famous scene (reproduced endlessly on Sicilian donkey carts even
today) begs Turiddu not to enter the church for Easter Mass, as Alfio
and Lola had already entered. He obstinately enters despite her
pleas. There follows the famous Intermezzo, as usual
beautifully sung by the Metropolitan Opera Chorus (under the
direction of Donald Palumbo). After the services, Turiddu and Alfio
have words and head offstage to duel with knives. Word comes back to
Mamma Lucia that her son has been killed in the duel. The singing was
glorious, especially by the Met Chorus, but the staging was silly and
senseless, with a too-frequent revolving set distracting from the
plot.
Pagliacci
or “The Players” finds the
same town, now half a century later and lit by electricity, still the
site of the same sordid subjects of adultery and murder. This short
work looks to the future to suggest how we might see similar issues
today. It begins with the famed prologue by Canio, Vesti la
guibba, in which he wears clown
makeup and attests that the story we're about to see is true and that
performers too have lives with consequences. When it's suggested that
his wife Nedda (Patricia Racette) has been unfaithful to him with
Tonio (Gagnidze again), Canio warns that will not be tolerated.
Ironically, she has indeed been less than faithful, but with another
suitor, Silvio (Lucas Meacham). Canio almost catches him but he
escapes, leaving Canio to suspect it was Tonio. The performance later
that same day so parallels the real triangle (or, rather, quadrangle)
that Canio becomes enraged, mistaking the unreality of the play for
reality, stabbing Nedda and, when he tries to intervene, Silvio. Tonio
then announces to the audience that ”la commedia è
finita!”
The singing by Àlvarez,
Westbroek, Racette and Gagnidze was exemplary. Fabio Luisi's
conducting was solid, with fine creative contributions in the Costume
Design by Moritz Junge. Less effective, at least in the first opera,
were the dim Lighting Design by Paule Constable and unnecessary
Choreography by Andrew George. The second opera boasted what must be
a first for the Met, Vaudeville Consult by Emil Wolk, which was a
welcome addition. The HD Live Direction was by Gary Halvorson, with
HD host Susan Graham. It was a fine “finita“ to this
stellar season.
The
program will be repeated Wednesday April 29 at 6:30pm. Meanwhile, if
you can't wait for the Met's next season of HD broadcasts and find
yourself suffering withdrawal symptoms, check out Boston Lyric
Opera's up-an-coming production of “Don Giovanni” at the Citi
Performing Arts Center/Shubert Theatre May1st to 10th . Check
schedule and availability at http://blo.org,
and watch for this blog's review on May 2nd.
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