‘Knoxville, Summer of 1915’, is, apart from Adagio, perhaps the best-known work by the American tone poet Samuel Barber, who is still being blatantly and infamously neglected in the Netherlands.
Barber composed the piece after James Agee’s prose poem in 1947, when his father was on his deathbed. The nostalgia and wistfulness, the longing for the old days, for the time when you were a child and everything was taken for granted, all that immediately appealed to him. But there was more. Agee, who was more or less a peer of Barber’s, wrote the poem in memory of his own father who had died in a car accident in 1916, after which the family left Knoxville, never to return.
‘Knoxville, Summer of 1915’ was first performed by Eleanor Steber in 1948, after which the song would remain attached to her name for a long time, despite renditions – brilliant at times – by many leading sopranos such as Leontyne Price, Dawn Upshaw and Roberta Alexander.
Eleanor Steber:
Leontyne Price
Renée Fleming also has included the song in her repertoire. She recorded it in 2016 for Decca, with the Stockholm Philharmonic Orchest onder hun Finse dirigent Sakari Oram
Plácido Domingo heeft een enorme staat van dienst in de Metropolitan Opera en vertolkte daar vele rollen uit het ijzeren repertoire. Maar daar bleef het niet bij, in 1984 stond de befaamde tenor op het toneel als Paolo in Zandonai’s weinig gespeelde opera Francesca da Rimini.
Dit werk ging in 1914 in première en heeft sindsdien een leven in de luwte geleid. In New York was de opera elfmaal te zien tijdens het seizoen 1916-17. Daarna zou het tot 1984 duren vooraleer de Met het opnieuw probeerde, met twee wereldsterren als het gedoemde liefdespaar: Renata Scotto en Placido Domingo. Een opname uit die reeks is op dvd uitgebracht door DG.
Het verhaal van Francesca da Polenta en Paolo Malatesta is gebaseerd op personages uit de 13e eeuw. Paolo, bijgenaamd Il bello, wordt naar Francesca gestuurd als huwelijksmakelaar voor zijn oudere broer, de weinig aantrekkelijke manke Giovanni. De twee worden op slag verliefd en beginnen een affaire. Ze worden echter ontmaskerd door Malatestino, de jongste broer van het stel en die zorgt ervoor dat Giovanni het koppel in flagrante weet te betrappen. Beiden worden samen aan het zwaard geregen en sterven in hun laatste omhelzing.
Francesca wordt wel de Italiaanse Tristan genoemd. Ook hier de aantrekkelijke jonge man die een bruid moet werven voor een onaantrekkelijke partij. Giovanni in de rol van Marke en Malatestino als Melot. Saillant detail is echter dat in de literatuur geen nadrukkelijk moreel oordeel over die liefdesrelatie wordt geveld. Dit in tegenstelling tot die van Francesca en Paolo, met dank aan Dante en zijn Goddelijke Komedie. Dante plaatst het tweetal in Canto 5 in de Tweede Kring van de hel, op zich ver verwijderd van Canto 34 in de Negende Kring waar Lucifer te vinden is, maar evengoed in de hel. Het is de straf voor diegenen die zich niet hebben kunnen beheersen en zich overgaven aan wellust. In een wervelende wind is het liefdespaar voor eeuwig aan elkaar gekoppeld, ze delen het verblijf in de hel. Daarmee vergeleken is het aardse huwelijk een korte flirt. Een plekje in het Purgatorio zou ons vandaag de dag voor Francesca wat meer geëigend hebben geleken.
Francesca heeft vele componisten geïnspireerd tot het schrijven van een opera. Als ik goed heb geteld was die van Zandonai nummer 26. Zijn librettist Tito Ricordi baseerde zich op een toneelstuk van Gabriele d’Annunzio waarbij hij zich vooral concentreerde op de liefdesaffaire van de protagonisten. Bij Ricordi komt Paolo er een stuk slechter af dan Francesca. Eerst bedriegt hij haar om zijn oudere broer een dienst te bewijzen en vervolgens dringt hij zich zo aan haar op, zonder acht te slaan op smeekbeden haar met rust te laten, dat ze door de knieën gaat. Francesca valt weinig te verwijten, ze heeft zich tot het uiterste tegen zijn avances geweerd. Paolo verdient eerder een plek in de Achtste Kring, ergens in Canto 18 of 23, in elk geval de straf voor bedrog en verleiding.
Francesca da Rimini’s Act II battle between the Guelphs and the Ghibellines, with Paolo, Gianciotto and Malatestino on the ramparts and Francesca below (Plácido Domingo as Paolo, Cornell MacNeil as Gianciotto, William Lewis as Malatestino and Renata Scotto as Francesca
De productie van Pierro Fagioni is overdadig en verzuipt bijna in de naturalistische details. De kostumering is een parade van laat middeleeuwse clichés. In de tweede akte zien we een groot aantal figuranten die de belegering van het slot van de Malatesta’s aanschouwelijk moeten maken. Hier spreken van een librettogetrouw kostuumdrama is bijna een eufemisme.
De cast is goed verzorgd, over de volle breedte. Van de hofdames en de intriganten tot de drie broers Malatesta en hun gemeenschappelijk liefdesobject Francesca, immers Malatestino is ook verliefd op haar. Nicole Lorange heeft een aardig optreden in de eerste akte als het jongere zusje Samaritana die bij Francesca op de kamer slaapt, het zijn duidelijk nog tieners die twee.
Isola Jones is een prachtige Smaragdi, in beeld en geluid. Een echte eyecatcher die als Francesca’s huisslavin door haar relatief eenvoudige kledij veel overtuigender overkomt dan al die opgetutte vrouwen om haar heen.
Bariton Cornell Macneil als Giovanni is een griezelige potentaat, je begrijpt direct dat alleen bedrog een huwelijk met de jonge mooie Francesca mogelijk heeft kunnen maken. Iets waar overigens beide families volledig aan mee hebben gewerkt. Zijn zang is dienovereenkomstig, overheersend en bedreigend. Hij doodt zijn broer Paolo en krijgt vermoedelijk van Dante een plaatsje in de Zevende Kring.
Het liefdespaar komt zoals gezegd voor rekening van Scotto en Domingo. Scotto gaat voluit in haar poging een geloofwaardige Francesca op het toneel te zetten maar ik kan er niet echt van onder de indruk raken. Domingo weet zich beter raad met de rol van de verliefde jongeman die net als Tristan het daglicht ziet als zijn vijand en het liefst alleen nog maar ’s nachts wil leven. Er zit zeker in de vierde akte erg veel Tristan in het libretto, het is bijna een commentaar op Wagners verhaal. Goed beschouwd is Domingo’s optreden de enige reden om deze opname nog eens te bekijken.
De muzikale leiding is zoals gebruikelijk in handen van James Levine.
Finale:
Voor wie dit op prijs stellen: 10 beste Francesca’s op een rijtje althans volgens Opera News
First of all, my apologies: this year I have hardly posted any new reviews. This was for personal reasons
I was forced to limit myself to translations but I did a lot of portraits of singers who deserved to be featured again.
Renata Scotto had her birthday on 24 February
Renata Scotto, ‘la mia Divina Assoluta’ made her opera debut at the age of eighteen as Violetta (La Traviata). Her ‘official’ debut was the next day in Milan. Shortly afterwards, she sang Madama Butterfly in Savona.
In 1915, Cecil B. DeMille filmed the opera again, this time with Geraldine Farrar as the man-eating gypsy. Now, Farrar was not only one of the greatest sopranos and MET legends of the early 20th century, her beautiful appearance and excessive acting talent also enabled her to build a career as a Hollywood actress.
Beverly Sills was born in Brooklyn as Belle Miriam Silverman. Her parents were Jewish immigrants from Odessa and Bucharest. As a child, she spoke Yiddish, Russian, Romanian, French and English. Although she had an enormous repertoire, that ranged from Handel and Mozart to Puccini, Massenet and Verdi, she was best known for her interpretations of coloratura soprano roles. Her radiant high D’s and E-flats sounded seemingly effortless and natural.
Scuderi sang in the most important theatres of the day, both in Italy and abroad, most notably in the Netherlands! She had a contract at La Scala where she received high praise for her interpretations of the most well-known operas.
High coloratura soprano is one of the most admired voice types. It’s only logical, because what these ladies do falls a bit into the category of “nightingale on a trapeze”.
But, but…. I made an article about King David and music
King David…. One of the Bible’s most inspiring and appealing personalities. But did he really exist? We live in a time when all sorts of things are being doubted, and that is alright.
Many opera lovers will probably agree on one thing: one of the best Bohèmes ever is the 1973 version recorded by Decca under von Karajan. With Mirella Freni and Luciano Pavarotti.
Rodolfo has always been Pavarotti’s calling card. For years he was considered the best interpreter of the role – his fantastic legato, the smoothness and naturalness with which he sang the high notes are truly exemplary. Incidentally, as befitted a typical Italian tenor of the time, he sang the end of “O soave fanciulla” at the same height as the soprano. Not prescribed, but it was tradition!
Freni was undoubtedly one of the most beautiful Mimi’s in history. Tender and fragile, with her heartbreaking pianissimi and legato arches she managed to move even the greatest cynics to tears.
Von Karajan conducted theatrical and passionate way, with ample attention to the sonic beauty of the score. As the Germans would say “das gab’s nur einmal.”
In 2008 we celebrated not only Puccini’s 150th birthday, but also von Karajan’s 100th. Moreover, it was 35 years since the famed conductor recorded La Bohème: a cause for celebration! And lo and behold – Decca has released the opera in a limited deluxe edition (Decca 4780254). On the bonus CD, Mirella Freni talks, among other things, about her relationship with von Karajan and about singing Puccini roles. It is really fascinating.
Arias and duet from the first act:
Mirella Freni made her debut as Mimì at the Metropolitan Opera in September 1965. Her Rodolfo was another debutant: the (how unfair!) nowadays almost completely forgotten Italian tenor Gianni Raimondi. For me, he is preferable to Pavarotti. I find his voice more pleasant and elegant. And he could act! Freni’s and Raimondi’s renditions were captured on a wonderful film, directed by Franco Zeffirelli and conducted by Herbert von Karajan. An absolute must (DG 0476709).
“O Soave Fanciulla” with Freni and Raimondi:
Renata Scotto
History was made with La Bohème from the Met in 1977 (DG 0734025): it was the very first direct transmission from the New York opera house on TV. The production was in the hands of Pier Luigi Pizzi, who at that time was not yet obsessed with excessive ballets and the colour red.
Although I was never a big fan of Pavarotti, I cannot deny that he produces a fresh sound here and that his high notes stand like a house. Acting was never his cup of tea, but here he does the best he can.
It becomes really exciting when Mimì enters: in 1977, Renata Scotto was at her unprecedented peak. She spins the most beautiful pianissimi and her legato and mezza voce are so beautiful they make you want to cry. The rest of the cast is no more than adequate, but the young James Levine conducts as if his life depended on it!
Scotto sings ‘Si mi chiamano Mimì’:
Musetta was not really a role with which we associate Scotto. Neither did she herself, but she accepted the challenge with both hands. In the Zeffirelli Met production of 1982, she sang a Musetta to die for. Alongside the very moving José Carreras and Teresa Stratas, she was the undisputed star of this recording (DG 073 4539 9).
Scotto as Musetta:
Cristina Gallardo-Domâs
Sometimes I wonder how perverse it is when people pay a lot of money to go see, dressed in fur coats, the misery of freezing poor artists?
I myself took great pleasure in the sight of all those fur-wearing audiences on my way to a performance of La Bohème at La Scala in 2003 (Arthouse 107119). The then 40-year-old Zeffirelli production was altered a bit, but the beautiful, realistic sets and brilliant lighting remained the same. The snowflakes, the light radiating from the inn that warmly colors the white earth, the snowy bench and Mimi’s tear-stained face: there is something magical about it all and it is more like a movie than a performance in the theater. It cannot leave you unmoved, all the more so because all the protagonists are truly superb.
Cristina Gallardo-Domâs is a delicate, emotionally torn Mimì. Her lyrical soprano is a bit reminiscent of Freni. Malcero Ãlvarez convinces with a (then still) beautifully lyrically sung Rodolfo and Hei-Kyung Hong, clearly inspired by Scotto, portrays a kitschy Musetta. Bruno Bartolletti conducts lively, without shying away from sentiment.
Below, ‘O soave Fanciulla’ with Gallardo-Domâs and Ãlvarez
Gallardo-Domâs was also present in Zurich two years later. With this very realistically staged Bohème, Philippe Sireuil made a thunderous debut at the Zürich Opera House (EMI 3774529). Don’t expect Zeffirelli-like scenes with snowflakes drifting down, however.
Sireuil’s conception is very “down to earth” and as such more veristically faithful than any other production known to me. With great love of detail, he draws the lives of the foursome of artist friends: their attic is tiny and stuffy, and their struggle to better themselves is life-like. The costumes (second-hand clothing from thrift stores) is contemporary, yet timeless at the same time.
Whatever Mimì is suffering from (it is surely not tuberculosis – the director doesn’t even allow her to cough) doesn’t really matter, although it seems to be drug related. Like a sick bird (how much she resembles Edith Piaf!) she slowly slides into the abyss, and her death forces the others to really think, for the first time. The third act, set at a gloomy train station, is particularly strong and painfully poignant.
The entire cast, headed by a movingly beautiful Marcello Giordani and a very virile Michael Volle (Marcello) in addition to the heartbreaking Gallardo-Domâs, is also outstanding. The much lamented László Polgár sings Colline. Believe me: this La Bohème is really not to be missed.
Below, Marcello Giordani and Michael Volle in ‘Marcello finalmente:
Cheryl Barker
Back in time a little, to Sydney, Australia, 1993. For the first time I saw the production on TV (yes, kids: once upon a time there were the days when an opera was simply broadcast live from an opera house on TV!) and not soon will I forget that night. I didn’t know any of the singers; it was the name of the director (Baz Luhrmann) that drew my attention to the production.
The singers were mostly young – a plus, since the opera is about young people in love. They could sing, too, and with their looks of real movie stars, they could have been on the movie screen. Strange really, that, apart from Cheryl Barker (Mimì), no one had a great career. That Luhrmann was obsessed with opera is also confirmed by the film buffs: his Moulin Rouge is a direct look alike , including the red-lit “L’amour” on the rooftop. (Arthaus Musik 100 954)
Scene from the production:
Ileana Cotrubas
But, hand on heart, if I had to go through life with only one recording of La Bohème … I would choose John Copley’s 43-year-old production made for the Royal Opera House.
My “desert island recording” was captured on DVD in 1983 by NVC Arts (Warner 4509 99222-2) and – no matter how many times I watch it, I never get tired of it. And still, after all those years, it always makes me cry. Some things never age.
Neither does the cast : Ileana Cotrubas as my beloved Mimì, the irresistible young Neil Shicoff as Rodolfo and Thomas Allen as a very erotic Marcello.
It is perhaps superfluous, but I have to get it off my chest: there is no such thing as objective music criticism. Of course there are criteria, but it is not science: after all, you listen to music not only with your ears, but also with your soul and your heart, and you cannot switch them off. Therefore, do not consider my mini discography as an absolute truth and, as far as possible, listen and judge for yourself.
JOAN SUTHERLAND
Joan Sutherland, like Callas recorded Norma twice (officially). Her first recording from 1965 (Decca 4704132) caused a real sensation. It was the very first recording of Bellini’s complete music, without any cut. Moreover, it was the first recording in the original key (Bellini composed his opera in G, but before the premiere he changed it to F).
In those days, Sutherland was considered the belcanto specialist par excellence. Her voice knew no limits and seemed to be made of elastic. High, higher, highest, and with coloraturas that sound almost inhumanly perfect.
Adalgisa was sung by Marilyn Horne, Sutherland’s alter ego in the mezzo voice. The result is dazzling, but it lacks the necessary drama, all the more so because John Alexander (Pollione) has a beautiful but insipid voice.
The orchestral playing is excellent, however, and if you like pure singing, high notes and and if you like pure singing, high notes and coloratura, this recording is the best choice.
Twenty years later, Sutherland recorded the role again, this time with Montserrat Caballé (Adalgisa) and Luciano Pavarotti (Pollione). Let’s call it a mistake, although Caballé’s Adalgisa is at least interesting. It’s a pity it wasn’t thought of sooner.
MONTSERRAT CABALLÉ
Caballé is a kind of cross between Callas and Sutherland: wonderful top notes, incredibly beautiful legato arches, perfect trills, and moreover a pianissimo that none of her colleagues could match. She was a much better actress than Sutherland, moreover she had great charisma. She never went to extremes like Callas or (later) Scotto, but her performances were always very convincing. In 1973 she recorded the role for RCA and the result was very decent (GD 86502). Her Pollione, a very young Plácido Domingo, was vocally crystal clear and sounded like a bell. However, he lacked dominance, making him sound far too young for the role.
Fiorenza Cossotto in her role of Adalgisa looked more like Azucena than a young girl, but her singing as such was flawless. Unfortunately, the orchestra sounds uninspired and hurried, which must surely be blamed on the conductor, Carlo Felice Cillario.
In 1974 she sang Norma in the Roman amphitheatre in Orange (Provence). It was a very windy evening, and everything blew and moved: her hair, veils and dresses. A fantastic sensation, which added an extra dimension to the already great performance. It was filmed by French television (what luck!), and has now appeared on DVD (VAIV 4229).
Caballé sings ‘Casta Diva’:
Caballé was in superb voice, very lyrical in ‘Casta Diva’, dramatic in ‘Dormono etrambi’ and moving in ‘Deh! Non volerli vittime’. Together with Josephine Veasey, she sang perhaps the most convincing ‘Mira , o Norma’ – of all, at least in a complete recording of the opera. As two feminists avant la lettre, they renounce men and transform from rivals into bosom buddies.
Jon Vickers (Pollione) was never my cup of tea, but Veasey is a fantastic (also optically) Adalgisa and Patané conducts with passion. Of all the recordings on DVD (and there are not many), this is definitely the best.
RENATA SCOTTO
Scotto sang her first Norma in 1974, in Turin. To my knowledge, there is no recording of it, at least not of the complete opera.
Casta Diva’ from Turin:
A pirate did record the 1978 performance in Florence (Legato LCD 203-2). It should have been an ideal Norma, but unfortunately the performance was marred by a no more than adequate Ermanne Mauro as Pollione.
Margherita Rinaldi (finally a soprano again) sounds young as Adalgisa and Scotto is, according to many critics, the first Norma, after Callas, who seems to know what it’s all about. Orchestrally, this recording belongs to my top three, but the sound is unfortunately not really great.
Scotto in ‘Dormono entrambi’ in 1978:
In 1980 Scotto recorded the opera in the studio (Sony SM2K 35902), conducted by James Levine. I cannot find much negative to say about her performance, although the ‘steel’ in her voice is sometimes particularly painful. The Adalgisa (incredibly beautiful Tatiana Troyanos) is also absolutely top-notch. But Giuseppe Giacomini (Pollione) is not great at all and Levine conducts far too heavily and overdramatically.
Les vêpres siciliennes was Verdi’s first French ‘grande opéra’, which, after much insistence by the Paris Opera, he composed on a libretto by Eugene Scribe and Charles Duyverier. It is one of his longest operas, thanks in part to the lengthy ballet in the third act, which was compulsory for the Paris of the time (no less than half an hour!).
The story is set in Palermo in 1282, during the French occupation of Sicily. The young Sicilian Henri is in love with Hélène, a young Austrian duchess, who is being held prisoner by Guy de Montfort, the French governor of Sicily. When de Montfort turns out to be Henri’s father, the complications are incalculable, and by the end just about everybody is dead. The premiere in 1855 was a fiasco and a few years later, Verdi adapted the work into the Italian I vespri Siciliani, which was much more successful. However, the opera never became a real box-office hit.
IN FRENCH
Les vêpres siciliennes was the third release in Opera Rara’s series of ‘original versions’, following earlier releases of Macbeth and Simon Boccanegra. It had already been recorded live at The Camden Theatre in London in May 1969 and broadcast by the BBC in February 1970, but the CD was not released until 2004.
The performance, starring Jacqueline Brumaire, Jean Bonhomme and Neilson Taylor, is fair to good, but as a document it is of extraordinary importance (ORCV303).
In June 2002, our unsurpassed Saturday Matinee staged Les vêpres siciliennes concertante. It is a great pity that the recording has never been released on CD, because the performance (with, among others, Nelly Miricioiu, Francisco Casanova and Zeljko Lucic) was really good.
IN ITALIAN
If you want the Italian version of the opera, the choice is a bit greater, but to say the market is flooded with them?
To be honest, I only know of one studio recording of the work (once RCA RD 80370). The cast includes Martina Arroyo, Plácido Domingo, Sherill Milnes and Ruggiero Raimondi. It is well worth seeing, especially as the music is virtually complete.
For the rest, we have to depend on (admittedly, in most cases very interesting) pirate recordings. Highly recommended is a recording with Montserrat Caballé and Plácido Domingo from Barcelona 1974 (SRO 837-2).
The same recording on another label (SRO is no longer available):
Don’t forget La Divina (with Boris Christoff and others), recorded in 1951 during the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (Testament SBT 21416).
Fantastic is also the version with Renata Scotto, Gianni and Ruggiero Raimondi from La Scala 1970 The entire opera:
And then there are a few recordings with Cristina Deutekom This one is from Paris 1974:
And Leyla Gencer. Recording from 1970:
Please note: most recordings have been (greatly) shortened. Check the internet just to be sure, because these pirate labels come and go and the difference in price can be enormous.
AND ON DVD
In the 1980s, the American Susan Dunn was immensely popular. She was seen as the ultimate Verdi soprano. In her ‘Bologna years’ she became the favourite singer and protégé of Riccardo Chailly, the chief conductor there at the time. She made many CD recordings with him. Apart from Verdi also Mahler, Schoenberg and Beethoven, and they also recorded opera performances for video.
Elena in I vespri Siciliani was one of her star parts. She sang it, with enormous success, for the first time in 1986 (Warner Music Vision 504678029-2). Luca Ronconi’s production is quite traditional and the decors are true to nature. It feels like being among the cacti on a very sultry Sicily. The costumes also leave nothing to be desired, but the whole performance is rather static.
The audience clearly loves it. One open curtain follows another and the singers gratefully accept all the applause. Even though none of the protagonists are great actors – which may also be due to the director – their singing is of a very high level. And there is a surprise too: Anna Caterina Antonacci in the small role of Ninetta.
Below, Susan Dunn sings “Arrigo! Ah, parli a un core”:
Renata Scotto, ‘la mia Divina Assoluta’, was born on 24 February 1934 in Savona. She made her opera debut at the age of eighteen as Violetta (La Traviata). Her ‘official’ debut was the next day in Milan. Shortly afterwards, she sang Madama Butterfly in Savona.
Because there was no chance to hear her in the Netherlands, I travelled with a few friends, they were also great fans, to Paris, where she gave a recital. It was sold out and I really only remember the huge queue in front of her dressing room: people wanted her autograph, they came with flowers, chocolates, gifts…. I had never seen anything like that in the Netherlands.
But the day finally came and she sang in Amsterdam! On 19 October 1996 she performed in the Netherlands for the first time since 1963. During the Amsterdam Saturday Matinee she sang before the interval Chausson’s Poème de l’amour et la mer and after the interval Poulenc’s La voix humaine. She made a real performance out of it: there was a table with a telephone on it, and with the telephone cord she strangled herself at the end. Those who were there will never forget it.
This recording comes from Barcelona 1996:
During her long career, Scotto performed in operas written by 18 composers and her repertoire included some forty-five roles. And then there are the studio recordings. I cannot possibly discuss everything, so I will restrict myself to a few recordings. The order is random.
LA WALLY
In 1953 she auditioned at La Scala for the role of Walter in Catalani’s La Wally with Renata Tebaldi and Mario del Monaco, amongst others. Giulini was to conduct. It is told that afterwards Victor de Sabata, one of the jury members, said: “Forget about the rest.”
La Wally premiered on December 7, 1953, and Scotto happily accepted fifteen curtain calls. Tebaldi and del Monaco got seven each.
LA SONNAMBULA
In Edinburgh, Milan’s La Scala staged Luchino Visconti’s production of La sonnambula, with Maria Callas as Amina. The production had been so successful that La Scala had decided to add another performance. But Callas was tired, and besides, she wanted to go to the party that Elsa Maxwell was giving for her in Venice. So she told the Scala people that she would definitely not be singing this. Nevertheless, La Scala announced the extra performance with Callas. And Callas refused. With only two days’ notice, Scotto took over the role of Amina and replaced Callas on 3 September 1957. The performance was a great success, and the 23-year-old Scotto became an international opera star overnight.
This recording with Alfredo Kraus is from 1961:
RIGOLETTO
My all-time favourite is a Ricordi recording from 1960 (now Sony 74321 68779 2), with Ettore Bastianini in the lead. Renata Scotto sings a girlishly naive Gilda, who is transformed into a mature woman through her love for the wrong man. She understands better than anyone that the whole business of revenge can lead nowhere and she sacrifices herself to stop all the bloodshed and hatred.
Bastianini and Scotto in the finale:
LA TRAVIATA
Renata Scotto has (or should I say had?) something that few other singers possessed: a perfect technique that enabled her to sprinkle her coloraturas like it was nothing at all. Her high notes sounded a bit steely but they were undeniably flawless. She possessed the gift of acting with her voice (and not only with her voice!), and because of her perfect articulation you could not only literally follow what she was singing, but also really understand it.
Her perhaps most beautiful (there are several recordings) Violetta she recorded in 1963 (DG 4350562), under the very exciting direction of Antonino Votto. Alfredo is sung by the sweet-voiced Gianni Raimondi, and Ettore Bastianini is a warm, indeed fatherly, Giorgio Germont.
And don’t think that in the old days, when everything was done by the book, the performances were static and boring! In 1973, La Scala was on tour in Japan, and there, in Tokyo, a legendary performance of La Traviata was recorded (VAI 4434).
The leading roles were played by the then still ‘curvy’ Scotto and 27-year-old (!) José Carreras. DVD does not mention the name of the director, perhaps there was none, and the singers (and the conductor) did it all themselves? Anyway, the result is really beautiful, moving and to the point. I am not going to say any more about it, because this recording is an absolute must for every opera lover.
Finale of the opera:
L’ELISIR D’AMORE
To the younger generation I would especially recommend the DVD with Renata Scotto, Carlo Bergonzi and Giuseppe Taddei (Hardy Classic Video HCD 4014). It is not only the beautiful voices of the past that impress (Scotto, Bergonzi, Taddei – who can still sing like them?), the eye is also given a lot to enjoy.
Do not think that they just enter the stage, sing an aria facing the audience and then take a bow. It is theatre pur sang and a better acting singer than Scotto has yet to be born.
Renata Scotto sings ‘Prendi, per me sei libero’:
TURANDOT
I can be very brief about this: there is no better Liu. Renata Scotto is a very fragile and moving Liu, which is in stark contrast to Corelli’s macho and seductive Calaf and Birgit Nilsson’s chilling Turandot.
MADAMA BUTTERFLY
For me an absolute ‘numero uno’ is the 1966 recording by EMI (now Warner 0190295735913) under Sir John Barbirolli. One might imagine a more lyrical or alternatively a more dramatic Cio Cio San; one with less metal in her voice or maybe one with a more childlike voice. But no other singer was able to grasp the complex nature of the girl so well and to characterise her change from a naive child into an adult woman, broken by immense grief, so impressively
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Renata Scotto never recorded the role in the studio. However, there are several pirate recordings of her in circulation, with Luciano Pavaratti, Alfredo Kraus, Carlo Bergonzi and Gianni Raimondi as Edgardo.
Of these four, the recording with Raimondi is dearest to me, not least because of the very energetic and dramatically balanced direction by Claudio Abbado. It was recorded at La Scala in December 1967 and it once appeared on Nuova Era (013.6320/21). Unfortunately, that recording is very difficult to obtain, but those who search….
Scotto’s interpretation of the tormented heroine is available on DVD (VAI 4418). The production was recorded in Tokyo in 1967. It circulated for years on pirate video, but since the sound and picture quality was particularly poor, the commercial release has made many opera lovers very happy. The sound is a little sharp, making Scotto’s high notes sound even more metallic than usual, but who cares?
Her interpretation is both vocally and scenically of an unprecedented high level. With a childishly surprised expression (my brother does this to me?) on her face, she agrees, albeit not without grumbling, to the forced marriage with Arturo (an Angelo Marchiandi who is hideous in every way).
Below, Scotto sings ‘Il dolce suono’. Try to follow her example!
LA BOHÈME
History was made with La Bohème from the Met in 1977 (DG 0734025): it was the very first direct transmission from the New York opera house on TV. The production was in the hands of Pier Luigi Pizzi, who at that time was not yet obsessed with excessive ballets and the colour red.
Although I was never a big fan of Pavarotti, I cannot deny that he produces a fresh sound here and that his high notes stand like a house. Acting was never his cup of tea, but here he does his best.
It becomes really exciting when Mimì enters: in 1977, Renata Scotto was at her unprecedented peak. She spins the most beautiful pianissimi and her legato and mezza voce are so beautiful they make you want to cry. The rest of the cast is no more than adequate, but the young James Levine conducts as if his life depended on it!
Scotto sings ‘Si mi chiamano Mimì’:
Musetta was not really a role with which we associate Scotto. Neither did she herself, but she accepted the challenge with both hands. In the Zefirelli Met production of 1982, she sang a Musetta to die for. Alongside the very moving José Carreras and Teresa Stratas, she was the undisputed star of this recording (DG 073 4539 9).
Scotto as Musetta:
LUISA MILLER
In 1979, Renata Scotto sang her first Luisa at the Metropolitan Opera and she did so with her usual devotion. But before she could start her first big aria, a ‘joker’ caused a scandal by shouting ‘brava Maria Callas’ at the top of his lungs.
Sherrill Milnes, here in the guise of Luisa’s father, took the emotional Scotto in his arms and so saved her concentration. And the performance. And the day.
All this was broadcast live on TV and thus it ended up on the pirate videos in circulation. I had been cherishing mine for years, and now the performance has been released on DVD by Deutsche Grammophon, with the necessary cuts, including that famous incident. A pity, but after all it is not about the incidents but about the opera and the performance. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that.
In the video below, the main actors (Scotto, Domingo, Milnes and Levine) discuss Verdi’s opera and the 1979 production:
ANDREA CHENIÉR
My favourite CD recording was recorded by RCA (GD 82046) in 1976. The cast is delightful: Renata Scotto sings Maddalena, Plácido Domingo Cheniér, Sherrill Milnes is Gérard, and in the minor roles we hear Jean Kraft, Maria Ewing, Michel Sénéchal and Gwendolyn Killebrew, among others. James Levine, who conducts the National Philharmonic Orchestra, understands exactly what the opera is about. It is so beautiful that it will make you cry.
Scotto sings ‘La Mamma morta’:
MANON LESCAUUT
Here I can be very brief: buy the Menotti production with Renata Scotto and Plácido Domingo from the Metropolitan Opera (1980) and you are set for life. There is no other production that even comes close to it and I don’t expect that to happen any time soon. Scotto sings and acts Manon as no other has done before and together with Domingo she provides us with an evening of old-fashioned weeping. Menotti’s very realistic, true to life and oh so exciting production simply could not be any better. (DG 0734241)
IL TRITTICO
In November 1981, Scotto sang all three heroines at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, with Levine conducting. Once a pirate released it in its entirety and it was briefly on YouTune. Too briefly, unfortunately. It is possible, however, to find fragments of all three.
Il Tabarro
Suor Angelica:
Gianni Schicchi:
On CD, the recording under Maazel from 1977 is my first choice. Certainly because of Scotto’s Angelica, nobody comes close to that. Add to that Marylin Horne as her evil aunt and the young Cotrubas as the quick-witted sister Genovieffa. In Il Tabarro, too, it is Scotto who demands all the attention as Giorgetta, helped along by a very macho Domingo and Ingvar Wixell in one of his best roles.
But don’t forget La Gioconda from San Francisco 1979! For her interpretation of the role, Scotto received an Emmy award. It also meant a violent quarrel with Luciano Pavarotti, whom she did not even mention by name in her autobiography “More than a diva”. He became “A certain tenor”.
FRANCESCA DA RIMINI
And no one should miss Francesca da Rimini by Zandonai from the MET:
Renata Scotto, ‘la mia Divina Assoluta’ werd geboren op 24 februari 1934 in Savona. Haar operadebuut maakte zij op haar achttiende als Violetta (La Traviata). Haar ‘officiële’ debuut was de volgende dag in in Milaan. Kort daarna zong zij in Savona Madama Butterfly.
Omdat er geen kans bestond om haar in Nederland te horen ben ik met een paar vrienden die ook fan waren naar Parijs gereisd, waar ze een recital gaf. Het was uitverkocht en ik herinner mij eigenlijk alleen maar de enorme rij voor haar kleedkamer: men wilde haar handtekening, men kwam met bloemen, bonbons, cadeaus…. Zoiets had ik in Nederlend nooit eerder gezien.
Maar er kwam een dag dat zij ook in Amsterdam mocht zingen! Op 19 oktober 1996 trad ze voor het eerst sinds 1963 in Nederland op. Tijdens de Amsterdamse ZaterdagMatinee zong zij voor de pauze Ravel (Pavane pour une infante défunte) en Chausson (Poème de l’amour et la mer) en na de pauze Poulencs La voix humaine. Zij heeft er een echte voorstelling van gemaakt: er was een tafel met de telefoon er op, en met de telefoonsnoer heeft ze zich aan het eind gewurgd. Wie er bij was zal het ooit vergeten.
Gedurende haar lange carrière trad Scotto op in opera’s geschreven door 18 componisten en haar repertoire omvatte zo’n vijfenveertig rollen. En daar komen nog studio-opnamen er bij. Ik kan onmogelijk alles bespreken vandaar dat ik mij maar tot een paar opnamen beperk. Wellicht kom ik er nog op terug? De volgorde is willekeurig
LA WALLY
In 1953 deed zij auditie in La Scala voor de rol van Walter in Catalani’s La Wally met o.a. Renata Tebaldi en Mario del Monaco. Giulini zou dirigeren. Er wordt verteld dat hierna Victor de Sabata, één van de juryleden, zou zeggen: ” “Forget about the rest.”
La Wally ging in première op 7 december 1953, en Scotto werd teruggeroepen door vijftien keer het doek op te halen. Tebaldi en del Monaco kregen er elk zeven.
LA SONNAMBULA
In Edinburgh heeft de Milanese La Scala Luchino Visconti’s productie van La sonnambula opgevoerd, met Maria Callas als Amina. De productie was zo succesvol geweest dat La Scala had besloten nog een voorstelling toe te voegen. Maar Callas was moe, bovendien wilde zij graag naar het feest dat Elsa Maxwell voor haar gaf in Venetië. Dus vertelde zij de Scala-mensen dat ze de extra voorstelling beslist niet zal zingen voor de extra voorstelling. Desondanks heeft La Scala de extra voorstelling met Callas aangekondigd. Callas weigerde. Met een opzegtermijn van twee dagen, nam Scotto de rol van Amina over en verving haar op 3 september 1957. De voorstelling was een groot succes, en de 23-jarige Scotto werd een internationale operaster.
Deze opname met Alfredo Kraus is uit 1961
RIGOLETTO
Mijn grootste favoriet aller tijden is een Ricordi opname uit 1960 (tegenwoordig Sony 74321 68779 2), met Ettore Bastianini in de hoofdrol. Renata Scotto zingt een meisjesachtig naïeve Gilda, die uit liefde voor de verkeerde man omgetoverd wordt in een volwassen vrouw. Als geen ander snapt ze, dat het hele gedoe met wraak nergens toe kan leiden en offert zichzelf op, om al dat bloedvergieten en haat te stoppen.
Bastianini en Scotto in de finale:
LA TRAVIATA
Renata Scotto heeft (of moet ik zeggen: had?) iets wat weinig andere zangeressen bezaten: een perfecte techniek die haar in staat stelde om met coloraturen te strooien alsof het niets was. Haar hoge noten klonken weliswaar een beetje staalachtig maar waren ontegenzeggelijk loepzuiver. Zij bezat de gave om met haar stem (en niet alleen maar met haar stem!) te acteren, en door haar perfecte articulatie kon je niet alleen letterlijk volgen wat ze zingt, maar het ook begrijpen.
Haar wellicht mooiste (er bestaan meerdere opnames met haar) Violetta nam ze in 1963 op (DG 4350562), onder de zeer spannende leiding van Antonino Votto. Alfredo wordt er gezongen door de zoetgevooisde Gianni Raimondi, en Ettore Bastianini is een warme, inderdaad vaderlijke, Giorgio Germont.
En denk maar niet dat de voorstellingen vroeger, toen alles nog volgens het boekje gebeurde, statisch en saai waren! In 1973 was La Scala op tournee in Japan, en daar, in Tokyo, werd een legendarische voorstelling van La Traviata opgenomen (VAI 4434).
De hoofdrollen werden vertolkt door de toen nog ‘volslanke’ Scotto en de 27-jarige (!) José Carreras. DVD vermeldt geen naam van de regisseur, wellicht was er ook geen, en de zangers (en de dirigent) hebben het allemaal zelf gedaan? Hoe dan ook, het resultaat is werkelijk prachtig, ontroerend en to the point. Ik ga er verder niets meer over vertellen, want deze opname is een absolute must voor iedere operaliefhebber.
Finale van de opera:
L’ELISIR D’AMORE
De dvd met Renata Scotto, Carlo Bergonzi en Giuseppe Taddei (Hardy Classic Video HCD 4014) wil ik speciaal de jongere generatie aanbevelen. Het zijn niet alleen de prachtige stemmen van weleer die imponeren (Scotto, Bergonzi, Taddei – wie zingt ze dit nog na?), het oog krijgt ook het een en ander om te genieten.
Denk maar niet dat ze het toneel opkomen, hun aria met het gezicht naar het publiek zingen en buigen, want dan komt u bedrogen uit. Het is theater pur sang en een beter acterende zangeres dan Scotto moet nog geboren worden.
Renata Scotto zingt ‘Prendi, per me sei libero’:
TURANDOT
Hier kan ik heel erg kort over zijn: betere Liu bestaat niet. Renata Scotto is een zeer broze en ontroerende Liu wat in een schitterent contrast staat met de zee macho en verleidelijke Calaf van Corelli en ijzingwekkende Turandot van Birgit Nilsson
MADAMA BUTTERFLY
Voor mij een absolute ‘numero uno’ is de in 1966 bij EMI (tegenwoordig Warner 0190295735913) verschenen opname onder Sir John Barbirolli. Je kan je een lyrischer of juist een meer dramatische Cio Cio San indenken; eentje met minder metaal in haar stem of eentje met kinderlijker stem. Maar geen andere zangeres wist zo het complexe wezen van het meisje te doorgronden en haar verandering van een naïef kind in een volwassen, door immens verdriet gebroken vrouw zo te karakteriseren
LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Renata Scotto heeft de rol nooit in de studio vastgelegd. Er zijn wel verschillende piratenopnames met haar in omloop, met als Edgardo onder anderen Luciano Pavaratti, Alfredo Kraus, Carlo Bergonzi en Gianni Raimondi.
Van die vier is de opname met Raimondi me het dierbaarst, niet in de laatste plaats vanwege de zeer energieke en dramatisch evenwichtige directie van Claudio Abbado. Het werd opgenomen in La Scala in december 1967 en is ooit op Nuova Era (013.6320/21) verschenen. Helaas is die opname zeer moeilijk verkrijgbaar, maar wie zoekt….
Scotto’s interpretatie van de gekwelde heldin is wel op dvd beschikbaar (VAI 4418). De productie is in 1967 in Tokio opgenomen. Het circuleerde jarenlang op piratenvideo, maar aangezien de geluids- en beeldkwaliteit bijzonder matig was, zijn er met de commerciële uitgave heel veel operaliefhebbers bijzonder blij gemaakt. Het geluid is een beetje scherp, waardoor Scotto’s hoge noten nog metaliger klinken dan normaal, maar: who cares?
Haar interpretatie is zowel zangtechnisch als scenisch van een ongekend hoog niveau. Met een kinderlijk verbaasde uitdrukking (mijn broer doet het mij aan?) op haar gezicht stemt ze in, al is het niet zonder morren, met het gedwongen huwelijk met Arturo (een in alle opzichten afgrijselijke Angelo Marchiandi).
Hieronder Scotto zingt ‘Il dolce suono’. Doe het haar na!
LA BOHÈME
Met La Bohème uit de Met 1977 (DG 0734025) werd er geschiedenis geschreven: het was de allereerste rechtstreekse transmissie uit het Newyorkse operahuis op TV. De productie was in handen van Pier Luigi Pizzi, die toen nog niet geobsedeerd was door overmaat aan ballet en de kleur rood.
Hoewel ik nooit een groot fan van Pavarotti was, kan ik niet ontkennen dat hij hier een fris geluid produceert en dat zijn hoge noten staan als een huis. Acteren was nooit zijn ‘cup of tea’, maar hier doet hij zijn best.
Echt spannend wordt het bij de binnenkomst van Mimì: in 1977 was Renata Scotto op haar ongekende hoogtepunt. Zij spint de mooiste pianissimi en haar legato en mezza voce zijn om te huilen zo mooi. De rest van de cast is niet meer dan adequaat, maar de jonge James Levine dirigeert alsof zijn leven ervan afhangt!
Scotto zingt ‘Si mi chiamano Mimì’
Musetta was niet echt een rol waar we Scotto mee associëren. Zij zelf eigenlijk ook niet, maar ze nam de uitdaging met beide handen aan. In de Zefirelli Met-productie uit 1982 zong zij een Musetta uit duizenden. Naast de zeer ontroerende José Carreras en Teresa Stratas was zij de onbetwiste ster van deze opname (DG 073 4539 9)
Scotto als Musetta:
LUISA MILLER
In 1979 zong Renata Scotto bij de Metropolitan Opera haar eerste Luisa en ze deed dat met de voor haar gebruikelijke toewijding. Maar voordat ze aan haar eerste grote aria kon beginnen, zorgde een ‘grapjas’ voor een schandaal door keihard ‘brava Maria Callas’ te roepen.
Sherrill Milnes, hier in de gedaante van Luisa’s vader, nam de door emoties bevangen Scotto in zijn armen en redde zo haar concentratie. En de voorstelling
Dat alles was live op tv uitgezonden en zo kwam het op de in omloop zijnde piratenvideo’s terecht. De mijne koesterde ik al jaren, en inmiddels is de voorstelling door Deutsche Grammophon op dvd uitgebracht, met de nodige cuts, waaronder dat beroemde incident. Jammer, maar het gaat tenslotte niet om de incidenten maar om de opera en de uitvoering. En daar is dus helemaal niets mis mee.
In het filmpje hieronder bespreken de hoofdrolspelers (Scotto, Domingo, Milnes en Levine) de opera van Verdi en de productie van 1979:
ANDREA CHENIÉR
Mijn dierbaarste cd-opname is in 1976 door RCA (GD 82046) vastgelegd. De cast is om te likkebaarden: Renata Scotto zingt Maddalena, Sherrill Milnes is Gérard en in de kleine rollen horen we o.a. Jean Kraft, Maria Ewing, Michel Sénéchal en Gwendolyn Killebrew. James Levine, die het National Philharmonic Orchestra dirigeert, snapt precies waar het in de opera over gaat. Om te huilen zo mooi.
Scotto zingt ‘La Mamma morta’:
–
MANON LESCAUT
Hier kan ik heel kort zijn: schaf de Menotti productie met Renata Scotto en Plácido Domingo uit de Metropolitan Opera (1980) aan en dan bent u voor uw verdere leven klaar. Er bestaat geen andere productie die daar zelfs in de buurt kan komen en ik verwacht niet dat het binnenkort gaat gebeuren. Scotto zingt en acteert Manon zoals geen ander eerder heeft gedaan en met Domingo samen zorgt zij voor een avondje ouderwets janken. De zeer realistische, natuurgetrouwe en o zo spannende productie van Menotti kan gewoon niet mooier. (DG 0734241)
IL TRITTICO
In november 1981 heeft Scotto alle drie de heldinnen gezongen in de Metroolitam Opera in New York, Levine dirigeerde. Ooit heeft een piraat het in zijn geheel uitgebracht en het stond kortstondig op YouTune. Helaas. Wel kunnen we fragmenten van alle drie vinden..
Il Tabarro
Suor Angelica:
Gianni Schicchi:
Op cd is de opname onder Maazel uit 1977mijn eerste keus. Zeker vanwege Angelica van Scotto, daar komt gewoon niemand bij in de buurt. Tel daarbij Marylin Horne als haar kwaadaardige tante en de jonge Cotrubas als de spring in het veld zuster Genovieffa. Ook in Il Tabarro is het Scotto die alle aandacht opeist als Giorgetta, daarbij goed geholpen door de zeer macho Domingo en Ingvar Wixell in één van zijn beste rollen..
LA GIOCONDA
Maar vergeet ook La Gioconda uit San Francisco 1979 niet! Voor haar interpretatie van de=ie rol heeft Scotto Emmy award gekregen. Het betekende ook een heftige ruzie met Luciano Pavarotti, die zij in haar autobiografie “More then a diva” niet eens bij de naam noemde. Hij werd “A certain tenor”. Het kwam allemaal goed.
FRANCESCA DA RIMINI
Wat niemand ook mag missen is Francesca da Rimini van Zandonai uit de MET
Why do we love Manon so very much? She is not really virtuous. She leaves the love of her life for an old rich man, but as soon as she gets bored, she allows her young lover to come back to her. She is willing to run away with him, but not without her jewels. A child can see that it cannot end well.
Once caught, Manon is taken prisoner and exiled to America, where she dies in the arms of her lover. The poor soul refused to leave her. Talk about real love!
It is thanks to Puccini, who captured her character in the most beautiful notes, that she never becomes one-dimensional and you must be made of stone if you do not love her.
The role of Manon was created in 1893 at the Teatro Reggio in Turin by Cesira Ferrari, an Italian soprano who made her debut as Micaëla in Carmen and three years later sang the first Mimì in La bohème. Perhaps here is an indication of the type of voice that Puccini had in mind for his Manon?
How many good Manons are there nowadays? Not many, I think. The role makes very high demands on the performer. It requires a voice that can combine the childishly naive sex appeal of the silly girl in the first three acts with the real tragédienne in act four.
But Des Grieux, too, is a role that is not easy to fill. The man himself may be a sissy, but Puccini has written such violent notes for him, challenging him with such utterly emotional outbursts, that the singer must be a would-be Calaf to survive the opera with his voice intact.
MAGDA OLIVERO
There is no doubt about it: Magda Olivero was the very best Manon Lescaut of the second half of the twentieth century. In 1970, when she was 60 (!) years old, she sang the role in Verona with the not yet 30-year-old Domingo at her side. Quite bizarre when you consider that Olivero made her professional debut eight years before Domingo was born. And yet her portrayal of the young heroine was utterly convincing. Most of her colleagues could not (and cannot) match her performance!
The role of Des Grieux was a role that could have been written for Domingo. As Renato, he was able to combine all his charm, his sehnsucht and his boyishness (something he has managed to retain to an advanced age) with a cannon-like voice. My copy was released on Foyer (2-CF 2033), but nowadays there are more releases in better sound quality and the recording can also be found on You Tube.
Two years later, Olivero sang the role in Caracas. The performance of 2 June 1972 was recorded by Legato Classics (LCD-113-2). The sound quality is reasonably good, but what makes the recording really desirable is Des Grieux by the then 60-year-old Richard Tucker. So yearning, so in love, so beautiful…. Sigh. Yes, folks: once upon a time, opera was made by voices, not by beautiful bodies!
Duet from the fourth act:
RAINA KABAIVANSKA
\
Manon was sung in Verona in 1970 not by Magda Olivero alone, but also by Raina Kabaivanska, with the same cast and the same conductor. The recording is very poor and therefore only for the diehards among us, but if you have a chance to listen to it: please do! Between Kabaivanska, who is still extremely underrated, and the young Domingo, a chemistry can be heard that, despite the poor sound quality, comes across really well.
The duet from II Tu, tu, Amore? tu?
As a bonus, you get fragments from 1953 of the live performance in Mexico, with Mario del Monaco and Clara Petrella. Not bad at all! (GAO 162/63)
MIRIAM GAUCI
In 1991, the Maltese Gauci was not exactly an unknown, but her great career only took off with her role as Manon Lescaut at the Vlaamse Opera in Antwerp. The opera was the first in the Puccini cycle, created by the then fledgling Canadian director Robert Carsen. Those who were present will never forget it. Because of the magnificent production, of course, but also because of Gauci’s scorching performance.
In 1992, Gauci recorded the role for Naxos (8660019-20), with Bulgarian tenor Kaludi Kaludov at her side as a very lyrical sounding Des Grieux. His “Donna non vidi mai” is very passionate, but at the same time kept within the boundaries of lyricism. To fall in love with, so beautiful. Alexander Rahbari’s direction is very intense, but also lacks many nuances. A real must because of Gauci and Kaludov.
Highlights are on Spotify:
RENATA SCOTTO
I can be very brief about the offers on DVD: buy the Menotti production with Renata Scotto and Plácido Domingo from the Metropolitan Opera (1980) and you are set for life. There is no other production that comes even close to it and I do not expect that event to happen any time soon. The compulsiveness with which many contemporary directors want to update everything can only kill the opera. Such was the case with Mariusz Trelinski’s production in Brussels a few years ago, with Eva-Maria Westbroek and Brandon Jovanovich. And this was also the case with the latest production from the MET, directed by Richard Eyre, with Kristine Opolais and Roberto Alagna in the leading roles.
Scotto sings and acts Manon like no one else has done before, and together with Domingo she provides us with a lovely evening filled with a whole lot of old-fashioned crying. Menotti’s very realistic, true-to-nature and oh-so-exciting production could not be any better. It is quite unique (DG 0734241).
THE VERY FIRST MANON
Back to the very first Manon. What did she sound like? There is a recording by Cesira Ferrari of “In quelle trine morbide”, made in 1905. It is on a double CD by Standing Room Only (SRO-818-2) with the title “Creators Records”. What you hear is a light, almost soubrette-like voice, but with dark undertones. And with a lot of body. You could say it’s a bit of a big-boned Lolita.
Lucia di Lammermoor has always been, perhaps even more than Norma, a point of contention between the supporters of Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland. The performances of both ladies are indeed fantastic and, moreover, totally different. Which of the two should you own? That is not easy. A matter of taste, shall we say?
Joan Sutherland is unprecedentedly virtuoso and her coloraturas so perfect that they hurt. And yet I remain untouched by her. Why? Perhaps because it is too perfect? I do not know. It could just be me.
Whatever you choose, you really can’t do without at least one Callas. Try Naxos (8110131-32) with Giuseppe di Stefano and Titto Gobbi, under Tulio Serafin, for although Francesco Tagliavini (Warner Classics 2564634081) is a much better Edgardo, the rest of the cast (including Callas herself!) is much stronger here.
Personally, I prefer Beverly Sills (Westminster 4712502), especially when it is a choice between studio recordings. Her portrayal unites the best of both divas: the virtuosity, vocal beauty and pure intonation of la Stupenda and the great acting of la Divina. Not really a great tragédienne (but then, neither is Lucia); she is more like a passive girl child who allows herself to be completely overwhelmed. The rest of the cast (Carlo Bergonzi, Piero Cappuccilli, Justino Diaz) is also at a very high level and Thomas Schippers conducts it all with a firm hand . But what makes this recording really special is the use of a glass harmonica in the mad scene, exactly as Donizetti had originally prescribed it.
Renata Scotto
My most beloved Lucia, Renata Scotto, never recorded the role in the studio. There are, however, several pirate recordings of her in circulation, with Luciano Pavaratti, Alfredo Kraus, Carlo Bergonzi and Gianni Raimondi as Edgardo.
Of these four, the recording with Raimondi is dearest to me, not least because of the very energetic and dramatically balanced direction by Claudio Abbado. It was recorded at La Scala in December 1967 and it appeared on Nuova Era (013.6320/21). Unfortunately, this recording is very hard to find.
Below Gianni Raimondi and Giangiacomo Guelfi (Enrico) in ‘Orrida è questa notte…
Scotto’s interpretation of the tormented heroine is available on DVD (VAI 4418). The production was recorded in Tokyo in 1967. It circulated for years on pirate video, but as the sound and picture quality were particularly poor, the commercial release has made many opera lovers very happy. The sound is a little sharp, making Scotto’s high notes sound even more metallic than usual, but who cares? ‘
Her interpretation is both vocally and scenically at an unprecedented high level. With a childishly surprised expression (my brother does this to me?) on her face, she agrees, albeit not without grumbling, to the forced marriage with Arturo (an Angelo Marchiandi who is hideous in every way).
Below, Scotto sings ‘Il dolce suono’. Who could do it better?!
After her mad scene, you tend to pull the plug, because everything that comes after it can only feel like a cold shower. But you are wrong about that. Edgardo’s two arias, sung by Carlo Bergonzi, will take you straight to (singer’s) heaven.
Afterwards, you can’t help but be a little sad, because where have they gone, yesterday’s singers? Small, tall, fat, skinny, with or without acting talent… None of them was a ballet dancer, but could they sing! And it was through their voices alone that they were able to convey all of the feelings that now require a whole ‘artistic team’. In spite of the cuts that were common at the time, this is an absolute must.
Below, Bergonzi sings ‘Fra poco a me ricovero’
Patritia Ciofi (French version)
In 1839, Donizetti adapted his opera for Paris and Lucia became Lucie. It is not the language alone that distinguishes between the two versions, for Donizetti tinkered considerably with both the libretto and the music. Alisa (Lucia’s lady-in-waiting) was cut out of the opera and our heroine remains the only woman in an otherwise purely male company, which makes her even more lonely and vulnerable.
Normanno is now called Gilbert and his role has been considerably expanded. His false play and manipulations make him into a key figure and he grows to almost Iago-like proportions. Arturo has also become more three-dimensional as Henri. And although I miss ‘Regnava nel silenzio’ and scenes between Lucia and Raimondo, I must admit that the French version is dramatically much better.
In this recording (once TDK, hopefully still available), Patrizia Ciofi is nothing less than phenomenal as a rather neurotic Lucie, Ludovic Tézier is superb as a villainous Henri and Roberto Alagna is in his element as Edgar. It was (at the time) one of his best roles.
The director duo Patrick Courier/Moshe Leiser rarely disappoint. Their productions are always realistic, embedded in a historical perspective, but with enough of a nod to the present. Moreover, they do what directors are supposed to do: provide a good mise-en-scène and guide the singers in their performance as to appear convincing.
THREE LUCIAS OF RECENT TIMES
Anna Netrebko
Deutsche Grammophon released the Live in HD broadcast of Lucia di Lammermoor by the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 2009 on DVD and Blu-Ray (DG 0734545). Anna Netrebko sang the main role. I never really thought Lucia suited her. Moreover, at that time she was more concerned with showing off than with the soul- searchings of the tragic heroine she portrayed.
Piotr Beczala is, as always, a fantastic Edgardo, but all the other singers are fine too. All have an individual timbre, so that in the very homogeneously sung sextet you can also recognise the individual voices.
.
Valery Gergiev conducts energetically and really speeds up the orchestra, which sometimes results in breakneck tempi. On the other hand he actually stretches out the ‘mad scene’ (with glass harmonica, bravo!)
Natalie Dessay
Valery Gergiev’s Mariinsky Theatre put its own Lucia di Lammermoor on CD (MARO 512). Natalie Dessay is a gifted artist. She has a beautiful voice of unprecedented height, with which she sings the most difficult coloraturas and fiorituras as if it were nothing. She is also beautiful and can act incredibly well; it is always a pleasure to see her in action. However, her voice, which is not so big, has its limitations. Scenically, she knows how to hide these through her superb acting, but without visual images, things can go wrong. Which you can hear on this live recording from 2010. Her coloraturas are perfect but empty; they have no substance. This Lucia does go mad but we do not know why. But once she is crazy, she totally makes our heads spin.
Piotr Beczala is, as always, a fantastic Edgardo, but all the other singers are fine too. All have an individual timbre, so that in the very homogeneously sung sextet you can also recognise the individual voices. Valery Gergiev conducts energetically and really speeds up the orchestra, which sometimes results in breakneck tempi. On the other hand he actually stretches out the ‘mad scene’ (with glass harmonica, bravo!).
Diana Damrau
Diana Damrau, one of the world’s best and most famous sopranos, seems to be perfect for the role of Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor. She sang the part already in 2008 at the New York Metropolitan Opera. Five years later, she delighted audiences in her home town of Munich with her interpretation. The concertante performances were recorded live by Erato, but I am sadly disappointed with the result.
Not that there is anything wrong with Damrau’s coloraturas. They are still impeccable, but to my ears they are empty, without any real substance. In her mad scene, she looks more like the mechanical puppet Olympia from Les contes d’Hoffmann than a woman of flesh and blood.
The male roles are all well cast. Joseph Calleja (Edgardo) sings his role with such ease and flexibility that I am reminded of the young Pavarotti. Ludovic Tézier and Nicolas Testé are perhaps not entirely idiomatic, but their impeccable singing is really not to to be criticized. Even the small role of Normanno is perfectly sung by the excellent Andrew Lepri Meyer.
Jesús López-Cobos’ tempi are remarkable, to say the least. It is stop and go again all the time. Sometimes I do not even recognize the music. It seems as if new embellishments have been added.
The recording itself is also quite unbalanced. It is understandable that the opera could not be recorded in one go, but some things were ‘brushed up’ in the studio and unfortunately we can hear this.
My top three remains unchanged: 1. Renata Scotto with Carlo Bergonzi, VAI 4418 2. Beverly Sills with Bergonzi, recorded in the studio in 1970 (Westminster 4712502) 3. Maria Callas, no matter which one
Basia con fuoco 