Tag Archives: frontali

Fiddling with Nero

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Arrigo Boito is better known as Verdi’s ibrettist on several well known operas but he did write a couple of his own.  Mefistofele is probably the better known of the two but it feels like the one he put pretty much heart and soul into is Nerone.  Now it’s a matter of some controversy whether he finished the opera or not.  Four acts were completed and the composer is on record, in 1911, as describing the opera as “finished” but there’s a prose summary of a possible fifth act which is generally regarded as so unstageable that the composer couldn’t possibly have made opera out of it.  In any event the version staged at Cagliari in 2024 and recorded for video is the four act version.

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Ernani

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Ernani is an early Verdi opera (1844) and it’s not performed that often (16th most performed Verdi opera according to Operabase).  It was given at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in 2022, in a production by Leo Muscato, which was recorded for video release.  How you react to it may partly depend on how you feel about bel canto operas on (more or less) serious themes.  This is an opera about unrequited love and revenge (lots of revenge) but, in typical bel canto style, the music doesn’t always fit the mood.  So here we open on a prelude where Ernani’s bandit gang are sorting out the corpses from their latest skirmish while the orchestra plays a rather jolly tune, then they break into a drinking song and then Ernani enters and sings a rather lovely cavatina.  There are places where the music is darker and some of it is really rather good.  In particular there are some strong duets for Ernani and his (everyone’s) love interest Elvira.  Overall, I rather liked it musically.

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Red blooded Otello

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I’m never quite sure what I think about large scale outdoor opera performances but the Macerata Opera festival’s 2016 production of Verdi’s Otello staged in the Arena Sferisterio comes over rather well on video.  It’s a complete contrast with the Salzburg production I reviewed a few days ago.  This is large scale “red in tooth and claw” Verdi.  There is none of the subtlety of the Salzburg performances but it is spectacular and quite exciting.

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Traditional Traviata

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The 2007 recording of Verdi’s La Traviata from Milan’s Teattro alla Scala is extremely traditional but very satisfying.  Liliana Cavani’s production is set in the mid 19th century with entirely conventional sets and costumes (with the obligatory cleavage) and nothing in the direction that adds up to an original concept or idea.  Act 1 is set in a glitzy ballroom.  Act 2 scene 1 takes us to a slightly odd sort of country house bedsit with billiard table  In Act 2 scene 2 we are back with the glitz with actual gypsies and bare chested matadors. Act 3 is set in a suitably dark invalid’s bedroom.  Angela Gheorghiu’s Violetta goes from ballgown to nightdress to ballgown to nightdress while maintaining Ange levels of, you guessed it, cleavage.  The guys are all in evening dress or operetta dress uniforms.  It’s all pretty and doesn’t distract from the music.
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