The
opera house here is roofed, but open on the sides, inviting the
elements to
create their show augmenting the staged work. The count after three
nights
here: Three storms, yet dry listeners (apart from a few on the outer
aisle,
caught by wind-driven rain drops).
The
challenges of the celestial pyrotechnics and proximity rain seemed to inspire the vocalists more than distract
them. In Rossini's florid “Maometto II” heard on Aug. 2, the
singers---unperturbed by the thin oxygen at 7.000-ft. altitude----got
better
mostly as the night went on. This was one of Rossini’s better vehicles
for
coloratura casts, with enough vocal roulades (tropes) for the singers
to feed
the whole audience. It was also one of Rossini’s favorites, as he felt
his
tragedy never got its due in 1820s
Even
though this one got one of the cleverest productions seen at the SFO
all week
(Jon Morrell's designs), with sliding wall panels that open up new
scenes, this
is an opera to hear more than see. Sliding panels also allow Maometto's
triumphal horse-drawn chariot to enter the stage, with him at the
reins, Charlton
Heston-style.
There are no catchy tunes a
la "Barber," but a profusion of florid arias for the four main
principals. The ensembles included a colossal terzettone (super-trio)
with chorus running 29 minutes as well as a quartet and duet work.
The
fast-rising soprano Leah Crocetto (Anna), who a couple of years ago was
doing
apprentice roles in San Francisco, brought down the house with her
swan-song
aria, where she floated tones that you wish they had produced all night
long. A
worthy match was basso profundo Luca Picaroni in the title role---tall,
authoritative, nimble-voiced, as a military leader striking fear into
all the
protagonists around him. I'd love to see him as Don Giovanni.
The
third huge voice was the mezzo of Patrice Sheldon in
a trouser role of Calbo, who wants to
marry Anna but is outmaneuvered by Maometto.
Here
Maometto wins the battles---his Turks vs. the Venetians, with Anna
shuttled
about as a pawn. Captured by Maometto, Anna secures release of both
Calbo and
her father Erisso (Bruce Sledge) in exchange for staying with the Turk.
She
betrays him and is recaptured, whereupon she commits suicide out of
guilt. Not
your every-day plot!!
The
new SFO Music Director Frederic Chaslin led the orchestra in efficient
and
never leisurely fashion, rarely leaving room for singers' cadenzas and
floating
tones. The robust SFO Chorus forming the soldiers' numerous ensembles
was
outstanding. The unwieldy two-act Neapolitan opera
was brought in at somewhat over three
hours, with just one intermission.
Veteran
Director David Alden used dubious devices to enliven the stage,
including
somber soldiers in black doing dances; an allegorical War figure; and a
witch-like personage symbolizing Death. He did however produce the best
entrance I've ever seen---Maometto breaking through a solid wall as the
invincible
warrior.
NOTED---This
show used a new critical edition of the work by the Dutch musicologist
Hans
Schellevis....The summers-only SFO is in its 56th season…. This is what
the
locals refer to seriously as the “monsoon” season, making a small dent
in the
long-standing drought.
Santa
Fe Opera in Rossini's "Maometto II," in Italian, with English
translations. Opera House,
©D. Rane Danubian 2012
#
D. Rane Danubian has been
covering
the dance and modern-music scene in the San Francisco Bay Area with
relish
-- and a certain amount of salsa -- for years.
These critiques appearing weekly (or sometimes semi-weekly, but never
weakly)
will focus on dance and new musical creativity in performance, with
forays
into books (by authors of the region), theater and recordings by local
artists as well.
#
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