I first saw this film when it was broadcast on BBC television at
Christmas 2011. I thought it was marvellous on first
acquaintance and I’m delighted to find it now released on DVD.
The film was made during two live performances at the Royal
Opera House.
This release has a number of things going
for it. In the first place it has a stellar trio of principals,
not one of whom disappoints. In addition the supporting cast,
though their roles are fairly minor by comparison with the main
characters, hasn’t a weak link in it. Then there’s the superb
conducting of Antonio Pappano. Finally - and this is a major
plus as far as I am concerned - the production is traditional in
the best sense of the word and blessedly free from gimmickry and
directorial conceits.
Jonathan Kent’s production,
rehearsed for this revival by Duncan Macfarland, is intelligent
and faithful to Puccini’s concept. In describing it as
“traditional” I don’t wish to imply for a second that it’s
routine or boring for it is most certainly not either of those
things. Instead Kent focuses on the three main characters and
the interactions between them. The sets are impressive and
straightforward - the church and the entrance to its crypt for
Act I; Scarpia’s huge chamber, with the interrogation cell
conveniently next door in Act II; and the rooftop execution yard
of Castel Sant’Angelo for Act III. The costumes are of the
period and look well and so far as we can tell on the small
screen Mark Henderson’s lighting plot is highly effective and
atmospheric. Kent and his team try no clever updating of the
plot and there’s no puzzling symbolism. Instead, what we get is
a straightforward, powerful presentation of Puccini’s plot. For
me a key question with any opera is whether or not a newcomer to
the piece could settle into his or her seat and understand what
is going on. In this case the answer is resoundingly in the
affirmative. Hurrah!
So, everything onstage is well set
up. Happily, the video direction is equally successful. Jonathan
Haswell clearly understands the opera extremely well and his
direction is assured, fluent and at all times relevant to the
action. One benefit of watching on video is that you can see all
the facial expressions which might not register if one were
sitting further back in the auditorium. In this performance
that’s crucial as the principals - and Terfel in particular -
convey so much through subtle eye movements rather than through
big physical gestures.
Bryn Terfel is an artist about
whom I’ve had some reservations in the past. His
larger-than-life stage personality sometimes seems overdone and
his excursions into the song repertoire on disc have often
seemed to me to be over-expressive, to the detriment of the
music: he can dwarf a song. However, a big-boned operatic role
is much more his métier and he proves to be a superb Scarpia.
Given that he’s playing one of the most notorious villains in
all opera you may be surprised to find him making reference to
the “stillness” in the role during the introductory feature. So
much of what he does is achieved by facial expressions and with
his eyes. His very first entry is hugely imposing and menacing
simply because his physical bearing is so big. He radiates
glowering menace and evil yet there’s no ham acting. Indeed,
this is an unusually subtle assumption of the role. He does
almost everything with his eyes and his voice and it’s all the
more chilling and effective a portrayal as a result. Note, for
example, the subtle sneer he gives after Tosca has sung “Dio me
perdona. Egli vedi ch’io piango!” at the end of the dialogue
between them in the chapel during Act I. The Act II
confrontation with Tosca is searing in its intensity and once
again it’s remarkable how much Terfel achieves through subtle
means rather than overt histrionic gestures. He brings out the
manipulative aspect of Scarpia’s character, both here and in Act
I, with conspicuous success. Add to that the fact that he’s on
superb vocal form and in my view you have pretty much the
complete package here. Overall, his is a marvellous, dramatic
performance, magnificently sung and acted.
As Tosca,
Angela Gheorghiu, who is also on top form, really delivers the
goods. The role seems to fit her like a glove, both
temperamentally and vocally, as she indicates in the
introductory feature. In Act I, when duetting with Cavaradossi,
she veers between knowing flirtatiousness and jealous
insecurity. She’s completely convincing as the seductive,
flighty diva who is difficult, if not impossible to tame. Her
vocal timbre and the wide range of colour in her voice are most
impressive and enable her to convey a wide-ranging portrayal of
Puccini’s tragic heroine. Though her ardent Act I duet with
Cavaradossi is superb her performance reaches an even higher
plane during the long confrontation with Scarpia in Act II. This
entire scene is riveting. At its heart is a moving and superbly
delivered account of ‘Vissi d’arte’. In a piece of fabulous,
expressive singing Miss Gheorghiu here portrays Tosca’s anguish
at the prospect of the fate she faces at Scarpia’s hands if she
gives way to his lust. It’s a showstopper and the audience
acclaims it as such - then, in one of his expertly timed bits of
acting, Terfel acknowledges her with three slow, sarcastic claps
of his hands. When Tosca, in desperation and loathing, lunges at
Scarpia and delivers the fateful knife blows Gheorghiu’s cries
of ‘Muori’ are chillingly intense. She maintains this intensity,
though in a different way into her third act dialogue with
Cavaradossi, conveying first the ecstasy as she anticipates the
deliverance she thinks she’s arranged and then her total despair
as she realises that Scarpia has duped her after all. This is a
wonderful portrayal of Puccini’s eponymous tragic heroine.
However, despite the excellence of Gheorghiu and
Terfel the show is stolen by Jonas Kaufmann. My attention was
first drawn to him when his name was mentioned to me by a
distinguished British singer, with huge concert and operatic
experience, now retired. Towards the end of his career he had
taken part in a production in which Kaufmann was involved and he
told me subsequently that Kaufmann was one of the finest - if
not the finest - singer/actor he had ever come across. This
performance shows why such a judgement could be given. It’s not
just that Kaufmann’s singing is superb - though it is in every
respect - it’s the all-round performance that he gives that’s so
special. Watch him, for instance, in the first few moments of
the opera when he’s engaged with the Sacristan. Watch how
naturally and easily he accomplishes little bits of “stage
business” with his paint brushes and other props or how he
applies just a few touches to his portrait-in-progress. Of
themselves these little bits of acting are insignificant but
when you think how many great opera singers haven’t been able to
act to save their lives it’s refreshing to find one to whom
stagecraft seems to come so naturally. Of course, all this adds
to the character portrayal and makes it all the more convincing.
Then he opens his mouth to sing.
Kaufmann’s singing is
simply glorious. It’s open-throated, ringing and sumptuous of
tone with a thrilling dynamic range. He’s a tremendously ardent
foil to Gheorghiu’s Tosca and everything he sings gives enormous
pleasure and just sounds absolutely right. The big numbers -
‘Recondita armonia’ and ‘E lucevan le stelle’ - are memorable
pieces of singing and the whole Act III duet with Tosca is
memorably done. This is one of the finest assumptions of the
role you could wish to see and hear.
In the pit
Antonio Pappano is absolutely in his element. His conducting has
great dramatic thrust and the sweeping ardour of Puccini’s
hothouse melodies is ardently conveyed. The ROH chorus and
orchestra are on scintillating form.
This is a stunningly
good account of Puccini’s “shabby little shocker”. As I hope
I’ve made clear, it’s anything but shabby in any respect.
Instead the cast, players and production team bring this
masterpiece of verismo thrillingly to life. It’s hard to imagine
the opera being done more convincingly. A performance and
production such as this leaves one in no doubt that the Royal
Opera House is truly one of the world’s great opera houses.
Bravo!
