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FINANCIAL TIMES, February 22
2005 |
By Shirley Apthorp |
Monteverdi: L'Incoronazione di Poppea, Zürich 2005
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The early music movement has come a long way since the
1970s. Or has it? Zurich Opera's new L'incoronazione di Poppea invites
comparisons. This opera house's Monteverdi cycle three decades ago changed
the way the world thought about the composer. Now it's time for the
remake. Same conductor, different directors. Klaus-Michael Grüber staged a
spare, emotionalIl ritorno d'Ulisse in patria three years ago. For Poppea,
it's Jürgen Flimm's turn.
Certainly nobody could accuse Nikolaus Harnoncourt of staying the same.
Almost all his tempi have changed since the 1970s, largely in favour of
the text. Now what we hear is pure Dramma per musica, intensely
psychological, profoundly expressive. Every phrase is illustrative, laden
with meaning. Busenello's tale is shockingly amoral, and Harnoncourt is
out to make sure that we notice Monteverdi's take on it.
Flimm gives us pure soap opera, updating the action to a slick 1970s
Italian villa (sets: Annette Murschetz), in indiscriminately modern
costumes (Heide Kastler). After their prologue, Fortuna, Virtù andAmore
remain, reappearing in various disguises to watch or steer the action.
Allegorical espionage, to help us remember what the opera is about. It's
intellectually unambitious and undeniably entertaining.
Juanita Lascarro leapt into the breach left by Vesselina Kassarova's
sudden indisposition to give us a Poppea of compelling erotic allure. As
her vanquished rival, Ottavia, Francesca Provvisionato is a picture of
dissolute disillusionment, with enough fire left in her for a devastating
final aria. Jonas Kaufmann makes a magnificently narcissistic Nero,
looking and sounding effortlessly gorgeous. László Polgár plays Seneca as
Star Trek's Captain Jean-Luc Picard, senior but flawed, vocally absolutely
in command. Smaller roles are solidly cast, although the opening night had
an under-rehearsed feel. The house baroque orchestra, La Scintilla,
normally excellent, recalled the 1970s by sounding as if some players were
still coming to terms with their instruments. We were told that a 'flu
epidemic was doing the rounds. Next time, it should do them elsewhere. |
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