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MusicOMH, 5 May 2013 |
By Melanie Eskenazi |
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Verdi: Don Carlo, Royal Opera House London, 4. Mai 2013 |
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Don Carlo @ Royal Opera House, London *****
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Verdi’s great drama of love and loss, freedom and power, can seldom have
given sharper focus to the themes of Schiller’s original, than in this
superbly sing, tautly directed production – “You control an Empire, but
cannot control yourself” as Posa remarks, and it is these conflicts, between
private and public , duty and devotion, which emerge so clearly at Covent
Garden.
For this revival of Nicholas Hytner’s 2008
production, the Royal Opera House has assembled an outstanding cast. The
title role is one of many which Jonas Kaufmann seems born to sing, and his
ideal combination of grandeur and vulnerability bodes well for his future
Otello; his soft, lyrical singing is a wonder to hear, and his acting is
utterly convincing, whether portraying this troubled character’s neuroses or
avowing eternal love and friendship. Ferruccio Furlanetto gave an
equally persuasive portrayal of the King, the great aria ‘Ella giammai m’
amo’ (She has no love for me) almost making you feel empathy for a man whose
cruelties included the use of human torches to light his wedding procession.
Mariusz Kwiecień has a slightly more robust baritone than Simon
Keenlyside, who sang the Marquis of Posa last time, so the great duet ‘Dio,
che nell’alma infondere’ had even more impact, and he was a warmly
sympathetic Rodrigo, especially in his death scene. The production does not
allow the Grand Inquisitor to be as terrifying as one might wish, but Eric
Halfvarson did his best to delineate the beliefs of the evil old torturer
despite battling a chest infection. Robert Lloyd was a suitably sonorous
Carlos V; during an interval, someone was heard to ask “What’s the
Commendatore doing there?”
Anja Harteros is a majestic Elizabeth,
singing with rich tone and steely command, especially in ‘Tu che le vanità’
although one might want more of a sense of womanly passion at times.
Béatrice Uria-Monzon had stepped in to take the role of Eboli after
Christine Rice had fallen ill, so it would probably be unfair to judge her
‘O don fatale’ from this at times uncertain performance, although she was
touching in her remorse towards the Queen. The chorus sang superbly, and the
orchestra under Antonio Pappano showed once more that it is in the top
division when it comes to playing Verdi’s music.
The production is
clear-cut, narratively direct, grandiose or intimate as required, and
although it’s rather ‘stagey’ at times, Hytner’s vision (revived by Paul
Higgins) is true to both music and drama. The final scene between
Carlos and Elizabeth will surely linger long in the memory of all who were
fortunate to see and hear it, Kaufmann’s ‘Vago sogno m’arrise’ sung as
though to himself yet striking right at the heart, and the final farewell
between the unhappy pair lacerating in its intensity.
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