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the operacritic |
by Moore Parker |
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Puccini: Tosca, Wiener Staatsoper, 8. Mai 2017 |
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Serafin and Kaufmann make this a revival to be proud of
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It is quite remarkable to consider the succession of artists who have graced
this Margarethe Wallmann production - now in it’s 6th decade, and still
filling the house.
For this broadcast performance, Vienna’s Martina
Serafin replaced Angela Gheorghiu in the title role - with both sopranos
familiar to the production, and the former having suffered the misfortune of
fracturing her leg in Tosca’s dramatic Act 3 leap in December 2015.
A true singing actress, Serafin has, over the years, further deepened her
interpretation of this role and here embodied a flesh and blood character
who was not only truly credible in scenes that risk appearing trite or
ridiculous - but furthermore one who unfailingly captured the spectator’s
attention and sympathy. Vocally, the Viennese soprano possesses ample
resources in dynamics and technical know-how for the role to compliment her
artistic imagination and play with words - culminating in a deserved
reception to match that of her “star” tenor partner.
As Cavaradossi,
Jonas Kaufmann delivered a perfectly slick and carefully-paced performance
to compare with any finely-tuned German automobile engine - absolutely
reliable and considered with meticulous care and finesse. On this evening,
his timbre appeared almost darker than in the past - indeed, on a par with
Angelotti or the Jailer in their shared moments - but rising to easy heights
and offering seamless dynamic variation within a spectrum which only
occasionally fell foul to the sweep of the orchestra.
Charmingly
boyish and a touch introvert, this “latino Artist” is the antithesis of the
visceral laissez faire and tonal brilliance of a Corelli, di Stefano, or the
young Domingo. As in Kaufmann’s earlier showings here, "E lucevan le stelle"
received a carbon-copy encore of immaculate precision, to the unbounded joy
of an adoring audience.
Also returning to the production, Marco
Vratogna, whose Scarpia is a notch more bullish than some, darkly menacing
in tone, and risking being under-pitch at times for the sake of effect -
while unquestionably cutting a figure to be reckoned with, right from his
opening entrance. Act 2’s unfolding drama seemed anything but hackneyed,
with both soprano and baritone coiled like two hairsprings which eventually
escape their collets and unravel into a wonderfully-timed murder scene and
finale in which Tosca (unlike some who disintegrate in hysteria) regains her
composure and hurls her "E avante a lui tremava tutta Roma" with venom at
her victim’s corpse.
Paolo Rumetz was luxuriously cast as an
imposing, but highly appealing Sagrestano, with additional solid support
from Wolfram Igor Derntl (Spoletta) and Clemens Unterreiner (Angelotti).
Eivind Gullberg Jensen was discernibly considerate of his soloists in
terms of tempi (rather “fluid” at times on certain showcase notes) without
becoming too indulgent - but with occasional moments a touch out of sync
between pit, stage, and backstage.
All-in-all a 594th revival
performance of this perennial warhorse for the house to be proud of.
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