Mascagni : Cavalleria Rusticana
Leoncavallo : I Pagliacci
Chorus and Children's Chorus of the Capitole
Orchestra of the National Theatre of the Capitole
Tugan Sokhiev
These two short operas are performed together so frequently that we generally no longer ask why they should be. It was refreshing, therefore, to see a production in which they were set as two scenes from the life of the same southern Italian village, some fifty years apart, Cavalleria at the turn of the 20th Century, Pagliacci just after WWII. Director and designer, Yannis Kokkos, places the action(s) in a square at the side of a large baroque church, of which you can just see the corner of the porch to the right, while the left of the stage is bounded by a wall, and broad steps come down from what would be the parvis of the church. In the distance, right at the back, the drop shows a silhouette of a hilltop village. As a setting, it worked quite well; what was a little less successful was the relentless black garb of the chorus in Cavalleria, and the usual problem in Pagliacci, how to stage the play in the second act so that the singers appear to be performing to the chorus/audience, while yet facing out to the real audience in order to be able to project properly.
Cavalleria suffered from a sort of generalised depression. The only soloists really able to make something of their parts were Nikolai Schukoff (Turiddu) and Elena Zilio (Mamma Lucia), both vocally sound and expressive. However, Elena Bocharova, despite a fine, resonant mezzo (though with the 'slavic' habit of scooping slightly on the attack of her upper notes), was a disappointingly placid Santuzza, decidedly lacking in the fire and anguish that animates this character. The chorus, which plays a major part in the opera, was mostly good, but a small degree of raggedness in the timing plagued them throughout both operas.
The biggest problem, however, was that the orchestra was simply going through the motions, playing the notes but not providing the kind of support that can really make a difference to the perception of the Mascagni score, from an overblown melodrama to a gripping tragedy. This was a bit of a shock; I've heard Tugan Sokhiev on the radio often enough to know his quality as a conductor, and I had certainly expected much better from him.
That he can deliver was made abundantly clear right from the start of Pagliacci. The orchestra came to life, forceful and passionate, the details of the scoring brought out with care and thoughtfulness. The Leoncavallo is a better piece than the Mascagni in any event, better constructed and better composed, and the difference to the level of performance that the full attention of the orchestra and conductor could make was really very striking.
It was certainly enough to buoy up a vocally somewhat slapdash showing from Badri Maisuradze as Canio; he has the top notes and the big sound, and the feeling was there, but there was a lot of messily imprecise singing in between. Tamar Iveri was a luminous Nedda, despite a slight tendency to come in just a shade under her top notes, and her duet with Mario Cassi's warmly sung Silvio was beautifully done. (She deserves extra kudos for putting up with an absolutely hideous outfit as Columbine in the second half!)
Sergey Murzaev was a strong Tonio, quite dark in tone, which made him an excellent contrast to Cassi, and he delivered a fine, earnest Prologue, while Mikeldi Atxalandabaso was a good, clear-toned Beppe, the voice of common sense amongst the little troupe. A generally high quality of singing, given lovingly meticulous support from the orchestra, more than made up for the uninspiring Cavalleria that had opened the proceedings. However, if Sokhiev finds the Mascagni that tedious, he should perhaps consider finding an alternative partner for Pagliacci in the future.
[Next : 26th April]
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