During the Simon Boccanegra, a standard guy features greatness thrust through to him, conference their ultimate death owing to a confluence out-of future and you can scenario. Along the way, he loses and you may regains an excellent daughter, quashes a revolution or a few, and you can unites Italy along with his perishing air. Of many audience revere Verdi’s masterful get when you find yourself in addition sniffing in the convoluted spot, however, Laurence Dale’s development to possess Opera Philadelphia’s Event O23 helps make a great compelling circumstances to your work’s remarkable unity.
The fresh movie director possess that point purposefully unclear, having imposing sets because of the Gary McCann one subtly strongly recommend a fascist graphic. That research may appear slightly unjust on label character – men who is ethical towards center, in the event he try not to totally prevent the trappings regarding autocracy – nevertheless underscores the reality that that person’s savior is another’s tyrant. Dale employs even more-textual devices that accentuate this new backstory versus contradicting Piave and you can Boito’s libretto. The new movie director and music artists manage an admirable quantity of specificity for the storytelling, because of the wide expanses of one’s Academy away from Music’s phase and you can the opera’s from time to time static runs.
One can pay attention to in Taylor’s sound the possibility to switch to your a beneficial Verdi baritone in his very own proper
About gap, Corrado Rovaris unflaggingly supporting the experience onstage while you are verifying the fresh perfection of rating, you start with elegant textures throughout the stately prelude. By the end of your own Prologue, in which Boccanegra is actually increased to help you Doge away from Genoa, the guy whips the band on the good phantasmagorical frenzy, hence goes with the newest intense singing of your own plebian chorus. (Opera Philadelphia chorus learn E Braden will continue to really works secret that have their particular pushes – I’d dislike to get rid of their in your community, however, she will likely be in assertion into soon-to-end up being vacant Urban Opera gig.) On nights, Rovaris tends to make one hear familiar musical with new ears, because the when he ravishingly layers the chain, gusts of wind and percussion inside “Have quest’ora bruna” – at the same time and make Verdi seem like the fresh new progenitor away from MariГ©es Islandais one another Debussy and you can Berg.
Getting his first trip regarding name character, Quinn Kelsey will continue to burnish their bona fides as premier Verdi baritone from his age bracket. Regardless if he never ever struggled with vocal projection, the guy preferred lyricism throughout the, shading their melting legato singing with guidance old and you may indecision rather than barking contours to deliver Boccanegra’s mounting emotional stress. Their last utterances sounded rightly troubled, even in the event their powerful tonal beauty stayed. Towards assistance of Fernand Ruiz’s outfits, he showed his character’s evolution regarding simple corsair in order to grand leader, and you will regarding the opera’s after acts, the guy reminded the viewers one Boccanegra has been an essentially a beneficial guy within their core.
Soprano Ana Maria Martinez lacked a few of the hallelia, the newest daughter away from Boccanegra that is raised by the their archenemy, Jacopo Fiesco. Never anticipate ethereally floated high notes otherwise a specific expansiveness of tone. A little defeat crept into the Martinez’s voice at minutes, too, but complete, she introduced a sensible and you can extremely sounds translation from a great Verdi woman who’ll sporadically manage quite and vacant. Their own Amelia try headstrong and you can confidant, in the event it’s difficult to understand what pulls their particular so you can Richard Trey Smagur’s hooty, overacted Gabriele Adorno.
When you look at the a gorgeous repeating second, a white-gowned supernumerary haunts the newest periphery as the Boccanegra’s late partner and you may Amelia’s mother; she sooner guides Simon towards afterlife
Religious Van Horn clipped a regal, dignified profile given that Fiesco, whilst character sits a keen octave roughly underneath the comfort zone out-of his basically lyric bass-baritone. Because the Paolo Albiani, Boccanegra’s turncoat advisor, baritone Benjamin Taylor was a breakthrough, pouring acres out-of plangent sounds into the what could easily be an excellent standard-thing villain.
