Baritone Michael Chioldi as Belfiore. Photo: Kathy WittmanWatching Odyssey Opera's new production of Verdi's Un giorno di regno, it's hard to believe this charmer ever failed on its opening night - much less that it was then forgotten for well over a century! Indeed, Un giorno's first-and-fatal bow put the young Verdi into such a funk he almost gave up on opera; luckily for us, the libretto for Nabucco changed his mind - although a reputation for being "bad" at comedy dogged the composer throughout his career.Sigh. What can I say? Critics! I suppose you could argue that some of Un giorno feels like apprentice work - there are indeed a few simple musical (and dramatic) repeats to be found in its arc. But Verdi's budding genius is actually far more often evident. And while there may be no show-stopping arias here, there's a surfeit of fetching melody, as well as a luminous trio and an intricate quintet tucked into the first act alone. (Indeed, even though the opera is clearly framed as a bel canto effort, it's the ensembles that stick with you.)So it's hard to understand what has taken Father Time so long to correct this particular error, but he has finally done so, and Un giorno di regno (literally "A Day's Reign," but usually translated as "King for a Day") is at last having its day. Productions have been popping up all over, and we're lucky to have this one, even if it reigns for just one more night (tonight, in fact, is the last bow of its two performances, so hurry).The "king" in question is actually a cavalier, one Belfiore, whose resemblance to Stanislaus, the King of Poland, has won him a tasty gig as body double for the monarch when he's off on secret missions. During one of these sojourns, while Belfiore is hanging at the crib of one Count Kelbar, handling the social calendar, he is suddenly drawn into not one but two forced-engagement parties - and one of them involves his main squeeze, the Marchesa del Poggio - who of course recognizes her own beloved in his new clothes, and wonders mightily why he won't intervene.Of course Belfiore is bound by honor (and maybe law) to stay in disguise - so needless to say, hilarity ensues. And I mean that - it's a very funny opera, a beguiling mix of skeptical commedia and lush romantic arias. It helps that stage director Joshua Major has a light, inventive touch, and knows his way around this kind of material. But he in turn has been lucky in his cast - most of whom are gifted farceurs as well as talented singers.At the center of the action is baritone Michael Chioldi, who cuts an appealing figure as the uncomfortably conflicted Belfiore - although you might be so bowled over by his voice, which is marked by not only deep color but surprising reserves of power, that you don't even notice his acting chops. Chioldi faces stiff vocal competition, however, from tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan, who's perhaps too placid as Edoardo, the spurned lover involved in the other forced marriage, but who boasts a truly superb tone - he's blessed with a true Verdi tenor, sun-kissed and supple.The leading ladies are in the same league. As Giulieta, who's in love with Edoardo but finds herself betrothed to the aging La Rocca, mezzo Jessica Medoff is all frustrated youthful bustle, and her vocals are almost as bright and bold - indeed, it's soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra's instrument that's actually flecked with more dusky complexity (although she can soar into coloratura territory with ease). Shoremount-Obra is also, fortunately, an accomplished actress, and so both touches and tickles us with her portrait of the complicated Marchesa.Around the edges of the production the news is also good: the chorus was warm and rambunctious (if not always precisely focused), while the reliable David Kravitz was, as ever, vocally resonant and dramatically witty as La Rocca. His comic scenes with local light James Maddalena proved particularly delicious, for the much-loved Maddalena remains a charming character actor; but someday we're all going to have to admit, alas, that at this point he only commands full vocal power at the bottom of his range.Meanwhile the sets and costumes, though not opulent, were apt and evocative, and down in the pit conductor Gil Rose drew a beautifully pointed performance from the Odyssey orchestra. After this and the remarkable production of Rienzi he mounted last autumn, it seems Mr. Rose hasn't allowed the recent closing of Opera Boston (his last major gig) to even break his stride. Indeed, you could argue he's on quite a roll (both this and the Wagner would rank among the best of Opera Boston's work). Which is truly good news for Boston's opera scene - which is currently exploding, btw. If you doubt me, try to catch Un giorno di regno tonight - but if you miss it, Odyssey is presenting an entirely different operatic double feature tomorrow night, to cap their current festival. And there's even more opera on tap this summer, from at least three different companies. What gives, particularly in an economy that's supposed to be killing off opera companies across the country? I don't know - but the city's operatic renaissance is definitely here, and you'd be a fool not to ride the wave while it's rising.The Hub Review, the guide to everything that matters in Boston and elsewhere.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
A buon Giorno from Odyssey Opera
ABC Reiew Baritone Michael Chioldi as Belfiore. Photo: Kathy WittmanWatching Odyssey Opera's new production of Verdi's Un giorno di regno, it's hard to believe this charmer ever failed on its opening night - much less that it was then forgotten for well over a century! Indeed, Un giorno's first-and-fatal bow put the young Verdi into such a funk he almost gave up on opera; luckily for us, the libretto for Nabucco changed his mind - although a reputation for being "bad" at comedy dogged the composer throughout his career.Sigh. What can I say? Critics! I suppose you could argue that some of Un giorno feels like apprentice work - there are indeed a few simple musical (and dramatic) repeats to be found in its arc. But Verdi's budding genius is actually far more often evident. And while there may be no show-stopping arias here, there's a surfeit of fetching melody, as well as a luminous trio and an intricate quintet tucked into the first act alone. (Indeed, even though the opera is clearly framed as a bel canto effort, it's the ensembles that stick with you.)So it's hard to understand what has taken Father Time so long to correct this particular error, but he has finally done so, and Un giorno di regno (literally "A Day's Reign," but usually translated as "King for a Day") is at last having its day. Productions have been popping up all over, and we're lucky to have this one, even if it reigns for just one more night (tonight, in fact, is the last bow of its two performances, so hurry).The "king" in question is actually a cavalier, one Belfiore, whose resemblance to Stanislaus, the King of Poland, has won him a tasty gig as body double for the monarch when he's off on secret missions. During one of these sojourns, while Belfiore is hanging at the crib of one Count Kelbar, handling the social calendar, he is suddenly drawn into not one but two forced-engagement parties - and one of them involves his main squeeze, the Marchesa del Poggio - who of course recognizes her own beloved in his new clothes, and wonders mightily why he won't intervene.Of course Belfiore is bound by honor (and maybe law) to stay in disguise - so needless to say, hilarity ensues. And I mean that - it's a very funny opera, a beguiling mix of skeptical commedia and lush romantic arias. It helps that stage director Joshua Major has a light, inventive touch, and knows his way around this kind of material. But he in turn has been lucky in his cast - most of whom are gifted farceurs as well as talented singers.At the center of the action is baritone Michael Chioldi, who cuts an appealing figure as the uncomfortably conflicted Belfiore - although you might be so bowled over by his voice, which is marked by not only deep color but surprising reserves of power, that you don't even notice his acting chops. Chioldi faces stiff vocal competition, however, from tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan, who's perhaps too placid as Edoardo, the spurned lover involved in the other forced marriage, but who boasts a truly superb tone - he's blessed with a true Verdi tenor, sun-kissed and supple.The leading ladies are in the same league. As Giulieta, who's in love with Edoardo but finds herself betrothed to the aging La Rocca, mezzo Jessica Medoff is all frustrated youthful bustle, and her vocals are almost as bright and bold - indeed, it's soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra's instrument that's actually flecked with more dusky complexity (although she can soar into coloratura territory with ease). Shoremount-Obra is also, fortunately, an accomplished actress, and so both touches and tickles us with her portrait of the complicated Marchesa.Around the edges of the production the news is also good: the chorus was warm and rambunctious (if not always precisely focused), while the reliable David Kravitz was, as ever, vocally resonant and dramatically witty as La Rocca. His comic scenes with local light James Maddalena proved particularly delicious, for the much-loved Maddalena remains a charming character actor; but someday we're all going to have to admit, alas, that at this point he only commands full vocal power at the bottom of his range.Meanwhile the sets and costumes, though not opulent, were apt and evocative, and down in the pit conductor Gil Rose drew a beautifully pointed performance from the Odyssey orchestra. After this and the remarkable production of Rienzi he mounted last autumn, it seems Mr. Rose hasn't allowed the recent closing of Opera Boston (his last major gig) to even break his stride. Indeed, you could argue he's on quite a roll (both this and the Wagner would rank among the best of Opera Boston's work). Which is truly good news for Boston's opera scene - which is currently exploding, btw. If you doubt me, try to catch Un giorno di regno tonight - but if you miss it, Odyssey is presenting an entirely different operatic double feature tomorrow night, to cap their current festival. And there's even more opera on tap this summer, from at least three different companies. What gives, particularly in an economy that's supposed to be killing off opera companies across the country? I don't know - but the city's operatic renaissance is definitely here, and you'd be a fool not to ride the wave while it's rising.The Hub Review, the guide to everything that matters in Boston and elsewhere.
Baritone Michael Chioldi as Belfiore. Photo: Kathy WittmanWatching Odyssey Opera's new production of Verdi's Un giorno di regno, it's hard to believe this charmer ever failed on its opening night - much less that it was then forgotten for well over a century! Indeed, Un giorno's first-and-fatal bow put the young Verdi into such a funk he almost gave up on opera; luckily for us, the libretto for Nabucco changed his mind - although a reputation for being "bad" at comedy dogged the composer throughout his career.Sigh. What can I say? Critics! I suppose you could argue that some of Un giorno feels like apprentice work - there are indeed a few simple musical (and dramatic) repeats to be found in its arc. But Verdi's budding genius is actually far more often evident. And while there may be no show-stopping arias here, there's a surfeit of fetching melody, as well as a luminous trio and an intricate quintet tucked into the first act alone. (Indeed, even though the opera is clearly framed as a bel canto effort, it's the ensembles that stick with you.)So it's hard to understand what has taken Father Time so long to correct this particular error, but he has finally done so, and Un giorno di regno (literally "A Day's Reign," but usually translated as "King for a Day") is at last having its day. Productions have been popping up all over, and we're lucky to have this one, even if it reigns for just one more night (tonight, in fact, is the last bow of its two performances, so hurry).The "king" in question is actually a cavalier, one Belfiore, whose resemblance to Stanislaus, the King of Poland, has won him a tasty gig as body double for the monarch when he's off on secret missions. During one of these sojourns, while Belfiore is hanging at the crib of one Count Kelbar, handling the social calendar, he is suddenly drawn into not one but two forced-engagement parties - and one of them involves his main squeeze, the Marchesa del Poggio - who of course recognizes her own beloved in his new clothes, and wonders mightily why he won't intervene.Of course Belfiore is bound by honor (and maybe law) to stay in disguise - so needless to say, hilarity ensues. And I mean that - it's a very funny opera, a beguiling mix of skeptical commedia and lush romantic arias. It helps that stage director Joshua Major has a light, inventive touch, and knows his way around this kind of material. But he in turn has been lucky in his cast - most of whom are gifted farceurs as well as talented singers.At the center of the action is baritone Michael Chioldi, who cuts an appealing figure as the uncomfortably conflicted Belfiore - although you might be so bowled over by his voice, which is marked by not only deep color but surprising reserves of power, that you don't even notice his acting chops. Chioldi faces stiff vocal competition, however, from tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan, who's perhaps too placid as Edoardo, the spurned lover involved in the other forced marriage, but who boasts a truly superb tone - he's blessed with a true Verdi tenor, sun-kissed and supple.The leading ladies are in the same league. As Giulieta, who's in love with Edoardo but finds herself betrothed to the aging La Rocca, mezzo Jessica Medoff is all frustrated youthful bustle, and her vocals are almost as bright and bold - indeed, it's soprano Amy Shoremount-Obra's instrument that's actually flecked with more dusky complexity (although she can soar into coloratura territory with ease). Shoremount-Obra is also, fortunately, an accomplished actress, and so both touches and tickles us with her portrait of the complicated Marchesa.Around the edges of the production the news is also good: the chorus was warm and rambunctious (if not always precisely focused), while the reliable David Kravitz was, as ever, vocally resonant and dramatically witty as La Rocca. His comic scenes with local light James Maddalena proved particularly delicious, for the much-loved Maddalena remains a charming character actor; but someday we're all going to have to admit, alas, that at this point he only commands full vocal power at the bottom of his range.Meanwhile the sets and costumes, though not opulent, were apt and evocative, and down in the pit conductor Gil Rose drew a beautifully pointed performance from the Odyssey orchestra. After this and the remarkable production of Rienzi he mounted last autumn, it seems Mr. Rose hasn't allowed the recent closing of Opera Boston (his last major gig) to even break his stride. Indeed, you could argue he's on quite a roll (both this and the Wagner would rank among the best of Opera Boston's work). Which is truly good news for Boston's opera scene - which is currently exploding, btw. If you doubt me, try to catch Un giorno di regno tonight - but if you miss it, Odyssey is presenting an entirely different operatic double feature tomorrow night, to cap their current festival. And there's even more opera on tap this summer, from at least three different companies. What gives, particularly in an economy that's supposed to be killing off opera companies across the country? I don't know - but the city's operatic renaissance is definitely here, and you'd be a fool not to ride the wave while it's rising.The Hub Review, the guide to everything that matters in Boston and elsewhere.
