Meyerbeer’s Margherita d’Anjou
Festival della Valle d’Itria
Palazzo Ducale di Martina Franca
August 2, 2017
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| Meyerbeer gets a Fashion Week make-over with a 17th Century themed collection Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
Lei:
Among the myriad opera festivals available in Europe this summer,
we ended up picking the Festival della
Valle d’Itria, intrigued by their rediscovery of a rare Meyerbeer bel canto work and of course by the
sheer beauty and abundant culinary pleasures offered by Puglia, one of Italy’s
finest regions. Meyerbeer was not at all on our operatic map, but we decided to
give him a try, confident that if worse came to worse at least we would be in
the birthplace of burrata, stracciatella and bombette pugliesi.
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| The ducal palace in Martina Franca Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
Lui:
The promise of a whole lot of beautiful music from 1820, which places
the opera squarely in the height of the bel
canto period in Italy, was enough to get us excited. As for the production,
to be staged al fresco in the
courtyard of the baroque ducal palace in Martina Franca, we did not know what
to expect. For all we knew we were gearing up for a traditional evening of
tights and late medieval cuirasses, given that the plot was set in 1300s
England and the performance venue was pretty old school.
Lei:
However, as soon as maestro Fabio
Luisi launched into a full bodied but nuanced rendition of the magnificent
military overture, we suddenly found ourselves behind the scenes at a
contemporary fashion show, with naked models getting dressed and eccentric
fashion types excitedly fussing around, all while the chorus members (as the “audience”
of fashionistas) took their places along the catwalk. At that point the 1300s
tights and armor were out of the question and we happily braced ourselves for a
wild Regietheater ride.
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| Bel canto breakdancing meets mimed sword fighting Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
Lui:
Director Alessandro Talevi took the ridiculously
overwrought melodramma semiserio plot about intersecting love triangles and
international power play as an opportunity to tell a quirky and imaginative
story that transposed all of its familiar elements and kept the audience on its
toes. From the moment a bunch of models began strutting across the stage on a
cat walk before transitioning into a routine of breakdance sword fighting and
mime armed warfare to early nineteenth-century bel canto melodies, the show had me perched on the edge of my seat
in anticipation of what they would come up with next.
Lei:
The original plot is kind of a mess, with several centers of dramatic tension
and comic relief thrown in. We’re in the midst of the War of the Two Roses and
its many battles and court intrigues. In one corner is the regal character of the
powerful queen Margherita and her loyal posse. On the other, we have her rival the
evil Glocester and his cruel posse, as well as her former general Carlo (also
with his renegade posse) who fell out of her graces and is now a spy for
Glocester. As for the love interests, enter the dashing tenor Lavarenne who is
torn between the powerful Margherita (who benefits from his help in the war)
and his own lovely wife Isaura (who suffers from his estrangement). Finally,
for comic relief, there is Michele, a know-it-all doctor who is a cross between
Donizetti’s Dulcamara, Rossini’s Figaro and Mozart’s Don Alfonso and is on a
mission to help Isaura win back Lavarenne. After several dramatic and comic
twists and turns, Lavarenne and Isaura get back together and Carlo turns his
military loyalty back to Margherita, who ends up defeating Glocester.
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| The Queen is MDA, a fashion designer Photo credit: Paolo Conserva |
Lui:
In a stroke of genius bordering folly, Talevi turned Margherita D’Anjou
into a superstar English fashion designer (“MDA”), Glocester into her
conservative media tycoon ex-husband (on a mission to discredit her and get
custody of their son), Carlo into her ex-lead designer turned rogue (and punk),
Lavarenne into a pop-star helping Margherita with her PR issues and Michele
into a flamboyant reality TV personality specialized in reconciling estranged
couples.
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| Lavarenne is now a pop star willing to lend his fame to redeem her name Photo credit: Paolo Conserva |
Lei:
As absurd as this all sounds, on the whole this modern take kind
of worked. Without getting too caught up in all the minute details, I would say
that most of the lines and plot points actually translated well into the new
context. At the end of the day, the themes of the original plot revolve around pretty
universal power plays and love triangles (with a heavy dusting of comic relief)
and were all perfectly conveyed by the bold and highly imaginative setting
created by Talevi.
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| The quack doctor Michele (far left) is now a reality TV star and narcissist Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
Lui:
After all, this opera is really just an excuse for a whole lot of
beautiful music from 1820 at the height of bel
canto in Italy. And when the plot is as absurd as it already is, the Regietheater approach adds an extra layer
to the experience of the engaged audience member. When it’s an opera that is as
unknown and unfamiliar to most as this one, it kind of makes it a whole other
game for everyone involved too (and is less dangerous than modernizing Traviata for that matter). Also, this
is what festivals should do: unearth forgotten gems and go crazy!
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| All hail MDA! Photo credit: Paolo Conserva |
Lei:
I
am a Regie convert! Who knew?!? It
kind of adds a whole new level of complexity and freshness and, when done
right, keeps the work relevant and contemporary in exciting avant-garde ways.
Frankly who cares about an absurd plot set in the War of the Two Roses? Now,
who can get into an eye candy show set in London’s fashion week? As long as the
original libretto and music remain untouched, the emotional core is conveyed, the
ideas are thought provoking and the execution is top notch, I say bring it on! We don’t get enough of this kind of bold and daring
productions in the scene in New York. This whole Regie revelation is enticing me to some opera travel in Berlin
(though don’t think I’m ready yet for a cast of giant rats playing the Ring
Cycle).
Lui:
It also helps to have an excellent cast of singing actors. Soprano
Giulia De Blasis as Margherita d’Anjou, the widow of Henry VI of
England, had a strong bright sound. In the ensembles her soprano soared
effortlessly out over the rest, shimmering with hope and despair. A commanding
confident presence, she was an exciting singer to watch.
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| Lavarenne comes out singing (and swinging) Photo credit: Mario Ricci |
Lavarenne, sung by tenor Anton Rositskiy had some of the
most challenging Juan Diego Flores-style tenor arias. While Rositskiy is no
JDF, he did give it an honest try with his bright youthful sound that was most
successful in its mid-range. His Italian was top notch and his characterization
as a superstar pop singer torn between two love interests was convincing.
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| The Queen goes punk in a fight for survival Photo credit: Mario Ricci |
Vocally,
it was really mezzo-soprano Gaia Petrone’s
night. She leant her buttery mezzo to the partial trouser role of Isaura, the
estranged wife of Lavarenne. Her warm sound and crystal clear articulation of
every syllable of her bel canto
fireworks made for thrilling listening and fiery emotions.
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| Isaura reveals the partial nature of her "pants" role Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
Lei:
One of the things this opera is known for is its unique bass trio, showcasing
three different degrees of manliness intertwined with each other, here all
perfectly cast. Carlo Belmonte, the general banished by the queen and currently
employed by her archrival Glocester, was sung by bass Laurence Meikle.
He was cast as a Scottish street punk with an extreme neon orange mohawk that
seemed to glow in the dark. He wore a plaid kilt and carried himself with the swagger
of someone who just didn’t care. His performance was a real hoot. And he had
the vocal goods to back it up too, boasting a bold midrange bass tinted with
youthful baritonal colors. He’s not one of those guttural basses who makes the
ground shake but one that exudes an edgy street smart manliness.
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| The story remains a tug-of-war over custody of their son Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
Bass Bastian Thomas Kohl sang the role of Riccardo, the
Duke of Glocester, a hunk of a blond hulk with the sound of a giant. His lower
register grounded the remarkable terzetto
of basses that punctuates the second half of Act II. Kohl’s portrayal of a
golf-playing, right wing overbearing bully was crucial in conveying Talevi’s
vision, making the conflict between him and Margherita a credible one.
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| Michele Gamautte holds court with pizzazz and spunk Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
Lui:
To the basso buffo role
of the freewheeling French physician Michele Gamautte, Marco Filippo Romano
brought his sense of comic timing and flaming flair. It is an understatement to
say that he stole the show every time he was on stage. Decked out in patent
white platform boots and an array of flamboyant suits and kilts, not to mention
his bouffant wave of neon green hair (matching his beard), he was quite a
sight.
For a mid- to low-range bass Romano was remarkably agile in his
melismatic bel canto acrobatics. His
stage presence was consistently hilarious, as he portrayed Michele as an
egocentric, resourceful, selfie-taking type, tooting his own horn for his
personal cameraman and always rooting and scheming for a happy ending. He
brought levity and ease to this rare breed of character, one that appears but
infrequently in operas of the period with such a dynamic array of both musical
and narrative characteristics.
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| The cast and chorus came out in bathrobes during the scene of bucolic retreat Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
Lei:
The massive chorus of the Teatro
Municipale di Piacenza led by Corrado
Casati was also beyond impressive both vocally and acting-wise. They had to
(literally) wear many hats throughout the opera: the crowd of fashionistas and
reporters, Margherita’s fashionable loyalists, the mohawk-sporting punk
followers of Carlo, the thuggish posse of Gloucester and, last but not least, a
mountain-spa crowd (don’t ask) in white bathrobes and slippers. Scenes and costumes
by Madeleine Boyd were all around
bold and carefully crafted to the last detail (including Margherita’s staff
wearing “MDA” t-shirts).
Lui: Talevi
also had many brilliant staging ideas, as when the lead tenor or soprano have
arias where they’re supposedly alone on stage pouring their tormented hearts
out, in this production the singer delivers his or her aria on a couch, to a
silent shrink who just nods and takes fervent notes. The suggestion that
certain opera characters would benefit from an analyst is just hilarious and
added to the sheer entertainment of Talevi’s take.
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| Everybody goes rogue punk Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
This only goes to
show the scrupulous attention to detail and level of commitment of the cast and
production team. I do hope that they filmed this show and that they’re shopping
this production around, since it’s just too good to be performed for only four
nights in Martina Franca. Also because I want to see it again! I
have a feeling we’ll be back for more Festival della Valle d’Itria opera in the
future.
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| The charms of Martina Franca Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
Lei: Hell
yes! I was very sad to leave Martina Franca having experienced only one of this
festival’s many offerings. We missed Verdi’s Un giorno di regno, Vivaldi’s Orlando
furioso, Piccinni’s Le donne
vendicate and Puccini’s Gianni
Schicchi, not to mention concerts and recitals in other baroque churches
and courtyards. If, as I suspect, the level of the rest of the festival was as
top notch as this Meyerbeer, next summer we’re moving here for two weeks.
– Lei & Lui
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| The models gear up for the catwalk during the overture Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
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| The show was full of juicy details: the punk party out in the highlands Photo credit: Festival della Valle d'Itria |
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