L'elisir d'amore
I was once again the lucky recipient of a ticket for a General Rehearsal performance at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The opera was L'elisir d'amore by Gaetano Donizetti (first performed 1832). Direction was by Laurent Pelly, orchestra directed by Bruno Campanella. Cast included Giuseppe Filianoti (Nemorino), Diana Damrau as a sprightly Adina, Anthony Michaels-Moore (Belcore), Simone Alaimo (Dulcamara), and Eri Nakamura in the role of Gianetta, thanks to the Jette Parker Young Artist Scheme.
Although this was an all-the-way-through performance before an audience, it was technically a rehearsal so some things might go differently when the run proper begins. They always announce "some singers may mark their roles" but I haven't really noticed any of that in the two I have attended. All I can really say along those lines is that I sometimes get the feeling there will be a very small percentage increase in smooth running between the final reh and the official performances. It's hardly noticeable, and the roles are performed as they should be, the result of a lot of study and rehearsing.
Today I would like to draw a little attention to Simone Alaimo who really characterised his part and produced a lot of believable specific moments for the character; moments like these add up to give to the audience an experience you live through rather than one you experience. Of course this is what would be called a "character" part which naturally gets a lot of the attention because there is more "character" to notice, yet for example Anthony Michaels-Moore as Sergeant Belcore was perfectly able to produce everything necessary to that role, the only difference being that, as he did his duty so well, he sought not to overshadow the action and hence there was less to notice. But you may have noticed that I noticed there was less to notice, so, yes, there was a lot going on there too. But this is not really a review of the performance, especially it being a rehearsal. (And anyway I don't like to review performances because I generally have so much to complain about and it's not really fair)
As for Donizetti, I could see a lot of ability and talent. But ultimately the music is simply musical, doing a job and making sound of the right type at the right moments, rather than fulfilling the real purpose of music, which is principally to teach us more about music and hence (perhaps) about everything. You can compare it with the Verdi I saw recently and see the difference. In fact I have almost no comments to make about the composing, mainly because there wasn't much there.
But the man wrote 75 operas in 12 years! This total includes the now not very romantic-sounding Emilia di Liverpool, which I'd be (somewhat) interested to know about.
Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti. The only one not to have gourmet items named after him is Donizetti (Tournedos Rossini, and the Bellini, a cocktail of Champagne (or Prosecco) and peach). Why is this - did he not achieve the same greatness? [actually there is an asteroid named after him: 9912 Donizetti - but I don't believe it is a gourmet asteroid]
I have yet to hear Bellini in performance, just as there are millions of other things I've never heard, mostly by choice but often because I've had a lot of other things to learn about that seemed more important for me. Oh yes, actually I've never heard a Rossini opera performed either! So can I really make a comparison? No, I cannot.
Yes, you're right, of course I can! Rossini is the best, Bellini is the classic, and Donizetti is the "sports model". Is this true? I do not know. But I will eventually find out. I would particularly like to hear how Donizetti sounds on a more serious subject. Not that that is necessarily of greater import, as his genius may have been for comedy, but I'd like to know about it all the same.
What makes comedy funny? A combination of bad things happening in life from time to time and an innate human sense that appreciates absurdity. So, following on from reason (1), it's often a little bit of seriousness in a comedy that gives you the measure of it. In L'elisir that could be anything - although if it was there it was ignored by the production I saw - but it could most obviously be the aria Una furtiva lagrima (you can hear it performed by Caruso here). But this song is not so serious as it appears to people who, like me, have previously heard it on its own and assumed it was something sad. The tear in question comes from the eye of Adina, and it tells Nemorino that actually she does like him! So that's not so bad.
I wished for a little bit more than just light entertainment from this production. One can argue that as a comedy, it must be light. But one can argue (as I am) that the business of comedy is serious, and should be taken seriously! Once you're on stage, there are no great or small roles, just the role you are playing now. The greatest one you will ever play at this moment. And that's why it demands everything you can give.
What role are you playing now? Have you given everything to the part? Have you had gourmet items named after you? Well, that's not really a test of true value. But the point is, now is the time for now. You are on the stage. Who knows the comparative value of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, but in all truth, they are all different. Donizetti did his job and so may you!
75 operas in 12 years, eh?
And the people laughed at this one, you know. He knew they would. It was his job.
Bravo.
Although this was an all-the-way-through performance before an audience, it was technically a rehearsal so some things might go differently when the run proper begins. They always announce "some singers may mark their roles" but I haven't really noticed any of that in the two I have attended. All I can really say along those lines is that I sometimes get the feeling there will be a very small percentage increase in smooth running between the final reh and the official performances. It's hardly noticeable, and the roles are performed as they should be, the result of a lot of study and rehearsing.
Today I would like to draw a little attention to Simone Alaimo who really characterised his part and produced a lot of believable specific moments for the character; moments like these add up to give to the audience an experience you live through rather than one you experience. Of course this is what would be called a "character" part which naturally gets a lot of the attention because there is more "character" to notice, yet for example Anthony Michaels-Moore as Sergeant Belcore was perfectly able to produce everything necessary to that role, the only difference being that, as he did his duty so well, he sought not to overshadow the action and hence there was less to notice. But you may have noticed that I noticed there was less to notice, so, yes, there was a lot going on there too. But this is not really a review of the performance, especially it being a rehearsal. (And anyway I don't like to review performances because I generally have so much to complain about and it's not really fair)
As for Donizetti, I could see a lot of ability and talent. But ultimately the music is simply musical, doing a job and making sound of the right type at the right moments, rather than fulfilling the real purpose of music, which is principally to teach us more about music and hence (perhaps) about everything. You can compare it with the Verdi I saw recently and see the difference. In fact I have almost no comments to make about the composing, mainly because there wasn't much there.
But the man wrote 75 operas in 12 years! This total includes the now not very romantic-sounding Emilia di Liverpool, which I'd be (somewhat) interested to know about.
Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti. The only one not to have gourmet items named after him is Donizetti (Tournedos Rossini, and the Bellini, a cocktail of Champagne (or Prosecco) and peach). Why is this - did he not achieve the same greatness? [actually there is an asteroid named after him: 9912 Donizetti - but I don't believe it is a gourmet asteroid]
I have yet to hear Bellini in performance, just as there are millions of other things I've never heard, mostly by choice but often because I've had a lot of other things to learn about that seemed more important for me. Oh yes, actually I've never heard a Rossini opera performed either! So can I really make a comparison? No, I cannot.
Yes, you're right, of course I can! Rossini is the best, Bellini is the classic, and Donizetti is the "sports model". Is this true? I do not know. But I will eventually find out. I would particularly like to hear how Donizetti sounds on a more serious subject. Not that that is necessarily of greater import, as his genius may have been for comedy, but I'd like to know about it all the same.
What makes comedy funny? A combination of bad things happening in life from time to time and an innate human sense that appreciates absurdity. So, following on from reason (1), it's often a little bit of seriousness in a comedy that gives you the measure of it. In L'elisir that could be anything - although if it was there it was ignored by the production I saw - but it could most obviously be the aria Una furtiva lagrima (you can hear it performed by Caruso here). But this song is not so serious as it appears to people who, like me, have previously heard it on its own and assumed it was something sad. The tear in question comes from the eye of Adina, and it tells Nemorino that actually she does like him! So that's not so bad.
I wished for a little bit more than just light entertainment from this production. One can argue that as a comedy, it must be light. But one can argue (as I am) that the business of comedy is serious, and should be taken seriously! Once you're on stage, there are no great or small roles, just the role you are playing now. The greatest one you will ever play at this moment. And that's why it demands everything you can give.
What role are you playing now? Have you given everything to the part? Have you had gourmet items named after you? Well, that's not really a test of true value. But the point is, now is the time for now. You are on the stage. Who knows the comparative value of Rossini, Bellini, Donizetti, but in all truth, they are all different. Donizetti did his job and so may you!
75 operas in 12 years, eh?
And the people laughed at this one, you know. He knew they would. It was his job.
I, in a very modest manner, shall walk about with bowed head; I’ll have rave reviews…I can become immortal…My mind is vast, my genius swift...And at composing, a thunderbolt am I.He wrote that when he was 14. And we're still talking about him.
Bravo.
posted by Philip Howard at 12:08 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home