Librettist: Lorenzo da Ponte
Conductor: Constantin Trinks
Producer/Director: Mario Martone
Don Giovanni: Andrzej Filonczyk
Leporello: Krzysztof Baczyk
Donna Anna: Roberta Mantegna
Donna Elvira: Selene Zanetti
Zerlina: Valentina Naforniţa
Masetto: Pablo Ruiz
Don Ottavio: Bekhzod Davronov
The Commendatore: Antonio di Matteo
As I am slowly but surely getting back into my routine after my wonderful Sicilian winter interlude, I noticed that, as if to make sure I cover all my usual hang-outs, my calendar had an opera performance at Naples’ Teatro di San Carlo scheduled a couple of weeks after a concert performance at Rome’s Parco della Musica, and not just any opera either because we’re talking about Mozart’s perennially irresistible (in so many ways) Don Giovanni.
Of course, the pleasure of the company of my Napolitan friend Vittorio, not to mention the pleasure of his superlative cooking, are always worth the short trip down South anyway, but the added incentive of hearing Mozart’s ultimate masterpiece live in the prestigious setting of the San Carlo made the whole perspective even more exciting.
Last, but certainly not least, the Don Giovanni du jour would be no less than meteorically rising Polish baritone Andrzej Filonczyk, a very capable and, let’s face it, very handsome, singer who had already made a good and lasting impression at the San Carlo as Filippo in Bellini’s Beatrice di Tenda last September. I for one did not mind seeing (and hearing) him again.
So last Sunday afternoon, after starting the morning with my usual trek up the Pedamentina di San Martino followed by one of Vittorio’s fabulous cappuccinos, which are famously topped by a serious layer of manually produced foam, we made it to Naples’ crowded and loud historic center for a quick spin around Piazza del Plebiscito before taking our excellent orchestra seats in the buzzing house that was filled to the brim. So good to be back!
Whether Don Giovanni is more drama or more comedy can be argued ad infinitum (It has not been called a dramma giocoso for nothing), but one thing most opera buffs readily agree upon is that Mozart’s last opera is a bona fide masterpiece, in which the composer made exceptionally ingenious use of his uncommon artistic talent and newly found maturity. Who knows what other works he would have come up with, if it had not been for his untimely death? (Sigh).
The title role is no doubt the challenge of a lifetime for any baritone, but Andrzej Filonczyk did not let that thought faze him. On Sunday, his Don Giovanni was more rambunctious kid in a candy store than highly experienced libertine, but the legendary insatiable appetite, as well as the smooth moves and the casual ruthlessness, were all there. In addition to his natural athleticism, his singing was clear, confident ,and engaging. This Don Giovanni had plenty of scoring power indeed.
Polish bass Krzysztof Baczyk, an actor and singer of impeccable timing, was equally convincing as Don Giovanni’s long-suffering servant Leporello, never failing to bring some light touches of comic relief when things were getting a bit too tense. And the eagerly anticipated catalog aria, during which the constantly put-upon poor guy giddily detailed the content of his boss’ little black book, was the delightful treat we have all come to expect.
The first of the three female leads to make an appearance is Donna Anna, who on Sunday was persuasively interpreted by Italian soprano Roberta Mantegna. Once she realized that Don Giovanni was the man who had raped her and murdered her father, revenge became her name, and there was no stopping her from having it.
Stylishly clad in red and having clearly taken a page (or two) from the me-too playbook, Italian soprano Selene Zanetti was a proud and fierce Donna Elvira, frequently storming the stage with boundless energy and penetrating singing as she was hunting down the scoundrel who had seduced and abandoned her while introducing the other women to the joys of sisterhood. Hell had probably never had any fury like that particular woman scorned.
To complete the trio of Don Giovanni’s leading ladies, Moldavian soprano Valentina Nafornita brought a genuinely graceful presence and extraordinarily agile singing to sweet and innocent Zerlina (Truth be told, I’ve always wondered how truly innocent Zerlina is). Her duet with Filonczyk in “Là ci darem la mano”, one of the most ethereally beautiful seduction songs ever, was a memorable moment of melodic bliss.
Argentine tenor Pablo Ruiz made a strong Napolitan debut as an endearing Masetto, and Uzbek tenor Bekhzod Davronov was all steady loyalty as Don Ottavio. As the one who would have the last word, Italian bass Antonio di Matteo contributed supernatural force and cool resolve to the fateful figure of the Commendatore.
With its refined mix of light and dark, and countless gorgeous melodies, Mozart’s masterful score needs no introduction. Our conductor for the evening was German maestro Constantin Trinks. Well-known for his expertise in Strauss and Wagner, he clearly demonstrated on Sunday that he could handle Mozart as well. As for the ever-dependable San Carlo orchestra, they also clearly demonstrated that they could handle Viennese fare as well as the more familiar Italian fare.
If the cast boasted plenty of young singers, the production by eminent Italian film director and screenwriter Mario Martone was making its return to the San Carlo after premiering there 22 years ago. The decor consisted of an audience-facing tribune—part Elizabethan theater, part generic court of law—populated with characters and spectators that would progressively empty until it had only a few spooky corpses on it. Add to that a few clever props, some good-looking period costumes, and the occasional presence of the performers in the audience, and you have an endlessly adaptable staging, which obviously came in handy when updates had to be made to keep up with the last two decades.
Unsurprisingly, some of those updates had to do with women's rights and the gender equality movement, such as when identical young women representing each country of the catalog aria showed up one by one to eventually dance like mechanical dolls around Donna Elvira. Or when Zerlina was playfully tying the hands of a more than willing Masetto’s with red ribbon while repeatedly begging him to beat her, which instantly turned the cringe-worthy request into a light-hearted display of women’s empowerment.
Besides the openly feminist messages, the production should also be praised for its exquisitely composed tableaux, in which one could admire a carefully calibrated balance among attractive colors, compelling dynamics and extreme contrasts. The ball scene, for example, had the dancing take place behind the tribune under three fancy but not ostentatious chandeliers, so the audience knew what was going on without being overly distracted by it.
Equally efficient in its eye-catching minimalist design, Don Giovanni’s last supper consisted of a few well-chosen props that conveyed both his aristocratic roots and his casual lifestyle. Even his demise at the hands of the Commendatore as they both stood at the top of the tribune dressed in ghostly white was swiftly carried out and niftily wrapped up with three fiery blasts of fire. Take that, Vesuvio!
As if Don Giovanni’s endless tribulations were not enough, we also had to contend with an off-script real-life incident during intermission when an audience member fell on some steps while entering the orchestra section. But while the incident caused a localized commotion that required the presence of the San Carlo’s in-house doctor and the ever-present fire department, she apparently got back on her feet, and we all moved back to Don Giovanni’s eventful life and death without missing another beat. So much drama, so little time.
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