United Kingdom Puccini, Il trittico: Soloists, Refrain (tenors and basses, Il trittico) and Orchestra of Scottish Opera / Stuart Stratford (conductor). Theatre Royal, Glasgow, 15.3.2023. (GT)
That is the primary full efficiency of Puccini’s triptych by knowledgeable firm in Scotland since 1957 when Sadler’s Wells Opera introduced it to Glasgow for a single night on the King’s Theatre. The conducting then was shared between Marcus Dods and Alexander Gibson (then the musical director) with David Ward, and William McAlpine among the many forged. But Scottish audiences had seen Gianni Schicchi in 1923 when it was carried out by the British Nationwide Opera on the Theatre Royal. It was not till 1969 that the Edinburgh Worldwide Pageant heard Gianni Schicchi when an opera firm from Florence visited and the main function was given by Tito Gobbi. The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama staged a whole Il trittico in 1975 starring younger singers resembling Isobel Buchanan, Linda Finnie, and Alan Oke over 4 evenings on the Atheneum Theatre.
Puccini’s unique conception for Il trittico was to make use of themes from Dante’s Inferno nonetheless by the point the works got here to the stage, the concept had misplaced its momentum albeit every opera options dying as a central factor. One other affiliation from Dante is that in all three operas there are portrayed deceit, greed and corruption within the central characters – Michele (Giorgetta’s husband), the Princess (Angelica’s aunt), and the useless aristocrat Buoso and his family members in Gianni Schicchi. Scottish Opera’s manufacturing is a collaboration with Welsh Nationwide Opera and this night was the second in a run of three exhibits in Glasgow after which it excursions to Edinburgh’s Pageant Theatre.
The opening of Il tabarro is ready on the banks of the Seine, the place we see a barge and the crew unloading wine crates. Within the background is a bridge, and scaffolding, whereas the main target is the wharf, the place the motion proceeds. The temper is forbidding and intimidating because the barge proprietor Michele smokes his pipe watching the crew at work whereas his spouse hangs out her washing. The ambiance hints at a forthcoming debacle as we see on the bridge joyful {couples} and a cheerful avenue vendor, but on the wharf, there’s an ominous sense of tragedy. On the musical core of this staging is the younger Korean soprano Sunyoung Website positioning, who confirmed full identification with a girl torn between her lazy grasping husband and her lover, the younger Luigi. Website positioning’s voice is extraordinary in reaching with ease the best notes, and in revealing gentle dulcet tones. Most important is her charisma on stage – one is drawn to her – by way of her motion, facial features and, no much less, her glittering soprano. Luigi is the Russian-born Viktor Antipenko, whose profitable characterisation is fully by way of his splendid tenor: he possesses a large vocal vary displaying each craving and lust blended with warning and concern. This marks his debut right here, and one hopes this would be the first in lots of performances in Scotland.
Giorgetta’s husband Michele was expertly characterised by Roland Wooden, exposing each nuance of the vengeful barge proprietor’s selfishness and deceitfulness. Louise Winter as La Frugola voiced together with her creamy mezzo all of the qualms of a girl fearing for her husband. The motion was properly dealt with all through, and the ultimate tragedy was dramatic and stunning.
The set for Suor Angelica is an easy inside of the convent in mild blue, with a staircase dominating the hallway. On the left is a small window permitting the sunshine to enter, whereas on the suitable, above the chapel entrance, is the picture of the Holy Mary. Sunyoung Website positioning reappears as Sister Angelica and in voice and persona dominates each scene on this tragic opera. Sister Genovieffa – splendidly characterised by Francesca Chiejina – attracts our consideration when she goes to the window desirous to see the solar shining on the backyard beneath – and her fantastically sung aria marks her out as a star of the longer term. On the centre of the plot is the entry of Karen Cargill’s Princess, who presents a complete portrayal of the evil aunt wishing to remove Angelica’s inheritance whereas telling of Angelica’s useless son. Slightly than a sentimental portrayal this can be a terribly sensible dramatisation of humanity’s wickedness. Website positioning’s aria ‘Senza mamma’ is heart-rending in emotion and sensitivity. Within the ultimate scene when Angelica is reunited together with her son, the viewers doesn’t know if her son has been revived or if they’re in heaven.
Gianni Schicchi permits us to finish the night with enjoyable and celebration; the set is the bed room of the rich aristocrat Buoso Donati in Florence in sixties Italy, the place at centre stage he’s on his deathbed. Buoso is surrounded by his family members determined for entry to their inheritance. Within the room are bottles of whisky, cognac and gin and an outdated telly surrounded by big bookshelves of outdated papers and books. The temper is as if we’re in a Marx Brothers farce – missing solely Groucho and Harpo – with everybody collaborating in a daft leisure making an attempt to find Buoso’s will. Books and papers are thrown about of their determined seek for the ultimate will, earlier than they allocate poor Buoso’s properties amongst themselves writing a pretend will. Amongst the characters, it’s the show-stopping aria of Francesca Chiejina as Lauretta (‘O mio babbino caro’) which highlights the expertise heard earlier in Suor Angelica. Rinuccio’s ‘Firenze e come un’albero fiorito’ arioso was magnificently voiced by Elgan Llŷr Thomas, one other star of the night. The ultimate duet between the 2 lovers, Lauretta and Rinuccio, introduced this efficiency to a joyful, celebratory climax after Gianni Schicchi magnanimously arms over the inheritance to the couple. The masterful route by Gareth Mole and Raymond Wanting the motion on stage was a part of the enjoyment on this ultimate opera of Puccini’s Il trittico.
The manufacturing represents one other triumph for your complete Scottish Opera ensemble, with wonderful set designs by Charles Edwards and the costumes by Hannah Clark making this advanced triple invoice come to life. Their work was marvellously complemented by the Ben Pickersgill’s lighting design, discovering the sensible atmospheric nuances for every opera. (All three had been making their debut with Scottish Opera). Stuart Stratford was very good on the rostrum dealing with the advanced shades of Puccini’s three differing scores to carry out the modernism of Il tabarro by way of to the beautiful harmonies of Tuscan ardour in Gianni Schicchi. This manufacturing was all masterminded by Sir David McVicar who conjured one more success for the corporate right here in Glasgow. The manufacturing strikes to the Pageant Theatre, Edinburgh for performances on 22 and 25 March.
Gregor Tassie
Manufacturing:
Director – Sir David McVicar
Set designer – Charles Edwards
Costume designer – Hannah Clark
Lighting designer – Ben Pickersgill
Motion director – Gareth Mole
Affiliate Director – Greg Eldridge
Combat director – Raymond Quick
Casts:
Il tabarro
Michele – Roland Wooden
Giorgetta – Sunyoung Website positioning
Luigi – Viktor Antipenko
Talpa – Julian Shut
Tinca – Jamie MacDougall
La Frugola – Louise Winter
Music Vendor – Osian Wyn Bowen
Younger Lovers – Francesca Chiejina, Elgan Llyr Thomas
Avenue Walker – Grace Maria Wain
Suor Angelica
Sister Angelica – Sunyoung Website positioning
The Princess – Karen Cargill
The Abbess – Sioned Gwen Davies
Sister Genovieffa – Francesca Chiejina
Mistress of Novices – Karen Murray
Novice – Zoe Drummond
The Sister Monitor – Lea Shaw
Sister Osmina – Catriona Clark
Sister Dolcina – Jane Monari
The Infirmary Sister – Heather Ireson
Younger Baby – Oliver Stout
Gianni Schicchi
Gianni Schicchi – Roland Wooden
Lauretta – Francesca Chiejina
Buoso Donati – Keith MacPherson
Zita – Louise Winter
Rinuccio – Elgan Llŷr Thomas
Simone – Julian Shut
Marco – James Cleverton
La Ciesca – Sioned Gwen Davies
Gherardo – Jamie MacDougall
Nella – Maire Flavin
Betto di Signa – Benjamin Bevan
Maestro Spinelloccio – Richard Suart
Ser Amantio di Nicolao – Timothy Dickinson
