Figaro and La Traviata excel at Covent Backyard – Assessment
The Royal Opera House is ending its 2022-23 season with two of the oldest productions in its repertoire, which can appear a secure and straightforward possibility however has turned out to be an actual deal with.
Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro is an excellent romp with stunningly good music and David McVicar’s manufacturing, first seen in 2006, brings out completely each the humour of the plot and the glory of the rating.
On this event, McVicar himself has returned to direct the revival and as all the time introduces a couple of pleasant gildings to go well with the skills of a really nice solid.
The plot centres on the approaching nuptials of Susanna (fantastically performed by Australian soprano Siobhan Stagg) and Figaro (Italian baritone Mattia Olivieri), who’re each servants to Count Almaviva (French baritone Stéphane Degout) who has his personal lecherous plans for Susanna.
Countess Almaviva (superbly sung by Armenian soprano Hrachuhi Bassenz) joins the marital couple of their plans to frustrate her husband’s infidelity, whereas the mischievous web page boy Cherubino (Anglo-French mezzo-soprano Anna Stéphany) and the rely’s slimy ally Don Basilio (Polish tenor Krystian Adam) add vastly to the enjoyable.
McVicar blends all these skills into an excellent ensemble and the one cause I’ve not given it 5 stars is that I understand how magnificent this opera is and I’ve seen this nice manufacturing a number of occasions earlier than, all of them gloriously excellent. To earn 5 stars, a present should exceed expectations, which have to be nearly inconceivable for McVicar’s Figaro.
Exceeding very excessive expectations, nonetheless, is precisely what’s achieved by the present manufacturing of La Traviata on the Royal Opera House.
First seen as way back as 1994, Richard Eyre’s luxurious manufacturing fantastically brings out the fervour behind Alexander Dumas’s play La Dame aux Camélias on which Verdi’s opera relies. Violetta is the Parisian courtesan, whose solely concern is to have an excellent time in excessive society however, to her personal shock falls in love with Alfredo.
The romance, nonetheless, is shattered by a go to from Alfredo’s father Giorgio Germont, who insists that she depart Alfredo as a result of the connection will probably be disastrous for the household’s status due to her disreputable previous.
To add to her issues, she is aware of that she is dying of tuberculosis, which impressed Verdi to provide a very tear-jerking closing act during which Violetta, Alfredo and Giorgio are reunited simply earlier than she dies.
With these three characters dominating the motion, the plot is intense, particularly within the brilliantly scripted second act during which we first see Alfredo and Violetta, then Violetta confronted by Giorgio, and at last a fractious father-and-son assembly between Giorgio and Alfredo with all three roles fantastically sung and acted.
Russian soprano Kristina Mkhitaryan is beautiful as Violetta, whether or not utilizing her highly effective however heat voice to convey the enjoyment of the party-girl after we first meet her or the distress of dropping her love after which her life.
Her means to convey such a variety of feelings so convincingly, particularly within the closing scene, exhibits that her superb voice is matched by excellent appearing means.
Armenian tenor Liparit Avetisyan additionally impressed as Alfredo, which is a really tough function to painting convincingly. He usually comes over as a little bit of a hapless wimp, completely out of his emotional depth and dropping management when buffeted by circumstances. Avetisyan, nonetheless, portrayed a extra rounded character with whom one might sympathise.
The Spanish baritone Juan Jesus Rodriguez accomplished the main trio in nice fashion as Giorgio Germont, who first seems as a pompous, insensitive prig, however redeems himself on the finish when he deeply regrets what he has accomplished to Violetta and his son.
With Figaro carried out by Joanna Mallwitz and La Traviata by Keri-Lynn Wilson, the enjoyment and enthusiasm they confirmed for the music clearly transmitted to the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House and vastly added to the expertise of the viewers in each instances. Both these productions are as near perfection as one might hope for and might be completely beneficial.
Box Office: 020 7304 4000 or roh.org.uk
The Marriage of Figaro is exhibiting on numerous dates till 22 July; La Traviata till 23 July.