patrikpen: Little to do with Shakespeare in Music and Vision 5 dicembre 2016

giovedì 9 marzo 2017

Little to do with Shakespeare in Music and Vision 5 dicembre 2016

Little to do with Shakespeare

A strong production of Rossini's 'Otello'
opens Teatro San Carlo's new season in Naples,
reported by GIUSEPPE PENNISI

On 30 November 2016, Teatro San Carlo in Naples inaugurated a very rich season: seventeen opera productions and, in addition, concerts and ballet — a clear indication that the theater wants to have a non-secondary part in the city's revival after the long crisis. This was a gala evening with a gala dinner offered by the jewelry maison Bulgary, with elegant long dresses and black ties. On-stage was almost a rarity — Rossini's Otello in the two hundredth anniversary of its premiere. I had very good orchestra seats.

A scene from Rossini's 'Otello' at Teatro San Carlo di Napoli. Photo © 2016 Luciano Romano

The reason usually given for the rarity of performances of Rossini's Otello is that Francesco Maria Berio di Salsa's libretto made hash of Shakespeare. If the characters were called by names other than Otello, Iago and Desdemona, audiences would have no idea that they were watching an operatic retelling of the drama. Another charge is that only the third act, when Desdemona meets her fate in the one segment that hews closely to Shakespeare, is truly inspired music. This judgment is unfair, for the first two acts have long stretches that are lyrically beguiling and imaginative. As a matter of fact, Rossini's Otello is little to do with Shakespeare. It is a conventional early nineteenth century operatic plot where a father (Elmiro) wants his daughter (Desdemona) to marry the son of the Doge (Rodrigo) whilst she is in love and secretly married to the Lord Admiral of the Venetian Fleet (Otello) who just happen to be a Moor. A devious individual (Iago) makes Otello believe that Desdemona is betraying him. Thus, the tragic end. Note that, until the end of the nineteenth century, Rossini's Otello was a major hit with three hundred productions or revivals — seventy in Frankfurt alone; some had a 'happy ending' with Iago's plot discovered, a grand rondo, and a concertato to the long life and love of Otello and Desdemona.

John Osborn in the title role of Rossini's 'Otello' at Teatro San Carlo di Napoli. Photo © 2016 Luciano Romano

The main reason that this opera is seldom performed is that it is so difficult to cast. There were some pretty fancy tenors in the company in Naples for which Rossini wrote Otello, and he felt compelled to use them. So the opera contains three virtuosic tenor roles, each with a slightly different register: Otello, Iago and Rodrigo, who becomes a full-fledged rival for Desdemona's love. Also Desdemona was composed to fit Isabella Colbran's amphibious voice able to reach a very high register, to sing very hard coloratura and then gently descend to almost an alto voice. This kind of voice was very hard to find then and even more now.

Juan Francisco Gatell as Iago and Dmitry Korchack as Rodrigo in Rossini's 'Otello' at Teatro San Carlo di Napoli. Photo © 2016 Luciano Romano

After Verdi's depiction of Otello — the most colossal tenor role in the Italian repertory, a tormented, complex and pitiable characterization fully the equal of Shakespeare's tragic hero — some operagoers may find it hard to accept a bel canto Otello who sings lilting tunes and dispatches phrase after phrase of coloratura roulades.

Gaia Patrone as Emilia and Nino Machaide as Desdemona in Rossini's 'Otello' at Teatro San Carlo di Napoli. Photo © 2016 Luciano Romano

Rossini's Otello has had recent revivals in Italy: in Rome in the sixties with stage sets and costumes by Giorgio De Chirico, and in Pesaro in Giancarlo Del Monaco's production, seen for several years at Deutsche Oper Berlin. There was also an excellent production at Zurich Opera (available on DVD) with Cecilia Bartoli as Desdemona.

From the musical standpoint, the Naples production was excellent. Conductor Gabriele Ferro reproduced Rossini's sound by raising the orchestra pit and doubling up the string quartet so as to provide a darker sound. Nino Machaidze was a perfect Desdemona, both vocally and in terms of acting. John Osborn (Otello), Dmitry Korchak (Rodrigo) and Juan Francisco Gatell (Iago) were the three tenors in contest for her. Mirco Palazzi was an effective Elmiro. The stage sets by Dante Ferretti were monumental.

Better not to comment on the stage direction, though: Amos Gitai wanted to give the opera warring and racial undertones with some Middle Eastern projections ... the only weak point in a very good performance.