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VOICEBOX: Opera in Live performance/Ernani, composed by Guiseppe Verdi, staging and lighting by Guillermo Silva-Marin, refrain directed by Robert Cooper, music course by Narmina Afandiyeva, Jane Mallett Theatre, Feb. 25.
For its fiftieth anniversary season, OIC’s basic director, Guillermo Silva-Marin had an exquisite thought. Why not do early Verdi? We’ve already seen Un giorno di regno (1840) with La Battaglia di legnano (1849) nonetheless to come back on April 7.
The second featured opera of this golden jubilee season, and maybe probably the most well-known of the three, is Ernani (1844), and it was given a splendid manufacturing underneath music director Narmina Afandiyeva who was born in Azerbaijan, which explains we love immigration. The woman has an ideal sense of bel canto — a slowish cavatina, and a barely sooner cabaletta — to not point out that her piano enjoying conjured up a whole orchestra.
The singing, for probably the most half was first price — and what’s extra, all Canadian.
Soprano Andrea Nunez (Elvira) has an excellent voice, like crystals falling by the air. She additionally has an excellent sense of timing and a powerful coloratura when she wants it. Her singing is superbly expressive with fabulous low notes that you just want for true bel canto singing, in addition to a stirring arced excessive register. There may be actually a terrific profession within the offing right here.
Ernani, as offered by OIC, had two baritones, the upper pitched Alexander Hajek (Don Carlo) and the decrease pitched Justin Welsh (Silva). Each have been excellent.
Hajek is creating into the quintessential Verdi/Puccini baritone with an impressive tone the minute he opens his mouth. The truth is, his great, heat however hearty sound is paying homage to these so-called nice meat and potatoes singers like Tito Gobbi, Cornel MacNeil and Sherrill Milnes, to not overlook Canadian Louis Quilico. His is a voice of wealthy color and imposing command.
Welsh was probably the most achieved of the forged, having graced Canadian phases for a decade or so. He took command from the primary second his character Silva landed on it. He’s pretty diminutive of stature however has a giant, fulsome voice, though I by no means would have related him as a Verdi/Puccini singer, but right here he was in Ernani. He has all the time been an expressive performer and his readability of character was very sturdy. In any case, Silva is taken into account probably the most evil man in opera.
And at last, now we have tenor Rocco Rupolo as Ernani. Now, I imagine that Verdi hated tenors and all the time gave them these tough excessive notes on the most awkward moments. Rupolo has a gorgeous, brilliant sound and his center register is beautiful to listen to. To get to these Verdian excessive notes, nonetheless, was a bit breathy, and in some instances, a close to miss. Rupolo, nonetheless, is a child tenor, and that prime notice ease will come. In addition to that, he’s tall and we want him for that alone.
As soon as once more Robert Cooper did wonders with the refrain and the dynamics of their singing was nice. Cooper ensured that it could by no means be only a wall of sound, and had his 19 members give expression the place they may.
Now, if OIC can mount a reputable Verdi, what about Meyerbeer, or all these Donizettis, or underrated lesser vessels like Mercadante?
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Paula Citron is a Toronto-based freelance arts journalist and broadcaster who hosts her personal web site, paulacitron.ca. For over 25 years, she was senior dance author for The Globe and Mail, affiliate editor of Opera Canada journal, arts reviewer for Classical 96.3 FM, and dance previews contributor to Toronto Life journal. She has been a visitor lecturer for numerous cultural teams and universities, significantly on the function of the critic/reviewer, and has been a panellist on COC podcasts. Earlier than assuming a full-time journalism profession, Ms. Citron was a member of the drama division of the Claude Watson College for the Arts.
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