Emphasizing that in a new production Don Juan wanted to principally deromant the title character of the opera, the Argentine director Marselo Lombardero shows us as a modern man – a harsh predator who “rather than seduces, but rather takes by force”. In turn, Mozart’s fun drama playful drama the director wanted to create it as a comedy, albeit in the direction of ironic, dark humor. Although tragic and comical are the fruits of the same tree and both are rooted in the inconsistency of the realities of life with our desires and illusions, this particular connection does not work in this show. Why?
Brutal is not funny
The brutality and crimes of Don Juan, a typical rapist, are simply not funny and, together with the helplessness of society, tend to lead to a hopeless criminal record. On the other hand, it would be unethical to laugh at the victims, his deceived women. What has finally come out and what the director has already tried on a very similar production in his homeland in 2014 (YouTube is a video), is more in the genre of “Look for a man!” There is only an outwardly masculine, but an irresponsible, cynical, and insatiable consumer who abuses (Don Juan) a servant (Leporello) who admires and despises him at the same time, but who is unable to get away. Or – a responsible, educated and sincere, but cowardly and indecisive stick – a gray accountant (in a checkered suit in the image of Don Otavio). All that remains is the brave, but completely uneducated, uneducated, Cerlin’s groom Mazeto, who would like to fight, but gets himself. So everyone – one way or another, just miserable. Defending the honor of the daughter in the face of a bandit that has broken into the home unfortunately brings the Commander to death, but, alas, the irony of fate, only he, the deceased honorary from behind, is able to solve a situation that not all living things can. Today is no longer funny…
The rest are just more or less successful and eye-catching details, in the mise-en-scene of Diego Siliano’s scenography, which is very functional and cleverly supplemented with virtual elements: close-ups of a phone message, a video of Don Juan’s serenade and the Commander’s face on the big screen. The southern motley background of the society, on the other hand, delights the eyes with the brightly colored costumes created by Luciana Gutmane and the successful integration of ballet artists, especially the flexible “courtesans”, into the stage. It just happened, but on Saturday night when I watched donut zuana new production at the Latvian National Opera (LNO), cinema Cinema Citadele Gaetano Donicetti was offered to the audience nice singing masterpiece Lucia di Lammermura a live broadcast of the new production from the New York Metropolitan Opera. It turns out that this ancient story also took place in today’s urban environment with smartphones, Lucia’s thoughts on a video screen and Lucia’s brother is portrayed as a real bandit. Nothing new in this world.
Returning to donut zuana new production, it must be concluded that although the characters are developed, the show as a whole is quite boring. This is especially true because the opera itself is long and time consuming. Along with the variegated views of the masses and some criminal dramas action The scenes in the production also have several static episodes. It is not even clear why, for example, in the famous duo of Juan Juan and Cerlin, placing each on his own stage – in the room on the 2nd floor of Cerlin, but down below Juan Juan, the director does not take the opportunity to play the seductive game that Mozart’s music so clearly offers. Elsewhere, the ensembles stand and sing almost or in peace.
In an age when we are accustomed to enjoy opera with our eyes, the egoism of the audience remains cool. But at least it becomes clear that Marselo Lombardero, who was once a singer himself (including at least forty times, played Leporello and knows absolutely everything donut zuana vocal parts of the heroes), has not forgotten this “first life” experience of his stage career in his career as a director. It has certainly taught you to know clearly what is not good for singing. Therefore, the independent self-esteem in the production is that the director does not prevent the soloists and the choir from singing. This is important because Mozart’s arias and ensembles place the highest demands on performers. It requires intonational and rhythmic precision, as well as vocal flexibility and instrumental virtuosity, without sacrificing the natural timbre beauty of the voice and the evenly breathing phrase.
Mozart Don Juan is a real performance of the ensemble in all aspects of the name, and the soloists involved in it are truly outstanding members of this ensemble, in addition, both in the theatrical and musical sense, delighting with the various, vocally perfectly developed and masterfully sung ensembles. Some of the members of Saturday’s composition (Julia Vasilyeva, Richard Machanovsky, Mikhail Chulpayev, Pavlo Balakin) have already brilliantly confirmed these vocal and acting qualities in the previous new production of this season – at the Ioacino Rosini Commission Opera Cinderella, which, like Don Juan, conducted by Andris Veismanis.
Born on stage
It is the musical performance that is the key to the new production’s hearts, as evidenced by the applause after the show. Neven Crnič from Bosnia and Herzegovina filled the image of the title hero with a variety of pleasant baritone timbre and vocal tones, as well as with temperament and stage skills that are useful in acting, reproducing such an impulsive masculine typeface as Don Juan. Nevens Crničs was the only foreigner in the solo ensemble. Now we have to wait with interest for Rinald Kandalincev’s debut in the title role and not stop wondering why Jānis Apeini, who sang this role in the production of Andrejs Žagars ten years ago, but recently sings right here in Estonia, does not stop wondering about the role of Don Juan. I would like to add that Jānis Apeinis is in his artistic maturity right now, which has been especially evident in his concert performances this season. Why such a powerful resource for our Opera Troupe is not being used properly is a question that cannot be ignored.
Richard Machanowski persuaded him with an organic, natural approach to the role of Leporello, addressing him with a juicy, filled bass and a thrilling portrayal. The famous Aria of the Catalog (or list) in his performance could indeed be included in the gold list of a sample of the highest interpretation. The singer is also a very good interlocutor in both the servant-master relationship and in society.
However, I am sorry for this leading male tandem, the biggest, brightest star of the evening was Julia Vasilyev in the role of Anna Anna. There was everything you could want. A beautiful, sonorous, clear and colorful voice, the ability to paint the character and feelings of Donna Anna with these colors, bright tops and masterfully developed coloratures, as well as a corresponding depiction with Mikhail Chulpayev, who, in turn, hides under his seven keys Donna Anna’s fiancé – a slow, gray, sluggish accountant who is gently ready to adapt and give in to the situation instead of fighting… It should be added that the role of the prince, Cinderella, has been a good “training camp” for the complex dona Otavio party, which requires both coloratures and smooth flowing in the spirit of a “swimmer’s breath”, sophistication, tenor kindness and endurance. The same should be said of his colleagues and colleagues who have enjoyed it this year Cinderella School.
Inga Šļubovska-Kancēviča is a slightly different Elvira than usual. Her distinctly lyrical soprano has more lightness and less contradictory female drama, less its juiciness and weight. But so can it. It is only necessary to take into account that as a result the mutual dynamics of the characters of the production is changing – now the strongest, brightest, most ardent personality is not Donna Elvira, but Donna Anna.
Great is Catherine Paul Felsberg’s Cerlin – a truly girly and at the same time infinitely lovely and at the same time springy girl, who captivates with a warm, lyrical, flexible voice and expressive femininity in the body language. For Katrīna Paula Felsberga, this was a double debut – both in the role and on the LNO stage – but it did not stop her from feeling free and relaxed. She is one of those born on stage and feels like a “stage animal.” In my opinion, a promising young singer has entered the big stage, whose name is worth putting.
Juris Ādamsons literally came to life, playing Cerlin ‘s fiancé Mazeto. This allowed him to remember his vivid characters, who he had previously played in several performances of opera projects. Pavlo Balakin’s impressive, but fateful and technology-enhanced role as Commander was impressive – and this time visually, in close-up. In summary, due to the quality of the musical performance, I would be happy to watch this production again.
DON JUAN
LNO 29.V, 15., 21.VI at. 19
Tickets Ticket paradises EUR 7-40 in the network
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