Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the San Diego Opera (5, 8 May 2007)
May 14 '07 (Updated Apr 13 '09)
The Bottom Line A short take on 3 performances of Figaro at San Diego Opera in spring 2007.
This is a rather short review since I haven't got time to expand on it at the moment and the final show is just 2 days away.
I did somehow make it to the first two performances of Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro at the San Diego Opera. They've really rounded up a consistently wonderful acting cast. Very traditional set and choreography (if you have seen the broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera with Terfel, Bartoli, Fleming, and Croft, it's very similar). Very well directed, too. Everyone always knows what they're supposed to be doing and what the character should be doing... even the chorus acted well!
Really, the acoustic in the Orchestra Level seats of the San Diego Civic Theater is abysmal. I think in a blaring Wagner or a Strauss opera it wouldn't matter as much, but for a Mozart opera (more subtle and lightly orchestrated music) it is quite awful. The bass section sounded almost like it was amplified, and the strings and the winds were muffled. Having a great view of the stage really doesn't compensate for it.
American bass-baritone Richard Bernstein is a consistently good Figaro, tho seems to have some problems with the cue from Maestro Edoardo Mueller. He started his first aria, 'Se vuol ballare, signor contino' ahead of the orchestra on the premiere. On the second night he was fine there, but then started ahead again in the Act I ending 'Non piu andrai.' I think he wasn't in as good a voice the 2nd night, at least during Act I, but masked it well and then sang his way into form in the subsequent acts. He's almost like Bryn Terfel in being a big and athletic guy. Very cute during the 'big baby' moments like when he cried for Mommy Marcellina after getting slapped by Susanna.
The Canadian soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian is a very good Susanna. Her voice is growing on me a bit, but there's something ....frizzling at the top. I don't recall how she was in the premiere, but during the 2nd night's go at 'Deh vieni non tardar', she sounded like she was having some difficulties on the downward scales (it's a wickedly difficult aria, I think. Terribly exposed and the line just keeps scaling up and down all piece long). On the whole she is really a very good Susanna and very consistent, too. The better half of the Act III Letter Duet on both nights.
The Countess is the American soprano Pamela Armstrong.... Somehow I've been rooting for her. She isn't a slim girl like Carol Vaness, Anja Harteros, or Renee Fleming... so it's a bit unintentionally funny when Act II opens to see this Countess wondering why the Count doesn't seem attracted to her anymore (don't get me wrong, Ms Armstrong isn't fat. She is like a girl next door who won't dazzle you, and the Count is a bit of an idiot who gets bored easily). She was struggling at the premiere, especially during Act II opening 'Porgi amor'. On Tuesday she was in much better form and pulled both arias off... the last one, 'Dove sono' was really very touching. She can't seem to really float notes; however, they tried to stay aloft, but didn't really make it. There were some nice glowing ones, however. Maybe they sounded better on the Balconies. I'm never buying another Orchestra Level ticket for a Mozart opera performance!!. A very convincing actress, she is too. I'm looking forward to hearing how she will sound on the final show on the 16th when I will be in the Upper Balcony.
The most remarkable thing is.... both performances were stolen by the Count!! The Polish bass-baritone Mariusz Kwiecien was making his debut at the San Diego Opera, and he has been nothing short of spectacular both theatrically and vocally. Brought the house down with his Act III rage aria, 'Vedro, mentr'io sospiro,' on both nights. The voice is quite big and he indulged on a few fff notes on Tuesday at opportune times, positively drowned out the orchestra. When he came out for his solo bow the audience went nuts on both nights and gave him the standing ovation... (well earned, as far as I'm concerned). It's most extraordinary especially since both the Figaro and the Susanna were very good.
Cherubino is the New Zealander Sarah Castle. She is a lyric mezzo... and shouldn't be made to lay on her back or side while singing her arias as the voice really has trouble projecting into the auditorium from those positions (at least to the OL). She sang well enough on both nights, though had a few off pitch notes on Tuesday... I'd like to hear a bit more .... sprite or agility in her voice during 'Voi che sapete.' I don't mean coloratura (virtuoso decoration of the music line), since there isn't any there, but the voice doesn't seem to jump well up and down the scale. Physically she's close to perfect as Cherubino, tho. Very boyish figure... lean and spry.... and with good comic timing to boot!
All the minor roles are well sung and acted, too. I'd go ambush Dolores Ziegler (who is singing Marcellina) after the show, but my back was really not having a good time. She is the wonderful Dorabella opposite the Edita Gruberova's Fiordiligi in the Ponnelle film of Cosi fan tutte. The gal is simply deliciously spicy and lovable as Marcellina. Really. Maybe I will on next Wednesday.
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Update
I did make it to the final performance on Wednesday May 16th. This time I was dead center in the last row of the Balcony (row DD), and the sound was much better than in the Orchestra Level. The acoustic up there isn't optimum, still, but at least the strings and the woodwinds weren't being too muffled by the bass section (perhaps it might help if they substitute the solid orchestra barrier with railing instead? like at Felsenreitschuler in Salzburg?... so the lighter instrumental sounds wouldn't just float right up to the Balcony without paying a visit to the Orchestra level first).
Anyhow, Mariusz Kwiecien proved very consistently excellent from the first show to the last. Isabel Bayrakdarian and Richard Bernstein were consistently good as well. Pamela Armstrong saved the best show for last and was nearly flawless in the finale. Maestro Mueller had a bit of an off night, though, and had some trouble keeping everyone together in the final ensemble. At any rate, that was a very successful run of Figaro, indeed. And I've learnt the lesson to never buy Orchestra or Dress Circle level ticket for bel canto or Mozart opera at the San Diego Civic Theater. The acoustics there is just terrible for the lightly orchestrated work! Go for the Balcony, folks.
The San Diego Opera Director Ian Campbell really is a wonder in coming up with great shows even with the short 5 opera season. Visit www.sdopera.com and check out the great cast they're putting together in 2008 for Wagner's Tannhäuser, Donizetti's Maria Stuarda, Leoncavallo's Cavaleria Rusticana/Il Pagliacci, Verdi's Aida, and Bizet's Les pecheur de perle. All the great seats for 'Maria Stuarda' is already gone!! Wait at your own perils.
My review of other performances from the San Diego Opera:
Maria Stuarda (Feb 2008), Cavalleria Rusticana/Pagliacci (Mar 2008), Aida (April 2008), Les Pecheurs de Perle (May 2008) , Tosca (Jan 2009), http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1477956/massenets_don_quichotte_don_quixote.html?cat=33, http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1605493/lauding_ataneli_rigoletto_at_the_san.html?cat=8),
My reviews of other Mozart operas:
Apollo et Hyacinthus (Salzburg 2006), Ascanio in Alba (Salzburg 2006), Bastien und Bastienne/Der Schauspieldirektor (Salzburg 2006), La clemenza di Tito (Salzburg 2003), La clemenza di Tito (Zürich 2005), La clemenza di Tito (Munich 2006), La clemenza di Tito (JE Gardiner), Cosi fan tutte (Ponnelle film), Don Giovanni (Met 2000), Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Salzburg 1998), La finta giardiniera (Salzburg 2006), La finta semplice (Salzburg 2006), Idomeneo (Salzburg 2006), Idomeneo (Met 198-), Lucio Silla (Salzburg 2006), Mitridate (Salzburg 1997), Mitridate (Rousset), Le nozze di Figaro (live performance- SDO 2007), Die Zauberflöte (ROH 2001), Die Zauberflöte (Modena 2005), Die Zauberflöte (Zürich 1999)
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Member: Smorg
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