Dominica Matthews as Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana; photo by Keith Saunders
What do we want when we see an opera? Of course we want passion, drama, tragedy and a whopping aria or two.
The double bill Cavalleria Rusticana (Pietro Mascagni) and Pagliacci (Ruggero Leoncavallo) – affectionately known as CavPav – delivers just that, but do they also deliver quality and freshness?
It is an important question when programming a favourite that might also come across as tired. Opera Australia’s premiere new production this month delivered with mixed results.
Director Damiano Michieletto has merged the plots by cleverly setting the two operas in the same town, the cross-over adding a reality that we expect of verismo operas – that genre from the post-Romantic period which focused on real people rather than gods and kings.
But how much reality do we want in our Trumpian act-first-think-later world? The trigger event of both narratives is a woman’s infidelity, resulting in violence. That their husbands fail to think of an alternative action makes for good opera, but what kind of traction does it have in our 21st century other than nostalgic entertainment?
I’m a sucker for opera so I am forgiving. If we put the misogynistic overtones aside, CavPav musically and dramatically redeems itself.
The set is rather neat in the way that it rotates between a family bakery in a poor Italian village and the same village’s town hall or gymnasium in the second opera. Paolo Fantine has done a fantastic job in masterminding the constant revolutions and pocketed performances, while Carla Teti’s costumes are perfectly in sync to give that believable texture to this narrative.
Vocally, audiences were not disappointed either. Led by Diego Torre in the dual roles of Turiddu (Cav) and Canio (Pav) – a feat pulled off by few – Torre does not hold back.
Diego Torre as Turiddu in Cavalleria Rusticana; photo by Keith Saunders
And when faced with one of opera’s best-known arias – the sad and tormented clown Canio’s Vesti la Giubba – he opens that cupboard and roars, full of emotion and dramatic power and taking the audience overwhelmingly with him. He is perfectly at ease in this role.
He said: ‘The singing isn’t the hard part. It’s the acting.’ There is no room for flaccid dramatic effort in a verismo opera.
Jose Carbo also appeared in dual roles as the jealous Alfio (Cav) and lover Tonio (Pav), where he had more room to develop his range.
He performs alongside Anna Princeva as Nedda (Pav), at times dramatically raw and tender and at others playful and funny.
In a nice touch Michieletto has loosely woven the two stories together by adding an unspoken scene during the Intermezzos of each story – Nedda and Silvio meet while she is papering the town with posters for Pagliacci’s coming performance, outside the bakery.
Samuel Dundas as Silvio and Anna Princeva as Nedda in Pagliacci; photo by Keith Saunders
In contrast, Dragana Radakovic as Santuzza (Cav) fails to win sympathy from the audience. Criticism has been flung towards the company for casting an international artist when an Australian talent was more than capable of delivering the role. To be fair, Princeva is also an import and we are celebrating her portrayal.
Radakovic was somewhat stiff and stilted in the role, that coolness translating into a manipulative quality to her character rather than building sympathy for her situation.
In contrast, audiences connected immediately with Dominica Matthews as Mamma Lucia, as she silently grieved for her son Turiddu when the opera’s curtain was raised. It was a tableaux vivant cleverly crafted by Michieletto, returned with the last call of Cavalleria Rusticana – a circle of life played out.
Bottom line: this opera won the 2016 Olivier Award for Best New Opera Production (UK), originally staged at the Royal Opera House as a co-production between Opera Australia, Royal Opera House, Göteborg Opera Sweden and La Monnaie Brussels.
Bottom bottom line: Cavalleria Rustican / Pagliacci is always going to be a people pleaser regardless of awards or criticism. And, dare I admit, I will always enjoy it. For me it is opera in its broadest definition. And Michieletto took that “stereotype” to another level of enjoyment – engagement – and that can only be described as fresh.
Rating 4 out of 5 stars
Cavalleria Rusticana / Pagliacci
Opera Australia
Director: Damiano Michieletto
Conductor: Andrea Licata
Set Design: Paolo Fantin
Costume Design: Carla Teti
Lighting Design: Alessandro Carletti (realised by Gary Dooley)
Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
12 January – 4 February 2017
Arts Centre Melbourne, State Theatre
10-20 May 2017
