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A Centenary Tribute Melbourne
Hamer Hall, Melbourne Arts Centre
07/25/2024 - & July 27 2024
Giacomo Puccini: La fanciulla del West: Prelude to Act 1 & “Ch’ella mi creda” – Gianni Schicchi: “O mio babbino caro” – Madama Butterfly: “Un bel di” & Intermezzo – La bohème: “O soave fanciulla”, “Quando m’en vo” & Act 3 scene – Manon Lescaut: “Donna non vidi mai”, “Poichè tu vuoi saper”, Act 3 Intermezzo & “Sola, perduta, abbandonata” – Suor Angelica: Intermezzo – La rondine: “Chi il bel sogno” – Tosca: Act 1 duet, Act 2 scene, “Vissi d’arte” & “E lucevan le stelle” – Turandot: “Tu che di gel sei cinta” & “Nessun dorma”
Nicole Car (Soprano), Young Woo Kim (Tenor), Peter Coleman-Wright AO (Baritone & Host),Julie Lea Goodwin (Soprano)
Orchestra Victoria, Daniel Smith (Conductor)
N. Car, Y. W. Kim (© Courtesy Opera Australia)
It has been a century since the passing of Giacomo Puccini and the influence, passion and devotion for his music reigns as strongly today as it did during those heady days when he dominated the operatic art form. In a centenary tribute, Opera Australia brought together a showcase of glittering luminaries to pay homage and to revel in the lasting contribution Puccini made to of music and theatre. In the first of two sell‑out performances in Melbourne’s massive Hamer Hall venue, the initial impression was of the enormity of the orchestra which is expanded beyond the scale of the pit band to full symphony dimensions.
Hosted by Baritone Peter Coleman-Wright, the concert lead the audience through selected highlights while also offering snippets of historical information about the composer. Mr Coleman‑Wright is a long‑time favourite of Opera Australia audiences and his entertaining quips lent a thread of connectivity to the performances which elevated the concert into a semi‑staged show. His wry observations about the damning evaluations by Italian critics of the premiere of Madama Butterfly for example, drew roars of laughter and derision from an audience who in hind sight are able to revel in how wrong they were. Mr Coleman‑Wright joined the other singers in depictions of Schaunard and Scarpia lending his enormous breadth of experience to the ensemble.
The singing was punctuated by orchestral interludes in which Puccini’s intensely romantic and inherently theatrical writing was the star. His sense of the dramatic or poignant moment and his ability to capture the realisation in theatrical terms was showcased as the show progressed. Mr Coleman‑Wright noted that the Maestro used cut‑out figures to envisage how his characters would move about the stage and how his scenes would appear. The orchestral playing was vivid and exhilarating. In 2019 Italy‑based Australian conductor Daniel Smith lead performances of a dazzling Il viaggio a Reims and on this occasion unconcealed by the pit, his enthusiasm, vigour and refinement of nuance were on display. He bolted the players through the Prelude to La fanciulla del West and later, drew intensely emotional control and subtlety from the Intermezzo from Suor Angelica resulting in a silent and stunned audience totally transported into the composer’s realm. The reception for Orchestra Victoria was thunderous and irresistible and they were drawn to take numerous bows in recognition.
Nicole Car is a Melbourne soprano who has carved out for herself a huge international career. From the stages of the Royal Opera to The Met; from Paris to Berlin and throughout Europe, she has accomplished in short order what many artists do not achieve in a career. By the nature of her dazzlingly beautiful voice, gorgeous physical appearance and natural stage presence, she has still a long and illustrious career ahead. Her voice blossoms as she sings: she swells the upper register into a most appealing amplitude while maintaining a crystalline suppleness of vocal line. She is at the peak of her vocal powers, showcasing in this concert a range and virtuosity rare in this art form. It seems unfair to compare her contributions to this show: heart wrenching as Cio‑Cio‑San; irresistible as Mimi; bereft as Manon but utterly galvanising as Tosca. Flawless in her vocal projection and riveting in her dramatic realisation of the character, we can only collectively hold our breath and wait for what will be a devastating Tosca when it finally arrives.
Tenor Joseph Calleja was indisposed and replaced at short notice by Korean Young Woo Kim who was in Australia for performances of Tosca for Opera Australia. Based in Germany, Mr Kim has a substantial performance history in many regional houses. His portrayal of Cavaradossi for OA in their touring arena production has drawn significant praise for his powerfully heroic voice and his acting ability. Stepping in to a demanding programme such as had been announced for this concert is no mean feat. He sounded a little uncertain in the opening aria from La fanciulla del West but grew in confidence to achieve a towering success in his depiction of Cavaradossi and finally to bring the house to screaming acclamation for his “Nessun dorma” to close the show. A virile and potent voice and noteworthy dramatic abilities make Mr Kim a performer of huge appeal.
Soprano Julie Lea Goodwin has a long and much-lauded curriculum vitae with OA; ranging from Wagner to Lehár, she is a versatile and charismatic performer. It is however as Musetta that she has reached the level of “signature” numbers. In this performance of “Quando m’en vo”, she flirted shamelessly with Conductor Daniel Smith, reducing the audience to howls of laughter while brilliantly executing the vocal line. Later in the second half, she gave an outstanding “Che il bel sogno” from La rondine as commendable for the clarity of her phrasing as for her voluptuousness of tone.
As a tribute concert, this was informative and celebratory. As rich musical entertainment it was thrilling and exhilarating.
Gregory Pritchard
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