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Reservoir Doge London Royal Albert Hall 08/27/1998 - Giuseppe Verdi : Simón
Boccanegra Paolo Gavanelli (Simon Boccanegra), Elena Prokina
(Emilia), David Rendall (Adorno), Alastair Miles (Fiesco), Peter Sidhom
(Paolo), Daniel Borowski (Pietro)
Glyndebourne Chorus, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Mark Elder
(conductor) The annual visit of a Glyndebourne production to the Proms moved this year
from the holiday Monday to the preceding Saturday. The stalls and boxes
were sold out, but the arena and less expensive seats were not. This was
surprising, since this is the one chance many people have to see these
premium productions, at a reasonable cost and without schlepping down to
Lewes. A number of promenaders did turn up in evening dress, with picnics
discreetly hidden from the stewards, to try to reproduce the authentic
Glyndebourne experience.
Simón Boccanegra is a less innovative opera than
Falstaff, made up of familiar elements of romance and rhetorical
topics. This performance was never going to top John Eliot Gardiner's
dynamic take on the latter earlier in the season. But it was an
intelligent, sympathetic, straightforward account and dealt effectively
with the emotional themes -- frustrated love, bereavement, trust and
personal integrity -- that have an impact when the class-based political
background (of either fourteenth-century Genoa or the Resurgimento) no
longer means much.
The semi-staged production, directed by Robin Martin-Oliver from an
original production by Peter Hall, used a platform behind the orchestra,
with tables and chairs and a few other props, and had the singers in plain
black. There was no obvious concept, simply a direct, coherent staging of
the action -- which cannot be anything like as easy as it sounds. Paolo
Gavanelli, who stood in for Giancarlo Pasquetto too late to make it into
the programme, fitted in seamlessly, presumably after only a run-through of
the blocking.
Gavanelli, stockily built, with a black beard with a white patch on the
chin, was spot on as the solid, decent old swashbuckler. His singing was
uneven, thin but still expressive in the high passages. This was perhaps
not suprising when he must have had no more than twenty-four hours notice.
He has a fine voice, but his theatrical skills seem limited, though fine
for Boccanegra.
The rest of the cast was also nearly impeccable. Elena Prokina made a pure,
bright sound as Emilia, and looked delightful once she got an
ill-considered fringe off her face. David Rendall, also a last minute
substitute, though already in the cast at Glyndebourne, got the better of
his aging-juvenile image in a committed and moving O inferno,
Gabriele's cry of anguish when he believes that his beloved Emilia has been
unfaithful. Peter Sidhom looked shifty and sang powerfully as Paolo, and
Daniel Borowski as his fellow conspirator Pietro has a rich, fruity bass
voice.
For me, the outstanding performance of the evening was Alastair Miles as
Fiesco. He's always rather opaque as an actor, but his voice is
substantial, and his singing is accurate and authoritative. His Fiesco
emerged as truly noble.
Mark Elder, who seemed to be working very hard indeed, and the London
Philharmonic Orchestra delivered an energetic performance which supported
the singers superbly. The Glyndebourne Chorus, positioned about the hall
in the last act, depicted both the riven mob and the grieving people
effectively. H.E. Elsom
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