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Underwhelming Don Giovanni in Santa Fe

Santa Fe
The Santa Fe Opera House
07/18/2009 -  & July 22, 31, August 8, 13*, 21, 24, 27
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Don Giovanni

Lucas Meachem (Don Giovanni), Matthew Rose (Leporello), Charles Workman (Don Ottavio), Harold Wilson (Commendatore), Corey McKern (Masetto), Elza van den Heever (Donna Anna), Susanna Phillips (Donna Elvira), Kate Lindsey (Zerlina)
Santa Fe Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Susanne Sheston (chorus master), Lawrence Renes (conductor)
Chas Rader-Shieber (director), David Zinn (sets/costume designer), Japhy Weideman (lighting designer)


S. Phillips, C. Workman, & E. van den Heever (© Ken Howard)


This summer's revival of Santa Fe Opera's 2004 production of Don Giovanni displayed more weaknesses than strengths. With aimless stage direction and a lackluster Don, the few bright spots of the new cast barely had a chance to shine.


The weakest link in this revival was, unfortunately, baritone Lucas Meachem in the title role. Meachem's recitatives were unacceptable for an artist of his caliber—the baritone burst out in anger during comedic phrases and smirked during pensive moments as if he didn't know what he sang. In an opera where so much is told through recitative, it's unacceptable for Don Giovanni to proceed through an entire performance conveying nothing with his words. Meachem's light baritone and his bland acting meandered through the performance without showing much seduction, lust, or arrogance. The American gave a lyrical "Deh, vieni alla finestra" but was lackluster during most the rest of the opera and largely inaudible during the ensembles. Both the vocal and dramatic aspects of the Don need Meachem's attention before he can claim the role as a trademark.


Most of the other cast members were a mixed bag. Kate Lindsey's Zerlina struggled for an identity throughout the night. The American mezzo couldn't decide whether Zerlina was a quirky, awkward tomboy or a sultry, overtly sexual vixen—there was no middle ground. It worked sometimes and didn't at others. Despite her strange portrayal of the peasant girl, Lindsey sang with a warm mezzo clearly comfortable in Mozart. As her Masetto, baritone Corey McKern struggled with pitch during "Ho capito" but regained control and turned in a strong performance throughout the rest of the opera, brandishing a steely lyric baritone (one almost wished that he and Meachem switched places). The American also deserves credit for putting up with inane direction during Zerlina's "Batti, batti." Harold Wilson sang a commanding Commendatore in both of his scenes and English bass Matthew Rose was reliable as Leporello despite seeming a bit stretched on top during "Madamina, il catalogo è questo." Susanna Phillips' Elvira lacked fire and edge, but the soprano gave a clear, graceful, precise vocal assumption and sang a perfectly supported "Mi tradì". Dutch conductor Lawrence Renes brought a lethargic pace to the overture but sped things up during the rest of the night. Renes was very attentive to all members on stage during ensembles and did an admirable job of keeping the act one finale together.


Only soprano Elza van den Heever as Donna Anna and tenor Charles Workman as her Don Ottavio stood out among the cast. To say van den Heever has a big voice would be a gross understatement, and yet the most impressive part of her vocal presentation lies in the fact that the soprano doesn't rely on size alone. During her "Or sai chi l'onore," van den Heever showed that she has total control over her voice no matter how loud she needs to sing, and in "Non mi dir" the South African showed off excellent pianissimi and a fine legato line. She was clearly discernable in all ensembles without drowning out her colleagues, and she also happens to be a fine, intense actress. With a voice and stage presence like van den Heever's, the sky is the limit in terms of her future repertoire. Charles Workman channeled van den Heever's vocal and dramatic intensity, portraying a sturdy and resilient Ottavio. Vocally, the tenor was in prime form. His "Dalla sua pace" was elegant and full of supremely controlled line and his "Il mio tesoro" delivered a fine show of Mozart coloratura. You really did believe for a few moments that this Ottavio had the fortitude to do something to avenge Donna Anna.


Unfortunately, the other weak link in this Don Giovanni came from the stage direction of Chas Rader-Shieber. There seemed to be no purpose to anything done onstage. To list all the confusing aspects would be a monumental undertaking, so a few key examples will paint the picture. During "Non ti fidar," the Don revealed a pair of Donna Anna's underwear in a threatening attempt to quiet her; when we realize what an active and willing recipient she was to his advances, it should have changed everything—but it never developed past the quartet. Similarly, the Zerlina of Kate Lindsey never seemed to care much for Masetto, as she flirted with the Don long before the recitative preceding "Là ci darem." If these seductions are over before they start, what tension is there in the opera at all, and what purpose are the conquests of the Don on stage? In this production, we already know Donna Anna happily gave in to Giovanni, making her drive towards revenge mean nothing to us; we see Zerlina is naturally flighty, so her seduction contributes nothing to our perceptions of the Don. In addition, the frantic sections of Mozart's score seemed irrelevant to Rader-Shieber. During the intense moments of the first act finale, Don Giovanni relaxed calmly on a couch; during the act two sextet where Leporello is discovered, the servant patiently sat on a bench while singing of his fear. If no one on stage seems to care, why should anyone in the audience?


A Don Giovanni boasting neither direction nor a Don isn't much of a Don Giovanni at all. The superb performances of Workman and van den Heever made it interesting, but they weren't enough to make up for the shortfalls of Meachem and Rader-Shieber.



Paul Wooley

 

 

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