La Wally 1990: When Life Imitates Art

I watched La Wally 1990 edition online after finding a clip that includes English subtitles. This was after a few queries I made online about verismo opera. Apparently, it was an approach towards realism. Or opera that is not about kings, fairies and other mythical creatures but regular people. But after watching La Wally, can I consider Wally and Hagenbach as regular people? 

Wally is the daughter of a man, Stromminger, implied as rich and prominent in the community. Her father’s friend, Gellner, suspected Wally of being in love with Hagenbach, the son of Stromminger’s enemy. Apparently, he wanted Wally for himself. So he went and immediately asked for Wally’s hand in marriage before she could find an opportunity to be with Hagenbach. Wally is aghast with this under-handed tactic. She bluntly turned Gellner down.  

The pacing in La Wally 1990 edition was fast enough to see where Wally’s state of heart and mind are. Sometimes it feels like there is too much going on that there wasn’t much time for character build-up. Notable exceptions are in that scene where Hagenbach bets on Wally’s feelings, where Hagenbach got pushed from an icy mountain and close to the end of Act 4 that I would discuss later. So in essence, it’s quick when it needs to be quick and slow when there is a need to build up that suspense. It’s the kind of suspense that makes you feel bad for Wally and disappointed with Hagenbach. 

Sometimes, La Wally 1990 edition becomes an introspection into the life of Wally. She has only one friend, Walter, who may or may not be interested in Wally romantically. She doesn’t seem to be close with her father either. And she only got close to Gellner when she needed a favor from him. Not much is said about how close Gellner is to Wally prior to that crucial favor. But I ended up getting PO’d with the way he asked for Wally’s hand in marriage. Stromminger didn’t even give his daughter an opportunity to say no. Again, La Wally 1990 edition implied that Stromminger is not close to Wally. 

On the other hand, what could Wally see in Hagenbach despite being a man that Stromminger hated? La Wally was an opera based on a play that was written at the time when hunters are the closest thing that a remote village could have to heroes. Hagenbach’s claim to fame is slaying a big bear for its fur. An accomplishment not many men in this Alpine village can prove. Wally found it impressive unlike Stromminger. La Wally 1990 edition managed to show how Wally gazed at Hagenbach differently from how she looked at Gellner. 

The sad thing about some verismo operas like La Wally is how nobody’s perfect. Hagenbach is a topnotch hunter but a disappointing excuse for a human being. Wally herself admitted finding fun in emotionally tormenting Gellner especially in Act 2. Gellner loved Wally. But he failed to control himself in giving Wally a dose of her own medicine by telling her of Hagenbach’s engagement to Afra, the tavern owner. You then realize a painful chain of flawed love. Gellner loves Wally who loves Hagenbach who loves Afra. La Wally 1990 showed how people are capable of loving people despite being wronged. And no other plot in opera had ever been truer. 

Depression eventually brought out the worst in Wally. The glaciers in La Wally 1990 edition gains a different perspective when shown with a catatonic Wally. As if that song she wrote served as a prelude to how she would meet her end. And Walter, the young boy that interpreted that song earlier in the opera, failed to see it when he left Wally beside the snowy mountain. Sometimes I wished that her vision of Hagenbach was just a fruit of her psychosis. But La Wally 1990 edition implied how the cold weather has affected Wally’s judgment. It could be simply a figment of her hallucination. The freezing temperature might have affected the way she sees things. And she may want to see things as opposed to what they really are. 

La Wally 1990 edition featured Mara Zampieri and Michael Sylvester as Wally and Hagenbach respectively. No copy so far in DVD found online. Only one copy of the DVD was found on Arkiv Music released in 2014. Hopefully I get to watch and review the other versions of La Wally found online. Hopefully, you enjoyed reading this article. I would appreciate it more if you send over your tips by clicking the “Donate” button below. Thanks for reading. 
 

Otello by Giuseppe Verdi: Belief in a Vengeful God

Watching Otello by Giuseppe Verdi reminded me of my minor quips. I tend to stop watching at times whenever a certain version can’t get 2 things satisfactory. One is the trumpet part of the tempest prior to Otello’s arrival on shore. Two is the way “Esultate” is sung. Sometimes I’m forgiving if the trumpet sound is not right. Other times, I just keep on watching even if “Esultate” wasn’t sung in a standard that I expect. I’m nitpicking. I know. This must have been the worst side effect of being familiar with the versions that starred Mario del Monaco, Placido Domingo and Jon Vickers.

The version of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi that I recently watched starred Giancarlo Monsalve in the title role. Staged in Chile and uploaded on YouTube, while economical in production, the big widescreen at the background made up for the scarcely decorated stage. Even better, the voices that interpreted Verdi’s version of the Shakespearean play were enthralling. I like being surprised in a pleasant way when watching unfamiliar productions of a beloved opera like Otello.

While most versions have shied away from the blackface treatment, this Chilean production went through with presenting Otello in blackface. (I have yet to see a production of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi that featured dark-skinned, if not outright black, tenors.) They must have understood that at the bottom of Iago’s envy is racism. Why is this Moor promoted to a government position instead of a white man like him? Then again, the white supremacists can’t use Iago the character (played by Leonardo Estevez) to justify their agenda in case there is any of them reading this article now.

Otello by Giuseppe Verdi is a difficult opera to stage not only because of the PC crowd. It also analyzes how, despite a lofty position, Otello’s insecurities never left him. Having a beautiful wife in Desdemona (played by Paulina Gonzalez) might have aggravated those insecurities knowing everyone else still found her beautiful. But Verdi did not include Desdemona’s father anymore among his characters. Iago is enough to expose the weaknesses of the Lion of Venice.

Iago’s schemes are almost similar to gaslighting. Almost except that there was no serious questioning to his motives. He managed to isolate Otello into making him think that he has no one else to rely to but him.So effective that he convinced to get Roderigo to his side and convinced Otello that Desdemona’s a little too close for comfort with Cassio (played by Leonardo Navarro).

It is easy to blame PTSD when trying to analyze Otello’s mindset. He was a war veteran rewarded with the governorship of Cyprus. He was so preoccupied with his status that he forgot about the enemies that tried to crush him right under his nose. At least he did not use the race card or play the victim card in the story. But something worse happened. By the time he has realized how everything Iago told him was a lie, Desdemona is dead. Classic tragedy as it was popularized in the Shakespearean play. Otello by Giuseppe Verdi exerted the drama to a psychological conflict with the way he handled Iago’s advice.

When it comes to the production, the stage director was obviously familiar with the versions where Otello wore the red Venetian tights with the red top. It was closer to certain versions of the Shakespearean play where the costumes are more similar to how English noblemen dress than how Venetians are expected to look like. Again, a little nitpicking maybe. But the Shakespearean costumes fitted the backdrop shown on the wide screen. From the stormy shore to the painted glass often seen in Roman Catholic churches to that fateful moonlight. I liked it that the production did not go the minimalist/modernized route to present the story. It was already minimalist in itself. But not too minimal to forget dressing the characters in the same POV that Shakespeare would have dressed them. All that is left for them is to sing the parts believably.

Every time an opera is presented in dramatic fashion, the word “verismo” is thrown in for good measure. I can say that Otello by Giuseppe Verdi is one that can be classified under the “verismo” category simply because it’s not enough that the cast consisted of great singers. The libretto consisted of acting arias - arias that you sing to the point of breaking because they let the emotions take over in the song. I mean if you’re already consumed with so much emotions, can you still sing beautifully? Some can. But it will sound hollow since it does not unleash the emotions necessary for the piece. I am referring to that scene where Otello just goes batshit insane angry. So angry he collapsed. There were some parts where Monsalve was yelling like in this scene. But it did not sound bad.

The only character in this version of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi that did not have as much “breaking parts” was Iago. Then again, he as a character had to put up a facade of being cool, calm and collected even if deep inside, he is seething in rage over Otello’s good fortune. Even “Credo” was sung beautifully with a poker face. Other baritones are often seen performing “Credo” with an angry face granted that said angry face is seen only by the audience, not by Otello. But in this production, even the audience saw a somewhat poker-faced Iago justifying his evil deeds through the aria “Credo”.

I am one of those “casual” opera fans that don’t have a problem seeing Otello by Giuseppe Verdi with yelling parts. Perhaps because they are not that numerous. And the cast more than made up for those moments by singing the arias beautifully. Desdemona’s duet with Otello reminded me how this couple really loved each other. And how Otello let his inner demons be awakened by Iago to push away everyone from his intimate circle of confidantes, including his wife. At the end, the only person worth all of the sympathy and mercy was Desdemona. She died before Otello discovered her unwavering loyalty.

I have a feeling that this version of Otello by Giuseppe Verdi will be available on YouTube for a limited time only. (This is not a suggestion. Just a speculation.) Anyone interested to watch one of the few versions that dared take the blackface route may view said upload below on Monsalve’s (unofficial) YouTube channel no less. Don’t forget to drop your tips after reading this article by clicking the “Donate” button below. I’d be expecting you. Thanks for reading.

Jenufa by Leoš Janáček: Death by Dishonor

Watching operas like Jenufa by Leoš Janáček without reading the synopsis first is a deliberate move on my part to surprise myself. No spoilers. And an opportunity to really discover within myself if this opera is good or if I’m just taken away by the hype. It happens. I have never watched Czech opera until now. And frankly, it’s a piece of work that is still relevant until today. I don’t feel like recommending it yet to some feminists. But I’d recommend it to anyone who’d like to view “verismo” opera. 

Jenufa by Leoš Janáček is classified by some fans as “verismo” because it stoked the emotions. It capitalized on the drama that unfolds and effectively seeped into the music. Because if there is one opera that rarely had a happy moment, it’s Jenufa by Leoš Janáček. The happiness that you see at Act 3 even looks forced. I am like “Can’t these people finally get the chance to be happy?” I don’t think everyone who had seen this opera would agree with me in saying that it’s a happy ending.  

But what made Jenufa by Leoš Janáček depressing to an extent? You are aware of women that got pregnant who demanded marriage from the child’s father. And it’s Jenufa. Because she’s getting married. She’s supposed to be happy. But she’s not. Her fiance, Steva, might be enlisted to the army. And she’d be (in her definition) “dishonored”. I understood that line as “if he didn’t marry me, I’d have a child out of wedlock”. She can’t say the exact status. But you get that idea with the kind of panic attack she’s getting. Jenufa’s early arias were like operatic versions of a panic attack. You can’t look away because there is an artistic way of highlighting the anxiety in a woman’s situation. 

Sometimes the lines at Jenufa by Leoš Janáček were confusing because Steva and Laca called the Kostelnicka “Aunt”. I thought Kostelnicka is a name. And if I didn’t peep at the synopsis after watching this opera, I wouldn’t know that it’s not a name. It’s an honorific title. And these men call her “Aunt” out of respect. It reminds me of how we call other people “Uncle” and “Aunt” in our local dialect not because they are our uncles and aunts but because it’s a respectable way to address them. Some Czech readers might know better about these honorific ways to address their elders. I just found it awkward for Steva and Laca to call Kostelnicka “Aunt” when both of them wanted to marry Jenufa.   

Jenufa by Leoš Janáček works better as a character analysis though. Was it Jenufa’s honor that Kostlenicka wanted to preserve or her own honor? These women lived in a village where their beliefs on honor are still surrounded on keeping the vagina’s hymen intact. Or, to be blunt about it, not getting your cherry popped until marriage. It’s infuriating that Steva got away with his chauvinism for a time. And I found it baffling that Jenufa’s only choices for marriage are Steva and Laca. 

I find it hard to feel bad for Laca. The grandmother favored Steva over Laca. Jenufa refused Laca to be engaged to Steva. Then Laca snaps and cuts the very thing that made Steva attacted to Jenufa. It turned out into a blessing in disguise. Steva only loved Jenufa because she had cheeks like rosy apples. He didn’t even want to see his child. He practically dumped Jenufa to marry the mayor’s pretty daughter. He even blamed Kostelnicka’s behavior and Jenufa’s change of behavior at Jenufa by Leoš Janáček for his fear of marrying the woman he got pregnant. So these men do wrong things and expect the women to bear them. (Don’t yell patriarchy yet. Jenufa by Leoš Janáček is not a feminist opera, in my opinion.)   

The only person I really end up feeling bad for is Jenufa. She kept the baby. Kostelnicka didn’t. She’s practically pushed into a marriage with Laca because he’s the only one willing to accept her no matter what. Even if Jenufa tried to push him away out of embarrassment, Laca chose to stay and share the embarrassment. Every time she sang her arias, it looked like her tears are about to fall. She got so resigned to her fate. Even the music got dragged into her depression for the most part of Jenufa by Leoš Janáček. 

You then realize why the original title for Jenufa by Leoš Janáček is “Její pastorkyňa” which means “Her Stepmother”. Nothing much in this opera implied that Kostelnicka is Jenufa’s stepmother. But we can never doubt Kostelnicka’s concern for Jenufa. The moment you realize how the rock in Act 1 is just a mound, grows big in Act 2 and gets shattered to pieces at Act 3 is that it will cause Jenufa’s damnation unless she does something about it. And yeah, the part where she is projecting her need to save her honor by making it look like she is saving Jenufa’s honor is eventually obvious. Soon, she realized that the only way to rectify the error that cannot be undone is by coming clean.   

Sometimes, opera serves as a medium to expose the hypocrisies going on in society. Jenufa by Leoš Janáček becomes one of them because it does not condemn Jenufa for getting pregnant out of wedlock. It presented authentically how society, the rural community present at Jenufa by Leoš Janáček, has difficulty absorbing the idea that their bastion of morality becomes guilty herself of a mortal sin. But they don’t have a problem with stoning Jenufa to death either for being an unwed mother or for suspicion of infanticide. Between Jenufa and Kostelnicka, it was Kostelnicka who confessed to the crime. It’s the scene that makes you scream at the angry mob “What’s wrong with you? What has religion done to you?” 

Jenufa by Leoš Janáček may not have implied that stoning to death as penalty for “dishonor” still exists in certain countries regardless of what religion is dominant in their area. But it keeps the awareness alive with its haunting melody. The 2004 version staged at Gran Teatre de Liceu Barcelona has a claustrophobic quality in Act 2 that makes you empathize with Jenufa’s loneliness plus symbolism exuded by the rocks onstage. Its DVD version is now available on Amazon for you to enjoy complete with subtitle language of your choice. Click here to get your own copy quick. Don’t forget to click the “Donate” button below to send over your tips. Thanks for reading.  
 

The Barber of Seville: Make Way for the Jack-Of-All-Trades!

Gioachino Rossini’s The Barber of Seville was one of the comedies in opera keeps getting performed (and perhaps one of the most challenging). I don’t sing opera. But this is one opera that I keep on remembering because 2 of its arias, “Largo al factotum” and “Una voce poco fa” are master class staples. These have become 2 of the highlights of the opera. In a way, they have become make-or-break moments for any performer taking on the role of Rosina or the titular character better known by his name Figaro. 

If you have been familiar with the subtitled snippets of “Largo al factotum” from YouTube, well it has not covered much of the synopsis of The Barber of Seville. It managed to discuss who the Barber of Seville is all about though. A jack-of-all-trades assigned to solve problems in the community. Very much like the community barber in some street corners that I know of. Except that they won’t go as far as prescribing sneezing powder or some other medication. But the plot in The Barber of Seville is far from what some locals here would call “kwentong barbero” (barber tales).  

Figaro’s disdain for one of his clients, Doctor Bartolo, is admitted in one of the scenes. And it’s mostly because he can’t fathom the idea of the doctor marrying his ward, Rosina, for the sake of attaining conjugal ownership. Rosina is implied as someone moneyed enough to be the subject of the doctor’s eagle-eyed watch. But the kind of constrictive guardianship he exuded over Rosina became the subject of some light-hearted moments. Light-hearted because Rosina as a young woman is a blast to watch at The Barber of Seville. 

To paraphrase Rosina’s complain to Figaro in one scene, she is bored AF (or bored as F). The only occasional distraction she could get from this boredom is her suitor, Lindoro. It seems like only Lindoro is diligent enough to hire a band of musicians and sing by Rosina’s window. And the only one to pay an insider to gain access to Rosina. That guy is Figaro. Yes. His job as jack-of-all-trades in Doctor Bartolo’s household helped his friend get an idea and a motivation to have Rosina for himself. 

So why have the title as The Barber of Seville? Because of the things that occurred in this opera are because of Figaro’s machinations. While most lovers in other operas (and most local soap operas) are dependent on fate or fortune, the fate of Lindoro and Rosina depended on the efficiency of Figaro as a matchmaker. There might be a little twist at the end how Figaro simply had to “throw the dice” and wait-and-see. Because at times, no matter smooth the plans go, some glitches will happen along the way. 

Were there other glitches in this production? Please be informed that I don’t have a problem with the vocal performance found here. Happy to see a production that is based on the period that it is trying to portray. Remember that in The Barber of Seville, the lack of technology made the characters reliant on letters and hearsay. So it gets awhile before everyone discovers who is that Count Almaviva that Doctor Bartolo and Don Basilio are so concerned with. It doesn’t say nor imply whether Rosina is of noble birth too. But she’s eyed by the Count. 

If not for Beverly Sills, I would not have realized how challenging the role of Rosina must have been. Yes, my knowledge of The Barber of Seville used to be limited to Googling versions of "Una voce poco fa" and "Largo al factotum" online without getting to see a complete production online. Of course, other characters were just as challenging. Henry Price as Lindoro and Alan Titus as Figaro were satisfactory in their respective roles. But Sills' singing served 2 purposes in portaying Rosina. One is to push the story forward as in most belcanto roles. Two is to distract Doctor Bartolo from noticing how Rosina is flirting with Don Alfonso.  With all of the trills and the runs that she exuded, both purposes were achieved.

As for existing copies of this production, there was one found on Amazon in VHS form. Not much of an explanation as to why there is no DVD version. Hence, most fans of The Barber of Seville end up watching the YouTube clip complete with subtitles. Quite difficult to find one production uploaded online with English subtitles. Still, a memorable production that is not afraid to go over the top. Hope that you’d enjoy watching it the same way that I did. Tips are more than welcome by clicking the “Donate” button below. Thanks for reading.     
 

Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version: Festival de Bregenz (Autriche)

It is my first time to watch Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version using a stage in the middle of a sea port. This means there will be lapel mics to be used. I don’t have a problem with it since better singing quality should be expected of a high-profile event as this. And it also meant using big headdresses that go consistent with the dragon theme. I just assumed that there is a dragon theme going on due to the consistency in over-all production design. I view it as a good thing. 

Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version features a water dragon that one of the 3 witches threw on the water for scaring off the prince, the 3 witches rode on dragons while saving the prince and the main wizards in the story have dragon-based headdresses. And we have a Sarastro who’s actually intimidating. They even showed the punishment meted out on Monostatos. Add to that, the dome-shaped stage was surrounded by 3 big effigies of dragons. That dome-shaped stage revolved and depending which scene is about to be presented. The effects created either a shady forest for the characters to frolic into or a coarse terrain for Pamina to run into in escaping “child services” headed by Sarastro. 

There were no breaks in between acts. They might have intended to show at Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version that Sarastro is a quick decision-maker and all he had to wait from his minions is to say yes. So he decided to throw Tamino into the trials designated for anyone interested in joining the Circle. This despite the stark differences between the men of the Circle and their captives, Tamino and Papageno. Pamina wasn’t “jailed”. But she’s just as scared of Sarastro as that of Papageno. 

 The way Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version was staged really exploited the space allotted to them. Apart from the dome-shaped stage, there are “mini-stages” around it plus hanging bridges where the 3 witches were occasionally seen. From afar, they look like optical illusions as Tamino and Papageno were trying to watch their steps in the dark forest. With the swift light effects, it makes the witches look like they’re flying on their dragons or on the hanging bridges chastising their messengers. The quicker the lights go, the creepier the witches looked like. It was a thrilling view. Tamino and Papageno understandably looked scared. More scared than their threat perhaps of the Queen’s anger. 

Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version made an effort to cover all bases. Like why did Monostatos in his second effort to rape Pamina? Because he’s limping from the 77 lashes he received as punishment from Sarastro. And how did Sarastro learn of the second attempt to rape Pamina and the murder plot? He’s been hiding behind the woods all along. It even suggested that Pamina’s father already told entrusted his daughter to Sarastro before he died, foreseeing the Queen of the Night’s behavior. Looks like he’s the kind who doesn’t trust everyone around him well enough to stay in his chamber and let the events unfold.  

Even the costumes at Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version presented how much were Pamina, Tamino and Papageno were outsiders. While everyone else wore dragon armor and dragon-esque face-and-body paint, Tamino wore a white polo and white pants. Pamina simply wore a white dress. And Papageno wore a white cotton shirt with a yellow hoodie jacket and yellow shorts. Looks like the kind of outfit you’d wear on strolling at the park. Except that instead of a camera, what hung on his neck was his bird whistle.

This production of Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version also made the code of silence substantial to the story. And not just because Tamino can’t speak to Pamina when he had the opportunity. It’s that Papageno was so talkative. He went to the point of deliberately angering Tamino. Tamino was angry too. But he was more devoted to the trial compared to Papageno. So he could only stomp his feet and walk away from Papageno’s antics. Then again of course, Papageno would get his comeuppance through Papagena. And the Papagena here must have been the grossest version of Papageno I have seen so far. Papageno had to kiss here before she transforms to her real self. 

The only characters perhaps that don’t go with the dragon theme that are not captives are the 3 young boys. I’m not even sure if they are really boys. They have these big, mascot-like heads with blue wings while guiding Tamino and Papageno. When even Sarastro ends up looking like the eye in the sky tracking your every move, who else would serve as the voices of reason at Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version? It also helped that the young boys looked like cherubs. They have 2 suicide attempts to thwart. So it helped to have some rational characters at Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version.  

How could I forget commenting about Der Holle Rache a.k.a. second aria of the Queen of the Night? It’s a version by Ana Durlovski that I can distinguish from other versions for the rich texture of the voice. So rich, it doesn’t even screech that much. She was elevated on stage as if trying to loom over her daughter while trying to talk her into killing Sarastro. She managed to own the stage for the time allotted for her at Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version.

 Little did we know a showdown of wizards to come before the end of Act 3. The Queen of the Night, with all her 3 witches with dragons, only to be defeated at the big boss battle with Sarastro. (I’m not a gamer. I am just familiar with these “epic boss battle” finales.) Finally, a version of The Magic Flute that made an effort to present Sarastro as the boss. Alfred Reiter lived up to expectations of a dominant Sarastro. 

Norman Reinhardt and Bernarda Bobro looked like a believable couple that you would root for as Tamino and Pamina. Reinhardt may be supported by a lapel mic while singing the arias. But he has a voice that slices through the screen, mesmerizing audiences with the sympathetic singing. The acting is quite physical too. He presented how the flute in Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version has a mind of its own. It is practically playing on its own, occasionally pulling Tamino to Pamina’s direction. Bobro’s voice was also captivating. I look forward to seeing more of either Reinhardt or Bobro in the coming months. Then again, YouTube had always been helpful in directing me to the right talent to watch out for. 

Die Zauberflöte 2013 Version is now out on Blu-Ray from ArkivMusic. Click here to get your own copy the soonest time possible and to enjoy it subtitled in other languages too. Perfect entertainment for the whole family. Musical director is Patrick Summers with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Prague Philharmonic Chorus. Stage direction by David Poutney. Tips in appreciation of this article review would be much appreciated as well. Just click the “Donate” button below. Thanks for reading.   
 

Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi: How to Get Away with Murder

There are some productions of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi that I watch for the sake of checking the stage design. I’m a little lenient when it comes to certain production designs since some stage directors seem to be going for the “shock value”. Or something similar to that. I’m aware how some productions get labeled as “Eurotrash” simply because it deviated from the period design of the original production. I guess I’m not purist enough to “hate” productions that go the “expressionist” route. And I am forgiving when it comes to these kinds of productions because what if there is not much of a budget? Can the singing and acting talents of the cast make up for a lackluster stage design? 

With opera being streamed online, visuals will be a factor in productions like the version of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi from the Opernhaus Zurich that I am about to comment on. Visuals and acting believability, just to be clear. Character development is still a factor after all in this belcanto re-imagining of a Shakespearean play. Expectations are also high for Thomas Hampson (Macbeth) and Paoletta Maroccu (Lady Macbeth) to not only sing their arias great but to sing their arias in a dark tone fitting this thrilling opera. The psycho-thriller is still a good word to throw in since guilt will play a big role in the story.  

The stage design just got me occasionally confused. In trying to be “modern”, this version of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi ended up mixing period costumes with modern clothing. The confusion was felt as early as seeing the witches. Sure. There was no racial stereotype presented in showing these women in various chores. But who’s talking to whom? The chatter was almost indistinct since they are all singing together as if they end up answering their own questions while painting their nails, looking in the mirror and cutting newspaper. I almost laughed at the part where they are trying to bury 2 women wrapped in newspaper. Aww. They’re so poor. They can’t even afford a coffin. But they are witches. So there might be something sinister in that scene. At least one of the witches was shown burying a dagger. 

That dagger eventually found its way to Macbeth. He didn’t have any weapon before entering Duncan’s room. Lady Macbeth expected him to find a weapon on his own. Macbeth interpreted it as a cruel fate. Hampson’s acting made you feel bad at some point for Macbeth until you realized how much of a cuckolded husband he is. He as a character devolves as the story progresses until he becomes a shell of his old self. As for Lady Macbeth, it’s the narcissism and the sense of self-entitlement that pushes her to keep manipulating Macbeth. The greed for power has consumed her as effectively interpreted by Marroccu. 

The stage design was effective though in presenting the stark differences between Macbeth’s men and the resistance. The part where the spouses Macbeth were plotting for their next murder showed how slowly they retreated into the background as their men in visible clothing executed the details of the murder plot. And they were identified by the colors of their infantry and the logos on their big collars. The resistance army led by Malcolm and Macduff, on the other hand, wore ragtag uniforms splattered with writings and markings.    

The thrilling parts of this version of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi were the parts where death stared characters in the face. For example in one scene, while spouses Macbeth had to put up a front and wail along with the rest of the household for Duncan’s murder, Macbeth carried Duncan. Macbeth was shown looking at his wife as if avoiding the gaze of the dead Duncan to his face. Duncan’s stiff hand was even close to Macbeth’s neck. In another scene, it implied that Macduff went back to his house to check on his family. His entire family was shown standing but already pale white implying that they are already dead. Luis Lima as Macduff effectively interpreted the pain of regret and anger at Macbeth in the aria “La patria mano”. It’s an aria best summarized as “My family is dead”. 

Remember the dead wrapped in newspaper? Could it be this version’s allusion to “fake news”? Since 2 of them evolved to be the apparitions, it can’t be labeled as fake news then. It only showed how Macbeth has become dependent on the witches’ prophecies now that he’s grasping at straws to stay in power. Fake news become fake when they don’t happen and when they are unverified. Macbeth had a way of verifying earlier prophecies even if they scared him. But he lacked diligence in analysing the part that said “No man born of a woman shall harm you.” Macduff verified that prophecy better in Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi.   

Macbeth never took responsibility for his actions just like his wife. The moment he exclaimed, “It is a tale told by an idiot. Sound and fury signifying nothing” you know that the resistance is closing in on him. Soon, he’s blaming the witches for their “prophecy from hell”. With a mix of overconfidence and arrogance, he had the nerve to face Macduff and get the truth rammed into him to his death. He had it coming. 

This version of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi is now out on DVD. It’s Amazon UK where I found it. Click here to get your own copy. This is the version that featured Thomas Hampson as Macbeth, Paoletta Marroccu as Lady Macbeth, Roberto Scandiuzzi as Banquo and Luis Lima as Macduff. Musical direction is by Franz Welser-Most. Click here to get your own copy or as a gift to your opera nerd friend. Tips for writing this article would be much appreciated. All you have to do is click the “Donate” button below. Thanks for reading.  
 

Die Entführung aus dem Serail: How to Get Away with Kidnapping

Turks, Spaniards and an Englishwoman occupy Die Entführung aus dem Serail, an opera by Woflgang Amadeus Mozart sung in German with English subtitles. Sounds really warped up, isn’t it? But this is opera. It featured occasional adaptations of certain literary works in a different language to satisfy the demand for opera material. A demand that Mozart had always met with flying colors. The version that we are about to discuss in this article features Francisco Araiza as Belmonte, Edita Gruberova as Konstanze, Reri Grist as Blonde, Norbert Orth as Pedrillo, Martti Talvela as Osmin and Thomas Holtzmann as Pasha Selim. Musical director is Maestro Karl Bohm.

The opening aria for Die Entführung aus dem Serail was a little deceptive. Belmonte wailed about missing Konstanze and the difficulty of seeing her again. If you are not familiar with Die Entführung aus dem Serail or did not even bother reading some spoilers before watching it, you’d think it’s one of those uber-serious operas. Well, the topic was serious in itself. But the people behind this opera tried to balance the sad and the happy in this piece. Whether this version of Die Entführung aus dem Serail would be as chirpy has yet to be analyzed.  

The opening aria for Osmin is just as deceptive. Just when you thought he’s a tame beast, he’d be rude to Belmonte. All Belmonte ever asked was whether the palace he guards is the palace of the so-called Great Pasha Selim. Apparently he hates young men like Belmonte because it reminds him of a slave that he hated - Pedrillo. Pedrillo, on the other hand, was a little mischievous. But not evil enough to merit the bloody punishments that Osmin ended up singing about. And also, Osmin is too angry to realize that Pedrillo outwitted him. Again.  

Most of the ensemble featured play Turks. Either as sailors or men who work for Pasha Selim. Pasha Selim is the only major character in Die Entführung aus dem Serail without any sung lines. They’re all spoken. He ends up speaking to Konstanze, a captive that he enslaved but never took advantage of. In other words, a character to counter the stereotype that was presented in the character of Osmin. #NotAllTurks Pasha Selim loved Konstanze so much. He never took advantage of the slavery status of the latter just so he can have her for himself. 

Konstanze doesn’t feel the same towards Pasha Selim. She never got over Belmonte. She’s even willing to undergo torture just to rub it into Pasha Selim’s face that she’ll always love Belmonte. This explains why she has more arias that are sad than happy. It’s suffice to say that she’s depressed. She’s even welcome to the idea of death. Fortunately, she’s not one of the suicidal damsels in distress found in opera. It’s what made Die Entführung aus dem Serail different from some belcanto roles. I leave them for you to guess.   

The personality of Konstanze’s lady-in-waiting, the Englishwoman Blonde, might have explained Konstanze’s choice to keep on living. Fiery and spirited, not even her “new” master, Osmin, could take advantage of her. That’s quite a character to match for Osmin. For a character cast as Konstanze’s assistant, she hates the idea of slavery. (Maybe she doesn’t view her relationship with Konstanze as slave-level.) She enjoys freedom. Apparently her opinions on slavery are in the aria as well that implied her definition of slavery is different from servitude. Mind-blowing, yes. But this is Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Either you enjoy it for the antics of Osmin or you enjoy the melancholic arias of Konstanze.

It may have explained why interest in Die Entführung aus dem Serail increased due to performances like that of Edita Gruberova. Once labeled “The Queen of Belcanto”, some of the most-searched arias on YouTube are her various versions of the mad scene from “Lucia di Lammermoor” and her earliest versions of “Der Holle Rache” from “The Magic Flute”. I admit that when I saw Gruberova’s name on the opening credits, I was like “Does Konstanze have coloratura lines too?” I watched it and ended up enjoying it since her arias here are what I considered some of her most underrated performances. Sometimes it’s safe to use the term “underrated” because not many people discuss it. 

Die Entführung aus dem Serail is one of Mozart’s earlier operas. If Wikipedia (quoting Braunbehrens 1990, 61-62) is to be believed, it was when he’s starting to discover the difficulty of fitting the libretto to the music. He did what he can with the music. The succeeding productions then have to find ways of fitting their vision of Die Entführung aus dem Serail into the music. Something that I think this version did well.    

The stage production by August Everding was not too grand, not too minimalist. Just right knowing that it’s a simple story about how Belmonte is trying to rescue Konstanze. It was implied that Pasha Selim is rich. But the settings that implied that his lifestyle is quite modest. No harem. No gold-plated toilets. Not that many opulent displays of wealth in the Ottoman Empire apart from a big wall and a ship with slaves. It was also implied that Belmonte is rich because he can bribe some Turks and managed to reveal his family name to Pasha Selim later. But he also looked modest. In other words, a solid plot with less of the trimmings is found in Die Entführung aus dem Serail. Because it’s main strength lay in the vocal performances of its interpreters.  

The one character in this version of Die Entführung aus dem Serail that almost stole the spotlight from Belmonte and Konstanze was Osmin. He’s not trying to be funny. He has anger management problems that got triggered by Pedrillo. And he doesn’t even know how to explain his hatred of Pedrillo sensibly. He’s just a bigot. The way his character was written was funny without the character knowing how much of a buffoon he is. That may have turned him into a believable character. Anger has a way of making comedians out of the least likely people. Also, his arias did not seem too long as he (the character) is all over the place, trying to justify his anger. So be it if he occasionally starts to sound like a broken record. 

Good thing I found a DVD version of Die Entführung aus dem Serail that featured the interpreters mentioned in this article. But very few copies are left. No mention as to whether new copies will be made that come with subtitles in other languages. Click here while supplies last. You can also support this blog by clicking the “Donate” button below. Tips are very much appreciated. Thanks for reading.  
 

Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi: Uneasy is the Head That Wears The Crown

Watching the opera Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi meant that I have to scour online for any version with English subtitles. I may be familiar with the Shakespeare play about some monarchs who interpreted some witches’ prophecy the bloody way. Like really bloody. But knowing how different Othello the play was from Otello the opera (the Verdi version), I can’t spot the differences unless I get to see English subtitles. Never mind if they are different from the Shakespearean lines that we are familiar with. The version I know of is the BBC TV movie that someone uploaded on YouTube. 

In the 1979 version of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi, the witches are there. But they are not limited to 3. Macbeth (Piero Cappuccilli) and Banquo (Nicolai Ghiaurov) arrive on stage occupied by creepy women. That’s when they starting chanting their prophecies to the Scots. As some of the prophecies get realized sooner than the pair of soldiers expected, Macbeth felt nervous. This bag of nerves wasn’t shared by his wife, Lady Macbeth (Shirley Verrett).  

I then understood why most fans of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi have elevated Verrett’s version of Lady Macbeth as the standard for other dramatic sopranos to follow. I admit that I am the kind of opera fan that listens and watches at the same time. So I expect Lady Macbeth to not only sound the part of being a political vulture but to act the part. Like if political ambition could only spit out of her pores, it would. I may not like the other opera fans who watch every single version of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi just to check whether they have outperformed or outclassed Verrett as Lady Macbeth. To each, his or her own. But Verrett would definitely affect the way I watch Macbeth The Opera again. 

Did Verdi intend his version of Macbeth to be a psycho-thriller? If it is, then it was a vision shared by the version staged at Teatro La Scala. There may be ghosts and murdered royals all over the place. But most of the scariest ghosts are the ones that resided in Macbeth’s head. In the banquet where the new royal couple is supposed to be celebrating a toast, Macbeth snapped and started ranting at a non-existent Banquo. Lady Macbeth could only chastise him on the side while distracting everyone else with her invitation to drink.

That was basically Lady Macbeth’s role for the most part in Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi. The messengers found Macbeth’s reaction to his promotion as Thane of Cawdor as strange. He doesn’t look happy. The instability was heightened by his first murder. He can’t even complete it himself. Lady Macbeth had to swoop in and finish the job herself. Soon everyone that served as a threat to the crown he usurped was collateral damage. Even Macduff’s family who are already distant heirs to his throne. 

Did the witches exploit the looming insanity in Macbeth? Doesn’t seem like it if this production of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi will be observed. Macbeth even threatened the witches death if they kept any more messages from here. The messages were starting to get mixed. And the only part of the prophecy that pacified him was “No man born of a woman shall harm you”. You then realize how carefully worded is that prophecy as everyone else has closed in on the King of Scotland. And how Macduff (Veriano Luchetti) end up personifying the loophole to that prophecy. 

We then go to the differences that I mentioned earlier. Here at Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi, the only murder shown is that of Banquo. Duncan’s murder wasn’t shown. They simply showed Macbeth and Lady Macbeth coming in and out of Duncan’s guest room. The massacre of Macduff’s family wasn’t shown either. But the crowd surrounding Macduff bewailed of how Scotland has (to paraphrase it) gone to the dogs. Macduff summarized best all of the regret he felt at going into exile so hastily, leaving his family in the country ruled by a criminal.

Another notable difference is Duncan. Of course, in the Shakespeare version, he has speaking lines as he is in good terms with Macbeth. But in Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi, he is a silent character. A plot tool to emphasize the level of psychopathy of Lady Macbeth. In fact, it can be tempting to change the title to “Lady Macbeth” since she pulled the strings for the most part. Every time Macbeth is bothered by his conscience, Lady Macbeth would go on and remind her husband that what happened has happened. Nothing they can do about it anymore. 

Verdi’s librettists, Francesco Maria Piave and Andrea Maffei, managed to paraphrase the iconic scene “Out, damn spot!” At least it’s still there to create an impact. And Verrett succeeded in creating a Lady Macbeth that we might sympathize with … for no less than 10 minutes. She’s a political vulture. I know. We’re not supposed to feel bad for her. I don’t feel bad for her because she never thought that what she did was wrong. It was the kind of characterization that gets you thinking of relief because finally, justice befalls on Macbeth now that his manipulator has died. And just like most deaths in this version of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi, her death happened off-stage. 

Would I recommend this to my students in case I get to teach World Literature in college again? Maybe, but only excerpts. I still remember how my students had their nosebleed moment when they watched the BBC TV movie version of the play. I would show this to any opera fan who needed to see the greatness of Shirley Verrett. And why Piero Cappuccilli was one of the best Verdi baritones that ever graced the opera stage. 

In case you haven’t realized yet, this is one Verdi opera that went against the grain of romantic tragedy/comedy found in most Italian operas. There is more than one mad scene. As for copies of Macbeth by Giuseppe Verdi featuring Cappuccilli and Verrett, there are audio CDs sold at Amazon. But instead of Veriano Luchetti in the role of Macduff, this version has the great Placido Domingo as Macduff. Click here to get your copy and mp3 version. Don’t forget to send in your tips by clicking the “Donate” button below. Thanks for reading.   
       

Die Zauberflöte: What Side Should You Be?

I am happy to see this version of Die Zauberflöte that featured 2 of my faves = Edita Gruberova and Francisco Araiza. I have seen more of Gruberova though compared with that of Araiza. I haven’t seen much of Lucia Popp. I have seen less of Kurt Moll. So basically it would be my first time to watch them in one production. The set reminded me of the set found in the Opera National de Paris version that I have written about in a previous article. Except that The Speaker came out of one of the doors instead of just popping out of the floor. (Minor complaint, but worth mentioning.)

Almost halfway through Die Zauberflöte, you’d end up wondering why would The Speaker even bother inviting Tamino (Araiza) to the temple. Tamino doesn’t understand either the reason why Sarastro (Kurt Moll) would keep Pamina (Lucia Popp) away from her mother, the Queen of the Night (Gruberova). In a nutshell, it highlighted one of the attributes often credited to the Freemasons = secrecy. The kind of secrecy that is only broken once you join the brotherhood.  

This is Die Zauberflöte, perhaps Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s most famous opera that once challenged story tropes that existed in opera. It may not be too consistent with its “portrayal” of life in the Freemasonry. (Who really knew about life among Freemasons? They’re the most secretive group ever.) But it challenged your perception of the truth. Except that The Speaker did not go the “You can’t handle the truth” route. Instead, he asked Tamino, “Is there proof to what you say?” Tamino then realizes the problem with his quest. 

While most operas in Mozart’s time and in some baroque operas, the hero is always perfect, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte is one gullible teen. At least gullible enough for the Queen of the Night to drag into her plan of rescuing Pamina. That gullibility was Tamino’s liability in the earlier parts of Act 1. He was so happy to see the giant serpent dead that he believed Papageno’s claim that he slew the beast. He was so enamored with the picture of Pamina that he believed the Queen of the Night’s claim that Sarastro is an evil tyrant who abducted Pamina. To be fair to Tamino, he lived in a time when queens went out looking for men that their daughters could marry. Pamina was attractive enough for Tamino to take the bait. 

At least one part of the Queen’s claim turned out to be true = Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute). He played it to console himself when he thought he had lost hope in finding Pamina. Music also served as a way to get out of a sticky situation for Papageno and Pamina. Yes, Papageno beat Tamino in finding Pamina, another flaw that was obvious for Tamino as a major character in an opera. At least it made him somewhat relatable to men trying to be the best for their beloved. Back to Papageno, his problem on the other hand was how talkative he is. Maybe if he didn’t tell Pamina about Tamino, Pamina wouldn’t end up daydreaming about the time when Tamino finally “rescues” her.

If Pamina is waiting to be rescued, why did she apologize to Sarastro for trying to escape? It’s the angle that made me think that it was Monostatos who kidnapped Pamina. But Sarastro did not return Pamina to her mother. The secretive nature of Sarastro and his minions helped at least put some mystery into the storyline. This way, Die Zauberflöte keeps on garnering new fans not only for its music but also for its plot.

Let’s try addressing the elephant in the room, shall we? That “racist” label that still gets thrown against Die Zauberflöte. This version of Die Zauberflöte features a tenor in blackface portraying Monostatos. He has uncontrollable carnal desire for Pamina. If he wasn’t so inept in this story, he might have gotten his way in her. I have yet to see a version that casts actual black people in the role of Monostatos and his minions. Now just because a man with dark skin is portrayed as a lecherous creep with nothing better to do, it says that all men of similar features possess the same attributes. 

Monostatos is a creep, yes. But remember how he has slaves too. And they have the same skin color as he. (And they are also played by actors in blackface.) These slaves hate him so much. They wanted him dead. They even cheered when Monostatos got punished at one point. Slavery sucks. But it existed at the same time that Die Zauberflöte was premiered. So as a period piece, it managed to be faithful to the era from which it was created. (I’d be discussing other versions of Monostatos in future articles. Besides I failed to mention how Monostatos was white in the 2015 Teatro La Fenice version in my previous article.)  

Perhaps today, the worst kept spoiler about Die Zauberflöte is the Queen of the Night. With various singing competition hopefuls around the world using Der Holle Rache as an audition piece, other non-opera fans might have caught up with why the lyrics talk about death, destruction and the gods of vengeance. The Queen of Belcanto herself, Edita Gruberova, inhabited the role with a technique that fitted the coloratura needed for the aria. Aria 1 was sung complete with sad/melancholic facial expressions as if the Queen was soliciting some mercy from Tamino. Aria 2 was sung with an obvious distance from Pamina. It’s not that mother-and-daughter are not close. But it’s that part where she starts to turn cold because of her agenda. 

So we have our lead characters, Tamino and Pamina, presented as gullible teens and flawed human beings. How can they redeem themselves? That’s when the titular instrument in Die Zauberflöte becomes useful. Besides, the only claims that got proven correctly in the story were the flute and the silver bells. It may have been an allusion to how music gets things right. And that statement is very correct when it comes to the arias found in Die Zauberflöte. 

I remember saying in some articles I wrote for Musicals Online that for a musical production to be a hit, it should have memorable songs. Or in the case of opera, memorable arias. My personal favorite apart from Der Holle Rache was “Pa-Pa-Pa”. It really served Papageno’s purpose - to be the comic relief in an otherwise dark and twisted opera. The dark and twisted aspects of Die Zauberflöte are not very obvious because of the chirpy music. They become obvious in the scenes where Pamina and Papageno contemplated suicide (in separate scenes, just to be clear).   

This version of Die Zauberflöte is available on Amazon for you to enjoy. Just click here as it doesn’t seem like there are many copies left. You might want to beat the most hardcore Gruberova fans to the last copy. Just don’t forget to do me a favor in return for this article. Click the “Donate” button below for tips in appreciation of what I wrote. Thanks for reading.