Meyerbeer's Margherita d'Anjou at the Royal Festival Hall, London
by Peter Grahame Woolf

Opera Rara has just completed recording this early Meyerbeer Italian opera, premiered in 1822, which might be viable for UK staging on account of its (not quite authentic) story of about the War of the Roses; Margherita d'Anjou is a 'Semi-serious Opera in Two Acts' and one must certainly not take it all too seriously.

It was indeed an all-star cast which David Parry directed with precision and confidence, and none of them had any problems projecting, without an orchestra pit, and over the enthusiastic LPO, every section seizing its chance to shine, including leader Pieter Schoeman in his obligatti for Annick Massis in the title role.

In a pre-concert discussion with George Hall and Nicholas Payne (who had recently resigned as ENO's director) Patric Schmid, Artistic Director of Opera Rara discussed his projects and particularly how you cannot be sure how a neglected piece from this period will actually sound from seeing the score. The vocal parts are so demanding that you could not afford to mount a fully staged performance without a team of singers burning to do it and likely to be available for revivals. He had researched Meyerbeer's Italian operas (the big Rossini, he was called!) and produced a performing edition of this historical ‘melodrama’, a remarkable work which had made a huge impact at its 1820 premiere, and was receiving its concert performance now after being, so it now seems, unaccountably neglected for nearly two hundred years.

Annick Massis was convincingly regal addressing her troops and continued to convey all the moods required as the drama developed, earning applause at each opportunity. Mezzo Patricia Bardon was equally impressive as Isaura, who eventually regained the love of her ducal husband who had been torn in his affections between the two ladies. At the end, with her happiness restored, she soared into surprisingly high altitudes, displaying overall a remarkable vocal range. Tenor Bruce Ford was untiring and impressive in his formidable role as the Duke of Lavarenne. Fabio Previati Michele was incisive and amusing as a French surgeon, one of three basses who can be hear in a show-stopping number, Pensa e guarda, amico, which can be downloaded to sample this work at its best.

This early piece, not too beholden to Rossini, made for an altogether inspiriting evening. Meyerbeer generally has had a bad press in UK, and one was pleasantly surprised at the inventive orchestration and by the memorable tunes, and the plot was no worse than many another. Effectiveness was an imperative for Meyerbeer, and he deployed this in all departments, complete with off-stage band.

The programme supplied the complete libretto in English and Italian, and the lights were left on so that one could follow it (they are often turned down for ‘atmosphere’, making that impossible!). Cut portions of recitative were printed with a grey background, and the performance still required three hours including one interval; excessive length to some tastes is one of the problems with Meyerbeer’s operas.

Opera Rara has an ongoing project with the LPO and other complete recordings of Meyerbeer, Il crociato in Egitto and Dinorah, are already available. There is also a single Opera Rara CD of Meyerbeer in Italy, conducted by David Parry and featuring Bruce Ford and Alistair Miles from the RFH cast of Margherita d'Anjou, of which a complete recording with nearly the same cast (Daniella Barcellona instead of Patricia Bardon) is to be released next September.

Click here to download Pensa e guarda, amico from Act 2 of Margherita_dAnjou.mp3

(There is a Meyerbeer Fan Club website at http://www.meyerbeer.com)

© Peter Grahame Woolf 2002.

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