Opera Reviews
29 March 2024
Untitled Document

The second cast shines


by Steve Cohen
Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia
Academy of Vocal Arts, Philadelphia
November 2012

Chrystal Williams as RosinaThere were so many changes between the Barber of Seville that I saw in Philadelphia's Main Line suburb and what I reviewed downtown that I am impelled to write about the differences.

Most prominently, there was an almost-entirely different cast. Double or triple casting is a normal practice, to give exposure to a greater number of AVA artists. But the alternate performers do not enjoy the benefit of being recorded and broadcast as the opening-night casts are. Thus the public misses some great opportunities to hear future stars. I recall great second casts that were headed by current Metropolitan artists Angela Meade and Michael Fabiano in Lucia di Lammermoor and Stephen Costello as the Duke in Rigoletto.

Only the first casts are photographed by the company. So there are no professional pictures of the second cast members in their costumes. That's regrettable for them and for opera fans. Without photos - or broadcasts or press coverage - these performances go unsung, so to speak.

Specifically in this opera, AVA alumnus Jason Switzer was a suave and compelling Dr. Bartolo. His professional experience since he graduated in 2006 showed in the subtle details of his characterization. And he coped cleverly when his wig accidentally fell off and he created business around the retrieval of his head-covering.

Baritone Wes Mason was a flamboyant Figaro and tenor John Viscardi a fine Almaviva. Each was as pleasing as, but different from, their confreres whom I reviewed previously. Bass Patrick Guetti repeated his role as the conniving Don Basilio, using even broader gestures than he did at the prima. In the small theater downtown, Guetti's six-foot-six presence was overpowering. In the larger hall, his delineation seemed appropriate. I found myself laughing repeatedly at him, even though I had criticized his earlier portrayal.

Second, this cast had a mezzo leading lady, Chrystal Williams, instead of a soprano. Each one added embellishments; soprano Sydney Mancasola chose more high notes and Williams went lower. The main difference, though, was in the warmer and darker vocal sound. During most of the Twentieth Century the part was done by chirpy high sopranos and now it's cast more often with mezzos, which I prefer.

Third, the staging at the Haverford School and also at the AVA's Bucks County and Camden County venues is noticeably altered from what we see downtown where the stage is small and the room seats only 130. In the suburbs we have modern auditoriums seating over 600. The productions can be seen more clearly from their stadium-style seats with good sight lines, while center city has folding chairs arranged on a flat floor.

The AVA's suburban venues are similar to the size of opera houses in European towns, whereas the Spruce Street mansion resembles the Florentine palace ballrooms where the art form was born. There's an antique charm in that. Clearly it is a distinct experience; you are stepping into another world.

To fit on the tiny stage, sets have to be compressed. When the production moves to the other locations the pieces of the set are spread out and look quite different. Reciprocity comes into play here, and the spatial difference sometimes affects the musical sound. In The Barber of Seville, when soldiers came into Dr. Bartolo's home in Act 2 they took positions on stage right while the members of the household were far away from them at stage left. The antiphonal repartee was more pronounced, and therefore more fun.

Finally, the orchestra looks and sounds different. Downtown, the players are on the surface of the main floor, between the audience and the stage. You can see the individual musicians in action, and their sound is close up. In the 'burbs, they are invisible in a pit and their sound is somewhat shielded. Instrumental solo passages and crescendi and decrescendi seem more obvious in the Spruce Street location. I prefer this orchestral prominence and feel it's what the composers heard inside their heads. (I acknowledge, though, that some downtown attendees feel the orchestra is too loud.)

Everything considered, I find the downtown performances best aurally and the suburban performances best visually. That's why I try to see each opera twice.

Text © Steve Cohen
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