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La Forza del Destino
Buzzy Gordon

La Forza del Destino: Braving the curse

Review: In spite of a legendary curse that has dogged Verdi’s tragic opera, the Israel Opera forges ahead with a powerful production through May 27.

The opera La Forza del Destino (The Power of Fate), by Giuseppe Verdi, has had an interesting international history. The Italian libretto and score was based on a Spanish play, with a scene adapted from a German trilogy, and was first performed in the Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre of Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 1862.

 

 

Over the course of the last century and a half, because of a series of unlucky incidents—including the onstage death of a Metropolitan Opera star—the opera developed an unfortunate reputation for being cursed—to the point where famed tenor Luciano Pavarotti refused to ever appear in it.

 

 

This troubled legacy has not stopped the Israel Opera from performing La Forza, for first time back in 2001, in the stunning venue of the Roman Amphitheatre in Caesaria. The current production—actually a co-production of the Israel Opera and the Opera and Ballet of Maribor, Slovene National Theatre—held its premiere in Tel Aviv last week, and will run at the Israel Opera House through May 27, 2017.

 

 

The performance got off to a rousing start, as the audience responded with enthusiastic applause to the lively overture, under the baton of the always energetic Daniel Oren. The applause did not diminish as the conductor had the orchestra stand to acknowledge the ovation even before a single note was sung.

 

 

This production of La Forza introduces several outstanding performers to Israeli audiences for the first time. Making their Israel Opera debuts in the leading roles are the Italian tenor Walter Fracaro as Don Alvaro, and the Mongolian (yes, from the State Opera of Mongolia) baritone Amartuvshin Enkhbat as Don Carlo. A third impressive newcomer to our shores is the Korean bass Simon Lim, in the lesser role of Padre Guardino.

 

 

Meanwhile, a familiar voice to Israel Opera goers wowed the audience at the premiere in the lead female role, Leonora: Latvian-born soprano Ira Bertman, a graduate of the Israel Opera’s own Meitar Opera Studio. Bertman alternates in the role with Italian soprano Susanna Branchini, who has also performed previously with the Israel Opera.

 

 

Surprisingly, however, the real crowd-pleasers of the evening were in two very secondary roles: Preziosilla, the gypsy, sung (at alternate performances) by Albanian mezzo soprano Enkelejda Shkosa, and the monk Fra Melitone, sung by Russian baritone Boris Statsenko. The good news is that audience favorite Statsenko is scheduled to appear as Melitone at every performance.

 

La Forza is an opera in five acts, so it is only natural that there are times during the somber opera when time seems to drag. But it is the lyrical genius of Verdi, and his inclusion of several scenes of comic relief and spirited choral renditions, that sustain interest and add up to an evening of operatic excellence.

 


פרסום ראשון: 05.23.17, 09:31
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