Opera Reviews
29 March 2024
Untitled Document

Krassimira Stoyanova impresses as Anna Bolena in Vienna



by Moore Parker
Donizetti: Anna Bolena
Vienna State Opera
28 October 2013

Photo: Wiener Staatsoper / Michael PöhnThe much publicised 2011 production at the Vienna State Opera of Donizetti's Anna Bolena has returned - with its original conductor, Evelino Pidò and a new lineup of leads.

In the title role, Krassimira Stoyanova brings fresh dramatic instinct to the role. Very much a flesh and blood character, this Anna wins sympathy through her unaffected dignity, appealing personality and sincere emotional delivery. Her assets are an acute sense of timing, vocal colour and lyricism - which she often puts to good effect in passages lying above the stave with her sweet, pure head voice. Agility is not her ace card, and at times her tone is reluctant to provide the dramatic sweep some moments call for as poor Anna's fate is sealed. Nonetheless, a nicely-rounded and touching portrayal, warmly received by the house.

Luca Pisaroni appears out of his depth in this bel canto challenge, lacking the sheer weight and sonority required to make a credible Enrico VIII. Numerous passages find the tone splayed under duress, lending this Henry the stamp of an ill-tempered blusterer deprived of any regal authority.

Sonia Ganassi, unflatteringly costumed and wigged, gave a well-shaped (and above all truly Italianate) reading as Giovanna Seymour. This lady has poise and style in every respect - rising in particular to stirring moments in her Act 2 duet with Anna ("Piange l'afflitta...") and again in her final scene with Henry ("Vieni, Seymour, tu sei Regina"), and well husbanding vocal material no longer quite in its prime.

Stephen Costello is in possession of a solid lyric tenor coupled with an equally solid technique. He has performed Percy at the Met and elsewhere and yet here seemed oddly distant from the part emotionally both in terms of vocal colouring and shaping of the line, as in his physical demeanor and stock gestures.

Dan Paul Dumitrescu returned to the production with his Lord Rochefort - a finely-tuned cameo with vocal presence, on occasions producing the kind of timbre one would wish for in the King's singing.

Zoryana Kushpler was a convincing and vocally impressive Smeton, and Carlos Osuna an unusually strong Sir Hervey (both evident assets of the current State Opera ensemble).

Direction from the pit was rather pedestrian in general - and indeed wanting at times, despite Pidò's reputation as a bel canto aficionado - with the chorus and orchestra rather lacking the ardour and precision required to prove that this is a score with more to offer than a few highlights and nice tunes.

Text © Moore Parker
Photo © Wiener Staatsoper / Michael Pöhn
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