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Premiere Frankfurt Cavalleria - Pagliacci in English
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Oper Frankfurt (am
Main), Première
April 3, 1999
Cavalleria
rusticana
Pagliacci (Der Bajazzo)
Gripping new production of 'Cavalleria rusticana' and 'Pagliacci'
directed by Giancarlo del Monaco and condcuted by Paolo Carignani
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'Cavalleria rusticana'
Photo: Andreas Pohlmann,München
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by Birgit Popp
Suiting the contents of 'Cavalleria rusticana', of which the tragic course occurs on
Easter Sunday in a Sicilian village, the Frankfurt première of 'Cavalleria rusticana' and
'Pagliacci' took place on the eve of Easter Sunday. A gripping, in its clearness and
strictness fascinating production Giancarlo del Monaco delivered especially with
Mascagni's 'Cavalleria rusticana', which was breath-taking by its musical and staging
performance. In his first new production the future General Music Director of the
Frankfurt Opera House Paolo Carignani produced with the orchestra of the Oper Frankfurt
real sound fireworks form sweet-folksong-like melodies over festive, religious moments to
tense-loaded duets and in piled-up power unloading dramatic.
As a completely rounded piece of work were the vocal performances especially in
'Cavalleria'. First to mention is Hubert Delamboye (Turiddu), whose silky tenor is winning
someone over from the first tone on and who mastered all difficulties of the score with
great certainty and ease. In the same time he was in his acting a convincing 'macho'. Cold
and dismissive, full of harmed pride to have been discovered in his disloyalty, whose cool
appearance melts only in view of a soon death. Close to him came the other members of the
cast and the by Andrés Máspero excellent instructed choir of the Oper Frankfurt. Monika
Krause was impressive as 'Santuzza' with her clear, expressive, nuanced soprano. Carlos
Almaguer's powerful, warm baritone gave the coachman 'Alfio' a friendly, nevertheless firm
appearance, which changed finally into determined revenge. As well casted were Frankfurt
legend Anny Schlemm as Turiddu's mother 'Lucia' and Gudrun Pelker as seductive 'Lola'.
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Zeljko Lucic
Dunja Simic
Photo: Andreas
Pohlmann, München
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Compared to this small diamond it was not easy for the
casting of 'Pagliacci' to keep pace after the intermission, though the casting as well
from the singing as from the acting part had been done very well: Adrian Thompson as the
stocky head of the actors group 'Canio', the clainty Dunja Simic as his unhappy, young
wife 'Nedda'; in the role of 'Peppe' an excellent singing and acting Peter Marsh; a solid
farmer 'Silvio' with Zeljko Lucic and Claudio Otelli as his power and feelings not always
controlling, by hurt pride and jalousie driven 'Tonio', whose prologue was
enthusiastically received by the Frankfurt audience. |
| Giancarlo del Monaco had with his stage
setter Wolf Münzner created a setting from black and white, from light and shadows. Both
operas play in almost the same scenery on a square in front of the church only with slight
changes. The houses are white and in both operas a red curtain spans over the square,
which is opened and closed in the beginning and in the end by 'Santuzza' and 'Tonio'
respectively. Giancarlo del Monaco compared 'Santuzza' with the Greek legend about
'Medea', who left a bunch of dead bodies behind her. Therefore he excluded totally the
folkloristic-cheerful elements and the threatening of 'Santuzza' by the world of men
becomes obviously from the first moment on. In this production the fight between 'Alfio'
and 'Turiddu' does not take place behind the scenery but in front of 'Santuzza' and
'Lucia', which makes it even more affecting and present for the audience.
Further performances: April 5., 8., 10., 17., 23., 30, May 3, 15, 1999.
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