Korean Conductor Gives Sparkle to Italian Belcanto Gem
/By Truman C. Wang
2/24/2020
Photo credit: Cory Weaver
Roberto Devereux, Act II
As the last opera of the Tudor trilogy by Gaetano Donizetti, Roberto Devereux did not enter the standard repertoire until after Beverly Sills and Placido Domingo sang it in New York in 1970. Since then, a number of sopranos claimed to own the role of Elizabeth I – Gruberova (2005, Munich), Angela Meade (2009 Dallas), Mariella Devia (2015 Madrid) – but none would surpass Sills in vocal or histrionic excitement.
Like Anna Bolena and Maria Stuarda in the trilogy, Devereux follows the standard Italian opera formula of two-part (slow cavatina - fast cabaletta) arias and duets, and bests them in raw emotional power and dark tinta that anticipate the early operas of Verdi. Donizetti’s trademark ‘slow cabaletta’ can be heard in Nottingham’s “Qui Ribelle Ognun Ti Chiama” in Act I, sung in splendid, refulgent tone by baritone Quinn Kelsey. Queen Elizabeth’s crazed, grief-stricken outburst in the opera’s finale upon hearing Robert’s execution, peppered with shrieking high A’s and B-flats, should be the emotional high point with the right soprano, but unfortunately not in this opening night performance (February 22) – more on that anon. Similarly, as Robert, Ramon Vargas’ light tenor commands a suave tone in the romantic duets, but lacks piercing power in his dramatic Act III prison aria.
Tenor Ramon Vargas as Robert
This Devereux is the first-ever staging by the LA Opera, co-produced with the Canadian Opera. It suffered two setbacks before the premiere: Soprano Davinia Rodriguez (Elizabeth I) and mezzo-soprano Alice Coote (Sara) withdrew from the production. Their replacements were not ideal. Ashley Dixon (Sara) sang prettily in her love duet with Robert but could use more venom in her spat with Nottingham. Angela Meade, replacing the indisposed Rodriguez, sang from the side of the stage, while choreographer Nicola Bowie acted the role of Queen Elizabeth in costume on stage. The reason given by LA Opera PR was due to Ms. Meade’s “late arrival, as well as the extensive demands of the role.” I am sure fans of Meade, a superb Norma heard on this stage in 2015, would not have minded seeing her ‘stand-and-deliver’ her role on stage. As it was, she stood in front of a music stand and sight-read through her part, hitting all the right notes but missing most of the drama. The choreographer/actor also did little more than going through stock gestures thanks to Stephen Lawless’ uninspiring stage direction. Let’s hope Ms. Meade will learn her part soon and do away with her music stand and ‘body double’. (Additional performances on 2/27, 3/1, 3/5, 3/8, 3/14)
Ashley Dixon as Sara (L), Nicola Bowie as actor Elizabeth I (R)
I rather enjoyed the handsome Elizabethan costumes and play-within-a-play sets, in which the opera’s actions take place on the stage of the Old Globe. The Bard himself makes a cameo appearance during the overture pantomime and several Shakespeare plays are referenced (Hamlet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Henry VIII). Rather troubling is the stage director’s decision to show Sara being sexually assaulted by her jealous husband Nottingham just before lights-out in Act III Scene 1, where none is implied or intended by the composer or librettist. If director Lawless is trying to make a statement in today’s American political climate, he has made a cheap, gratuitous one.
Making her LAO debut under such trying circumstances, conductor Eun Sun Kim did a commendable job of holding Donizetti’s Tudor drama together. The simple oomph-pa-pa orchestral passages pulsed through the duets and arias like vital heartbeats, and beautiful winds colored their emotions. Apart from the precision of playing, the sweeping ensembles and cabalettas were also a joy to behold. The Act II opening chorus was especially fine with silken strings, mellifluous woodwinds and the stirring, beguiling voices of the LA Opera Chorus.
Overture pantomine: A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Overture pantomine: Henry VIII
Truman C. Wang is Editor-in-Chief of Classical Voice, whose articles have appeared in the Pasadena Star-News, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, other Southern California publications, as well as the Hawaiian Chinese Daily. He studied Integrative Biology and Music at U.C. Berkeley.