Lucrezia Borgia (DaCorneto Opera)

[grndp...@aol.com]

On Sunday, July 27, my wife and I saw a wonderful production of
Donizetti's 43rd opera, "Lucrezia Borgia" (1833), presented by Da
Corneto Opera at Northwestern University's Pick-Staiger Hall.

In addition to providing stylish direction, the conductor, Robert
Ashens, provided a humorous and perceptive commentary preceding each
act.

The supertitles added greatly to my enjoyment of the opera and avoided
the typical stilted translations one finds in old libretti. A Chicago
Sun-Times critic had nit-picked the "colloquial" translation. We
found the text exceptionally on target.

OK: here's a quiz: Name two operas that begin with drum taps followed
by brass choirs.

Answer: Rossini's "La Gazza Ladra" (1817) and Verdi's "Il Trovatore"
(1853).

In fact following the dark trump taps, Donizetti supplies a French
horn choir that recalls Rossini's "Semiramide" (1823).

The Donizetti work thus fits appropriately as a link in a chain
involving three famous operas. One might even add a reference to "Don
Giovanni" (1787) as Donizetti uses somber trombones to accompany
mysterious voices heralding the deaths of 6 poisoned revelers.

The opera plot makes liberal use of potions that can bring about
violent death or miraculously restore normalcy. Hmm, Wagner must have
been impressed.

This is a very dark opera in plot and setting (all the scenes take
place at night), yet much of the music has the buoyancy of opera
buffa. It is marvelously melodic, even the recitatives, written with
great care.

The strong and usually large cast consisted of:

Lucrezia Borgia.............Kelli Finn
Gennaro..................Brent Billock
Don Alfonso.............Alvaro Ramirez
Maffio Orsini...........Helene Pickett
Rustighello.............Stephen Cannon
Gubetta/Astolfo..........Aaron Johnson
Liverotto.............Michael Barrette
Vitelozzo..................John Predny
Gazella.....................Tom Sanden
Petrucci......................Tom Hall

All of these singers acted and sang their roles beautifully in this
semi-staged, concert performance.

If I were to single out one performer as having drawn attention to an
exceptionally fine voice and manner, it would be bass Alvaro Ramirez
who seemed to have built-in resonance to project every syllable with
strong tone and perfect intonation.

Kelly Finn was no slouch either, providing a strong yet silken voice,
considerable volume yet ravishing pianissimi. She also had a gift for
acting with the voice and she made the text far more intelligible than
world-renowned singers who have undertaken and recorded this bel-canto
role.

The difficult role of Gennaro was managed beautifully (a Momma's boy
yet a warrior) in Brent Billock's sensitive portrayal. There was an
earnestness about his singing and manner that (no slight intended)
made me recall Dennis Day.

Stephen Cannon, tenor, turned in a sterling Rustighello, a spy, a
confidante, yet with a certain sardonic humor.

The chorus -- and it is heard quite frequently throughout the opera --
added to the sonic picture adumbrating the mischievous courtiers in
"Rigoletto".

The orchestra played splendidly throughout. The tempi were brisk when
necessary. The strings offered lovely tone and dash. Orsini's
Drinking Song was superbly done, especially with Helene Pickett's
strong Cherubino/Oscar-like vocal flexibility. (I suspect Arthur
Sullivan profited from Donizetti's brilliant orchestration).

The small but enthusiastic audience demonstrated that opera is alive
and well in Chicagoland.

DaCorneto is planning a concert of music from "Il Trovatore" at the
Daley Center on Wednesday, October 8 at noon.

==G/P Dave

[Rinuccio4]

I would like to publicly thank you, G/P Dave, for your review. The artists and
administration of da Corneto are very appreciative of your honest
feedback,encouraging words, and your enthusiasm for what you saw and heard.

To those of you around Chicago, please make a date to see our upcoming
production of Il Trovatore. The dates are Sunday, November 2, at 4PM at the
Church of St. Hilary, 5600 N. California in Chicago, and Friday, November 7, at
7:30 at Pick-Staiger Concert Hall on the campus of Northwestern University.
The cast will include Simon Kyung Lee as Manrico, Rose Guccione as Leonora, Tom
Hall as Count di Luna, Barbara Landes-Seid as Azucena, Alvaro Ramirez as
Ferrando, and Andrew Coffil as Ruiz, among others. For tickets, see the
website at www. dacorneto.org or call (847)662-2694.

SDC

[J.Venning]

"Rinuccio4" <rinu...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030729105102...@mb-m02.aol.com...

> I would like to publicly thank you, G/P Dave, for your review. The
artists and
> administration of da Corneto are very appreciative of your honest
> feedback,encouraging words, and your enthusiasm for what you saw and
heard.

I would personally like to add a few words about G/P Dave, whom I had the
pleasure of meeting in Chicago last month. Here is a true gentleman with a
warm heart and generosity that approaches being a fault. Never did he say
anything discouraging even when pointing out "points which could be
improved". His conversation was witty and yet so full of learned knowledge
that we felt we were learning things while talking with him at the dinner
table, yet he was never at any moment condescending. His love for food is as
big as his love for music and friendship, and I urge everyone here in this
newsgroup to try and get better acquainted with this marvellous Human
being - 3 cheers for G/P Dave !!!
J.

[Rinuccio4]

<< I would personally like to add a few words about G/P Dave, whom I had the
pleasure of meeting in Chicago last month. Here is a true gentleman with a
warm heart and generosity that approaches being a fault. Never did he say
anything discouraging even when pointing out "points which could be
improved". His conversation was witty and yet so full of learned knowledge
that we felt we were learning things while talking with him at the dinner
table, yet he was never at any moment condescending. His love for food is as
big as his love for music and friendship, and I urge everyone here in this
newsgroup to try and get better acquainted with this marvellous Human
being - 3 cheers for G/P Dave !!!
J.
>>

At the risk of being flamed for two positive posts in one day... Hooray! (x3)

SDC

[GRNDPADAVE]

>From: rinu...@aol.com (Rinuccio4)
>Date: 07/29/2003 9:51 AM Central Daylight Time
>Message-id: <20030729105102...@mb-m02.aol.com>

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear SDC:

Thank you for your kind words and e-mails.

Rarely have my wife and I so well prepared ourselves to see an operatic rarity.

We had borrowed the video of the Covent Garden performance of "Lucrezia Borgia"
and so understood the plot thoroughly.

My wife thought that whatever faults one may find in the opera are traceable to
Victor Hugo's play. Her argument was if only Lucrèce revealed to her son she
is his mother....

Alas, poor Donizetti was hamstrung by the censorship which kept the father's
identity out of the libretto. Gennaro's father was also his....uncle
(Lucrezia's brother).

Knowing that we can understand the import of the symbolic act of defacing the
family crest of "Borgia" by removing the "B". Wagner knew Donizetti's work
very well. He even once earned some money by developing a piano/vocal
reduction of "La Favorita." The incestuous elements in "Lucrezia Borgia" are,
imo, more frightening than those of "Die Walküre."

Anyway, rummaging through my program, I find an insert disclosing DaCorneto
Opera offering a free concert in Wilmette at Gilson Park's Starlight Theatre on
Friday, August 8 at 8 pm.

==G/P Dave