A departure for DVD
bookletting here. Instead of a short
essay of dubious interest, we are presented
with a brief synopsis and the entire
libretto in the original Italian, with
no translations. The credit side is
the opera itself, sparkling and touching
by turns. The conductor, Gianandrea
Gavazzeni, is, to go by audience enthusiasm,
markedly popular at La Scala. It is
indeed true that the orchestra responds
to his direction with a commendable
mix of warmth, wit and accuracy of note
and tuning. Passages in which the orchestra
get to shine (the Act 3 ballet, for
example) remain highlights in their
own right.
Throughout one is struck
by Cilea’s sense of dramatic timing,
unerringly conveyed by the conductor.
Act 1 seems perfectly constructed to
include contrasts yet makes perfect
sense.
Fitting that the most
impressive cast member takes the title
role. Mirella Freni’s portrayal of Adriana
puts all of her colleagues, some of
them excellent in themselves, in the
shade. Her parlando is a dramatic
triumph, and when it contrasts with
emotional outpouring she surely captures
the effect the composer intended. As
she describes her fears later in Act
1 she is superbly believable. ‘Io son
l’umile ancella’ is a marvellous lyric
outpouring wherein Freni exhibits supreme
breath control; the cheers of the Milan
audience are fully justified. Of course
Act 4 is her great act, and Freni gives
it her all. She is beautifully sad at
‘Povero fiori’ - this is surely Freni
at her very best.
Peter Dvorsky, in the
form of Maurizio, makes a larger than
life entrance. His ‘La dolcissima effigie’
is nicely, if not overly, ardent, working
to a fine climax, underpinned excellently
by the La Scala orchestra. He is, however,
somewhat overshadowed by Alessandro
Cassis’ Michonnet, whose Act 1 ‘Ecco
il monologo’, with Cilea’s effective,
sparse low cello accompaniment, is magnificent.
A pity also that in Act 4, when heard
against Freni’s Adriana, it is obvious
she is an excellent actress; Dvorsky
tries hard to be a good actor.
Fiorenza Cossotto’s
dramatic senses are tellingly conveyed
in her opening of Act 2, ‘Acerba volutta,
dolce torura’ as she waits for Maurizio,
consumed by jealousy; again, the Milan
audience makes its appreciation known.
She can wobble, though - try around
‘O vagabonda stella d’Oriente’. Dvorsky,
when he appears, is more involved than
previously. The heart-breaking solo
violin that marks Adriana’s entrance
seems also to welcome Freni’s excellence,
as if to confirm the ‘star’ has arrived.
And so it appears. Gavazzeni delivers
a warm, rounded orchestral sonority
to underpin the action.
Ernesto Gavazzi ensures
that L’Abate di Chazeuil emerges as
delightful caricature; and his duet
with the focused Principe de Bouillon,
Ivo Vinco, means that each reveals the
other’s strengths. Gavazzi’s pitching
towards the start of Act 3 is pure delight,
as is his beautiful catalogue of affectations.
Quinault is strong.
Sets are traditional
but unerringly cast (try the marvellous
‘evening’ feel to the opening of Act
4).
Difficult to say why
this piece seems not to be fully accorded
its due stature, especially when given
as vividly as here. A controversial
description might be to call it ‘superior
Puccini’, as Cilea’s contains all of
the emotions without so obviously playing
to the rafters. Maybe that is to overstate
the point, but I do encourage those
who do not yet know this magnificent
opera to investigate this DVD.
Colin Clarke
Chorus and Orchestra of the Teatro alla Scala,
Milan/Gianandrea Gavazzeni. 
OPUS ARTE OA LS3011 D [159’00] 
