Mozart, Don Giovanni: (new production premiere): soloists, chorus and orchestra of Greek National Opera, Acropol Theater, Athens 25.10.2006 (BM)

 

The wind of change has reached Greek National Opera (GNO), and rumor has that its new artistic director, internationally acclaimed set designer Stefanos Lazaridis, may have been obliged to step on a few toes to bring it to Athens. Many musicians with long-standing ties to the company were taken aback when informed of his decision to audition all artists interested in future collaboration. But the audience couldn’t help feeling he was undoubtedly doing something right when the season began on October 25^th with a strong gust and a new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni – precisely the same work GNO opened with a mere two years ago and hence initially provoking many a yawn among local opera-goers. But little did they imagine how different this one would be from the usual Athens fare to date.

Telling a tale of a man who loves women - and above all his freedom - too much, director Eike Gramss placed the orchestra up on the stage behind a gauze-like veil, in front of which he had an ensemble of exceptional soloists do some admirable acting, focusing on the ambivalence within the characters themselves, from the sizzling opening scene with Giovanni in shades raping Donna Anna, to Zerlina emerging from the Don’s mansion clad in nothing but a towel to woo back her betrothed. Eberhard Matthies didn’t supply much of a set to speak of, but it worked, his props of choice being the ubiquitous suitcase and an exceedingly versatile red velvet curtain. Renate Schmitzer’s catchy costumes may have been a bit lacking in coherence, but not in imagination (was that a faun or a devil suit on Leporello?)

 

Very wisely, two outstanding members of the 2004 cast were invited back, these being Dimitris Tiliakos in the title role with his virile baritone and beckoning pianissimo, and Petros Magoulas, a booming Masetto who was certainly no country bumpkin. Leporello and Don Ottavio were respectably, sung by Peter Sidhom and Eugene Akimov respectively, Dimitris Kavrakos was a “commendable” Commendatore and Mata Katsouli sang a superbly accurate Elvira. But the two who most definitely stole the show were striking Loukia Spanaki as Donna Anna, her full voice in perfect command of Mozart’s many notes and she herself radiant even in her mourning weeds, and above all gorgeous Irini Kyriakidou, her alluring Zerlina bearing no resemblance to the childish, shrill little thing often made out of this character and offering a genuinely sensual rendition of “Batti, batti, o bel Masetto” – hers is a name to be reckoned with.

The GNO chorus (appearing, inter alia, as Giovanni’s strongmen and bouncers) under Nikos Vasiliou and its orchestra conducted by an unperturbed Hans Drewanz sang and played respectably, but the musician who came on stage during the final curtain calls to announce that one of his colleagues had fainted during the performance and was now in hospital, conveyed the impression the there was some general disgruntlement in the air. Who knows whether potential members of the audience felt the same? This was the first time in years that the season’s premiere was not sold out, and it’s difficult to say whether the half-empty theater can be put down to the fact that box office sales began less than a week prior to opening night. One thing is for sure, though: those who stay away are truly missing out!

Bettina Mara

 

 

Pictures © Stefanos and GNO 2006