With so many opera directors and production designers running rough-shod over the musical and artistic intentions of composers these days , particularly those of the Romantic and Verismo periods, it was a great pleasure and quite a relief, to encounter Opera Orchestra of New York's (OONY) presentation of Federico Cilea's 1897 opera, L'Arlesiana on February 21, 2007, at New York's Carnegie Hall. Eve Queler, the company's musical director has been at the forefront of presenting seldom-performed operas in concert version for just about 40 years now. She is well known for giving new talent (and more established singers for that matter) a chance to show off their vocal and dramatic abilities before audiences who feel that the voice is the most important element in opera. On this evening, Ms. Queler made good on her pledge once again with an outstanding performance of Cilea's rare verismo work.

It has become obvious over the years that Ms. Queler loves the opera singer, and she certainly demonstrated that with the four leads found in this work. She gave tenor, Giuseppe Filianoti, mezzo soprano, Marianne Cornetti, soprano, Latonia Moore and baritone, Weston Hurt, every opportunity to establish a close rapport with the audience, an overlooked attribute in many of today's puffy-stuffy productions.

Leopoldo Marenco, Cilea's librettist, followed the dictates of verismo's direct style in shaping his libretto. Rosa Mamai is very concerned about her older son, Federico who is in love with a girl from Arles -hence the opera's title- whom he has met at a fair. Previously, she had a love affair with Metifio, a stableman and when the emotionally fragile Federico hears of this he becomes heartbroken. Vivetta, Rosa Mamai urges her goddaughter Vivetta to lure her son away from his obsession. When Vivetta is unable to agree to Rosa's suggestion, the mother realizes that Federico's suffering leaves her no choice but to accept his marriage to L'Arlesiana. On hearing this, Federico, touched by his mother's sacrifice says he will abandon the woman who has claimed his heart and will marry Vivetta. Some time afterwards, Federico learns of Metifio's plan to abduct L'Arlesiana and his jealousy is inflamed to the point of delirium. Federico climbs to the top of a barn and throws himself to his death.

While verismo opera is prone to exaggerate the trials and tribulations of "everyday" life,  in the right hands the style's emotional content is capable of expressing a high level of empathy and even pathos. Here, Queler's cast definitely rose to the occasion.

Giuseppe Filianoti has had a great deal of success singing in his native Italy since he first appeared at the Rossini Opera Festival as Argirio in Tancredi in the summer of 1999. He has made only two appearances at the Met, but has been well-received by the New York public. Queler, again following her instincts to focus in on the right singer at the right time, brought Filianoti to OONY for his only appearance this year in the United States. It was obvious from the audience's roaring approval that the tenor's performance as Federico was a great choice. Slight of built, but pleasing to the eye, Filianoti offered a strong vocal and dramatic interpretation. His attractive tenor spun mezzo piano and mezzo forte dynamics effortlessly throughout the evening. But it was in the opera's only famous aria, Lamento di Federico, a beautiful and heartfelt piece, that the tenor really connected with the audience. A well deserved encore was called for - a happening that is so ripe for concert opera.

Marianne Cornetti gave a robust and intense reading as Rosa Mamai, Federico's fretting mother, culminating in an emotional performance of Esser madre e un inferno, the other fairly well-known aria from this opera. Latonia Moore, committed herself fully to the role of Vivetta, with a big but beautiful voice that matched Filianoti's intensity. Weston Hurt's Baldassare, the old shepherd who observes the opera's plot, completed the opera's quartet with a sensitive but powerful commentary on the tragic events events that lead to Federico's suicide.

Although some singers were forced into vocal pushing to cover Queler's occasionally heavy-handed conducting, this did not detract from their overriding belief in the opera's drama. And, of course, Queler is always able to convince her forces, including the New York City Choral Society, to give their very best efforts.

Something of a veil of sadness overlayed the evening's pleasure. OONY faces a troubled financial future - reported by Eve Queler in a New York Times article on February 17th - with only one opera scheduled for next year's season. If the company should go under, something important would be lost to the opera world. There is surely enough money floating around the New York cultural scene to secure OONY's future: let's hope that New York opera lovers can raise the necessary funds.

 

 

Nicholas del Vecchio