SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Stravinsky, Weill and Puccini: Greek National Opera, GNO Orchestra under Martin André, 25.11.2007 (BM)

Stravinsky:  Mavra

Weill: Die Sieben Todsünden

Puccini: Gianni Schicchi

This season’s first premiere was a triple bill of three short operas from the post-war period, a bold and fascinating combination reflecting the era’s cultural and ethical “feeling” that still had ex-artistic director Stefanos Lazaridis’ name written all over it.

Stravinsky’s Mavra was staged for the first time in Greece, in a babushka-like version directed by John Fulljames, very much in keeping with the spirit of the Pushkin poetry to which it is dedicated. Judith Howarth was an intense Parasha, and Husar Vasily alias the servant girl Mavra was sung by Michael Fabiano, agreeably and not without humor. The set consisted of a slightly slanted, rotating house, which was subsequently done up in different colors for both following works by Richard Hudson, who also designed the costumes.

 

Next came Die Sieben Todsünden (The Seven Deadly Sins), directed by Kim Brandstrup and performed in Greek rather than the original German by Bertolt Brecht (and I’m almost willing to bet that this was not Lazaridis’ idea.) But what was even more unfortunate was the choice of Amalia Moutoussi for the leading role of Anna I. She is a fine actress (with a definitive performance of Elektra under her belt), but though this role may not call for an opera singer, it does require an artist who can sing well enough  not to  come in frequently off -key. The result was that she simply sounded loud and coarse, as opposed to determined and go-getting, and alas even Maria Koussouni’s exquisite dancing as Anna II was not enough to offset the effect. The production was greatly enhanced by the “family”, a kind of take-off on a barbershop quartet in cowboy hats, and in particular by Dimitris Kassioumis with his booming bass in the role of the mother, who did a much better job in making the plot come together than the narrator.

By this time most of the audience was truly looking forward to Gianni Schicchi, and director Fulljames rose to the occasion by presenting a clever contemporary version of this popular work, aptly focused on the idea of xenophobia- “What, my nephew wants to marry that Albanian’s daughter???” This, and the age-old issue of inheritance scheming were themes that most  present could relate to. Besides, the appealing staging included some first-rate singers in an almost all-Greek ensemble, especially the lovely Irini Kyriakidou as Lauretta.  Some say she still sounds slightly immature, but in this role that was rather an advantage and I am convinced that hers is a name to look out for in future. Michael Fabiano, seemed more comfortable doing his thing in the role of Rinuccio than earlier in the Stravinsky and the title role was sung by a likeable Yannis Yannissis, with his bristling, high baritone and excellent diction, dressed like a foreign worker straight off a construction site in keeping with the director’s intentions.

The musicians of GNO orchestra were clearly at ease with conductor Martin André, allowing them to successfully deal with the quirks of three very different scores, although their enthusiasm went a bit too far during some of the passages of the Puccini:  one would have wished there was a way to turn down the volume in order to hear the singers. All in all, a very rewarding evening, even if two extremely long intervals extended it rather further than necessary.

The Board of Directors at GNO may well live to regret their untimely ousting of Lazaridis, whose successor is yet to be appointed. Those of us familiar with his work as a set designer can only hope that he may at least be invited to bring his vision back to this opera company in that capacity – if he can still be bothered, that is.