SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Rossini,  La Cenerentola: Orquesta Academia del Liceu. Chorus Liceu and Intermezzo. Conductor: Álvaro Albiach. Auditorio El Baluarte de Pamplona. 7.3.2008. (JMI)

Coproduction: Barcelona’s Liceu, Houston Grand Opera, Welsh National opera and Grand Théâtre de Geneve.

Director: Joan Font (Comediants)
Sets and Costumes: Joan Josep Guillén
Lighting: Albert Faura

Cast:

Angelina: Mariana Pizzolato
P.Ramiro: José Manuel Zapata
Don Magnifico: Robert Poulton
Dandini: David Menéndez
Alidoro: Simón Orfila.


Barcelona's Liceu has started up an interesting initiative, consisting of offering one of its own productions to other Spanish cities. Let us hope that this initiative continues in the future, although it would be desirable that they arrive better rehearsed than this one was.

Hardly two months ago this production of La Cenerentola was seen in Barcelona. Now it is been offered in Pamplona and in a few weeks will be in Valladolid. Announced as the Liceu on Tour, it is reasonable to assume that all artistic decisions were taken in Barcelona and  therefore,  the merits or demerits (there were both) were the Liceu's responsibility.  This particular Cenerentola  was also staged by Welsh National Opera – though with a somewhat different cast-  in January and was reviewed in Seen and Heard by Glyn Pursglove.

The musical direction in Pamplona was entrusted to the young  Alvaro Albiach, whose work requires some comment. First of all, I should say that his  choices regarding tempi, rhythm and feeling for Rossini's music in general deserve high praise. The problem was the musical result had some serious problems, probably due to lack of sufficient rehearsal.  There was more than one lapse in  coordination between stage and pit, not only with the members of the chorus, but also with the soloists in the ensembles. The orchestra showed an evident imbalance of sound between brass and strings too, which I feel it could have been put right fairly easily Mr. Albiach and  it is likely that  everything will work much better in Valladolid. By the end of the tour everything will be more rehearsed and : the has Liceu clearly not put enough care in this important aspect of taking opera on the road.

Mariana Pizzolato was (once again) a reliable Angelina. She is a mezzo soprano with pleasant voice particularly in the middle register, though I found it is rather weak lower and not too bright on the upper part. In general, she was very good but a little short of brilliance in the final rondo.

Jose Manuel Zapata was Prince Ramiro or Prince Charming, to follow Perrault’s tale. He was  in good shape too, with fine vocal  control of a voice that is  quite big for a Rossini tenor. He was also more convincing as a character than I expected. He sang his most difficult aria with taste and good style, delivering all the high Cs except  the final one, which was avoided. This was a pity, because he has an easy coloratura although  but I suspect that his voice has already developed away from the pure Rossini tenorino.

The British baritone Robert Poulton overacted as Don Magnífico and was too light  a singer. He was inaudible in the low part of the tessitura more than once. David Menéndez was again an  average sort of Dandini, as he  had been in Barcelona (review)  once I had got used to his voice, which was certainly not  easy, at least for me.

Simón Orfila was a perfectly correct Alidoro, although without an aria of his own this time.  I fully support the decision of the theatre not to use the new critical edition of the opera : this  business of new revisions is the cause of many abuses. The Stepsisters were again Cristina Obregón and Itxaro Mentxaka, both very convincing on stage.

There was a full house. The public showed its satisfaction, although without  special enthusiasm for most artists. The most applauded  were Zapata and Pizzolato.

José M. Irurzun


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