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Glimmerglass Opera Festival 2008 (2) Bellini, I Capuleti e i Montecchi:  Soloists, orchestra, and chorus of Glimmerglass Opera, Conductor:David Angus, Michael MacLeod, General and Artistic Director,  Cooperstown, New York 24.8.2008 (LS)

Production:

Director: Anne Bogart
Set: John Conklin
Costumes: James Schuette
Lighting: Christopher Akerlind
Choreographer: Barney O'Hanlon
Projected Titles:  Kelley Rourke 

Cast:

Tebaldo: John Tessier
Capellio: Christopher Job
Lorenzo: Soon-Young Park
Romeo: Emily Righter
Giulietta: Sarah Coburn

Emily Righter as Romeo

I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Bellini's sixth opera, has a fascinating history.  It was written in six weeks and  eight of its ten arias and choruses utilized music from his earlier works, primarily his fifth opera Zaira.  Zaira was Bellini's only failure, but I, for one, have always enjoyed it.  I Capuleti, by contrast, was a tremendous success.  After the third performance  a large torch-carrying crowd plus a military band playing Bellini's music escorted him to his lodgings. It has been performed world wide and translated into German, Hungarian, Russian, Czech, Danish, French, Polish, and English. Surprisingly,  during the 19th century  the opera was often produced with an alternative final scene from  Vaccai's Giulietta e Romeo. The Glimmerglass production uses Bellini's version.

The plot is one of the simplest in  opera.  Tebaldo, a Capulet,  loves Giulietta and is promised to her by her father Capellio, head of the Capuleti.  Romeo, a member of the hated Montecchi clan, also loves Giulietta but is unable to persuade her to leave her home and father.  Neither can he convince Capellio to seek peace with the Montecchi. Giulietta is panic stricken at the thought of marrying Tebaldo and agrees to Lorenzo's scheme whereby she will fake her own death by drinking a potion. In turn, she will flee with Romeo when she awakes. Alas, Lorenzo is prevented from telling Romeo about the plan.  Romeo sees the "dead" Giulietta and resolves to join her in heaven. Just after he drinks the fatal draught, Giulietta awakes.  After an impassioned recitative and duet, Romeo dies, and Giulietta collapses lifeless over his body.  In some productions, she stabs herself much  like Edgardo in Lucia Di Lammermoor.

Sarah Coburn as Giulietta

Sarah Coburn was a beautiful and believable Giulietta.  Her voice and projection were superb. She clearly outsang the other principals and the audience responded with feverish applause. Her performance was enhanced by an  unusual stage direction. Normally after taking the fake potion, Giulietta is carried  enshrouded or even in a casket across the stage while Tebaldo and Romeo look on aghast.  In this production, Giulietta walked across an upper platform from full left to full right Sonnambula-like symbolizing her passage from life to death.  It was a moment of transcendent beauty. Sarah Coburn first appeared with Glimmerglass Opera in 2002 as Constance in Dialogues of the Carmelites.  Her other credits include Lucie in Lucie de Lammermoor, Linda in Linda di Chamounix, the title role in Lakme, Elvira in I Puritani, and Asteria in Tamerlano.

Emily Righter, one of the 2008 Young American Artists, was called upon to substitute for Sandra Piques Eddy in the demanding trouser role of Romeo. The tall, thin Righter certainly looked the part, and sang well although her upper register was stronger than her lower. She was particularly effective in the second act including the final death scene.The audience responded with great enthusiasm. Her credits include Ruggierio in Alcina, Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia and opera scenes productions as Erika in Vanessa and Larina in Eugene Onegin.

Tenor John Tessier sang Tebaldo, once performed by none other than Luciano Pavarotti in  Claudio Abbado's version, which replaced the mezzo Romeo with the tenor Giacomo Aragall. This may have been the only time when Luciano had to play "second fiddle" during his career. Tessier had a pleasing middle register voice and acted well, but didn't attempt  the very high Bellini notes in his entrance aria or the duet with Romeo. Nevertheless, he was warmly received by the audience.

Baritone Soon-Young Park sang the interesting role of Lorenzo, the Capulet willing to risk his reputation and perhaps his life to save Giulietta.  His voice  and acting were fine. His credits include Figaro in Il Barbiere, Escamillo, Don Giovanni, Marcello and Papageno in the Magic Flute. He was a 2007 member of Glimmerglass' Young American Artists Program.

Bass Christopher Job sang the role of Capellio well enough  but I would have preferred a bit more nastiness and power in his rendition.  He was also a 2007 member of Glimmerglass' Young American Artists Program. His experience includes Frère Laurent, Count Ribbing in Un Ballo in Maschera, Dr. Dulcamara, Osmin, Ramfis in Aida, and Dr. Grenvil in La Traviata.

All of the diverse productions in Glimmerglass' 2008 season used the same set - a grey representation of the Shakespearian Globe Theater. As a result much action took place going up and down the steps to the Globe balconies. Scenery was minimalist consisting of a few modern chairs and a bench that held the "lifeless" Giulietta. The costumes for I Capuleti could best be described as "modern timeless".  Virtually all the males wore long leather grayish-black coats except for Capellio's tuxedo and Lorenzo's brown suit. Long grey staffs served as swords or fighting instruments at appropriate points as the Capuleti battled the Montecchi.   In the midst of all this gloom, Giulietta clothed in white and gleaming in Christopher Akerlind's effective lighting  provided a spectacular contrast.  Sarah Coburn couldn't have asked for a more supportive production.

The orchestra was conducted by David Angus, who had also prepared a new revision of I Capuleti  for this production from a facsimile of the original manuscript. He gave a very enthusiastic performance, although at one point some flutes were one measure too enthusiastic. The horns and clarinet were exceptionally good.

Glimmerglass Opera can trace its history back to 1975  when La Bohème was produced in English in the Cooperstown High School.  Since 1987 it has been housed in the spectacular Alice Bush Opera Theater overlooking  Lake Otsego. A wonderful production in a beautiful setting:  what more could one ask?

Lew Schneider


Pictures © Cory Weaver/Glimmerglass Opera

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