SEEN AND HEARD INTERNATIONAL

Handel, Serse: Buenos Aires L�rica. Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of Buenos Aires L�rica, Conductor: Alejo P�rez. Teatro Avenida, Buenos Aires. 17.9.2010. (JSJ

Director: Pablo Maritano

Sets: Mar�a Jos� Besozzi

Costumes: Sof�a Di Nunzio

Lighting: Gonzalo C�rdova

Chorus: Juan Casasbellas

Cast:

Serse: Rosa Dom�nguez

Arsamene: Jos� Lemos

Amastre: Kl�ra Csord�s

Romilda: Ivanna Speranza

Atalanta: Maris� Pav�n

Elviro: Norberto Marcos
Ariodate: Sergio Carlevaris

Ombra mai f�: Rosa Dom�nguez (Serse). Photo � Liliana Morsia

Buenos Aires L�rica has been at the forefront in recent years in bringing Handel�s operas to the Buenos Aires public and its latest offering was Serse, which has been put on here only once before, in the 1971 season (at the Teatro Col�n).

Notable among Handel�s works in combining opera seria and buffo elements, but also in having little dramatic action, it requires a producer sensitive to these nuances in bringing it to life, and this, this production had in the young but experienced Pablo Maritano. Certainly there was much action, starting with the overture and continuing unabated, and the humour wasn�t overdone but then nor were the darker moments Overall the production was bright and light � a nice green lawn in the garden and plushly decorated interiors � and with the invariable mix of dress styles, from Mozart to the colonial army, but they didn�t seem out of place. And to help viewers keep abreast of who�s who a graphic insert in the programme set out the relationships and loves between the various characters.

Of course a highlight was the masterful score, well rendered by the orchestra under the versatile Alejo P�rez. The chorus also performed well. Of the soloists Rosa Dom�nguez was a lively Serse. She doesn�t have a large voice, but she uses it well and also visually is very expressive. Countertenor Jos� Lemos was a forthright Arsamene and the Hungarian mezzo Kl�ra Csord�s was a reserved Amastre. As for Ivanna Speranza and Maris� Pav�n as Romilda and Atalanta, they were a giggly, shrieky pair of sisters, while Norberto Marcus was an amusing Elviro and Sergio Carlevaris was satisfactory as Ariodate.

With this production under their belt let us hope Buenos Aires L�rica�s next foray into Handel isn�t too distant.

Jonathan Spencer Jones