One of the problems
consequent upon ‘good ideas’ is that
they can cause the basic facts to be
overlooked, particularly where the ‘good
idea’ is only half carried out. Such
half-effected ideas produce half-cocked
results and at that point the law of
unintended consequences takes over.
We are told in the
accompanying booklet that the producer
intended the production "... to
familiarize a modern audience ..."
with the "... mythical dimension
of the subject matter" depicting
Don Giovanni "... travelling through
time ...". Fine. I have no problem
with that. But wait. He is only accompanied
"... on his time travels ..."
by Donna Elvira. Donna Anna and Don
Ottavio "... display many fewer
facets ... Comprehension of their roles
... owes more to the detailed evolution
of their gestural language than to changes
of costume." And that fails to
mention or justify the greyed-over colouring
which envelops so many scenes.
At which point the
law of unintended consequences says
that more time will be spent looking
at costumes, trying to date them, identifying
the anachronisms and marvelling at the
extravagances, than thinking about any
time traveller. And so it proves.
However, what any half-effected
idea cannot do is impinge on the beauty
of Mozart’s music here under the superb
control of Maestro Muti. The Viennese
Orchestra responds stunningly to his
dynamics, phrasing and tempos. Just
occasionally the speed is almost breakneck
but none the worse for that. With the
singers, the orchestral volume is turned
down and Muti, singers and orchestra
produce some positively delightful sounds.
Carlos Álvarez
sings the title role. And for Act I
that is about it. It is done with glorious
voice, commanding tones and vocal security
second to none. But where is the ever-present
frisson of sexuality and undercurrent
of violence? Where is the magic in the
attempted seduction of Zerlina? This
uptight Don may reflect nobility’s formality
but he would never produce a ‘catalogue’.
In Act II he laughs twice, smiles several
times and relaxes considerably but the
only sign of the swash-buckling devil-may-care
anti-hero whose code of honour insists
he accepts the Commendatore’s invitation,
is when he swaps roles with Leporello.
It is as if he cannot ‘relax’ as himself.
On the other hand Ildebrando
d’Arcangelo as Leporello is on excellent,
if to my mind somewhat over exuberant,
form. This ‘Jack’ certainly thinks that
he is ‘as good as his master’ right
from his irritation, not boredom, in
the opening scene. He almost moves the
centre of the plot to himself, particularly
in his superb self-exculpation in the
sextet. He gives a strong and deep-toned
performance; no wonder that in other
productions he has been cast in the
title role.
The voice and acting
of Adrianne Pieczonka as Donna Anna
is truly of the wronged woman. There
is vocal power in plenty which when
delivered forte loses much of
its beauty. Fortunately full power is
rare; it is not needed. Even half power
is quite adequate so that the beauty
of tone is retained. In her lower ranges
Pieczonka delivers some seriously dark
colours – for example in Non me dir.
In the last scene, with Michael Schade’s
Don Ottavio, she produces as smooth
and as gentle a sound as one could wish
for. With Schade she controls her strength
of sound so as not to overwhelm. His
is not the power-house tenor, particularly
at the lower end of his range. This
is managed (disguised) well by ensuring
that when he is about to descend there,
his preceding higher range notes are
delivered piano to avoid the
contrast. But he knows well how to present
colour and dynamics; his almost sotto
voce delivered Il mio tesoro
intanto, with silken orchestral
support, is to be savoured. This is
an excellent intense performance, by
a popular regular at this theatre in
what I always think of as a fairly miserable
role.
Anna Caterina Antonacci
(a wonderful tongue-rolling name) is
a vibrant Donna Elvira, supremely characterising
the wronged and faithful love. If there
is too much vibrato, her vocal runs
and leaps are delivered with comfortable
assurance and security. The demanded
wide tessitura is not a problem: seriously
smooth head-to-chest sound-transfer
appears second nature. Her interplay
with others is outstanding: resentful
and reproachful of Giovanni and girlishly
playful with the ‘disguised’ Leporello.
This is an attractive warm-sounding
and vibrant Donna Anna.
This leads directly
to Angelika Kirchschlager: yet more
serious attraction but here as Zerlina
the scheming lower orders wench. Batti,
batti and Vedrai, Carino
are delivered with clarity of voice
second to none. Poor Masetto would stand
no chance of resisting this physically
and vocally playful Zerlina. However
her last scene costume would bring him
down to earth. There is nothing attractive
about an early 20th century
working class outfit and style. But
I will return to costumes in one moment.
Lorenzo Regazzo as
Masetto gives a competent but not compelling
performance. Sometimes he seems not
sure whether to be a buffo character
or a simple peasant. There is almost
a blackness to his tone which does not
ring out - or did he control it for
characterisation? - compensated by a
crispness of diction. Not a word is
missed.
For me, Franz-Josef
Selig does not have sufficient heft
as the Commendatore. A rich tone certainly
but not the mass of sound to overwhelm
Don Giovanni. The graveyard scene therefore
lacks the power one expects – not helped
by an unconvincing set; where are the
gravestones and why two statues one
of which speaks and the other nods?
The set (only one)
has central steps, moving flats half
way up them and frequently changing
back-drops – sometimes dropping after
the start of a scene. It is a great
set for certain stylised moments of
picture painting. Foolishly I presumed
the "top landing" area would
open in the final scene and Giovanni
would descend into flaming hell. Well,
no actually, lots of stage smoke at
the rear and he staggers off into that.
So why the steps, which give movement
difficulties for all, especially Donnas
Anna and Elvira with trains on some
outfits? Perhaps this is intended to
reflect the order of society with the
scenes for Masetto/Zerlina for the most
part occupying the bottom of the steps/front
of the stage; if so it is symbolism
taken too far.
Finally those glorious,
stunning, bank-breaking costumes, wigs
and hats. Donna Anna’s last hat was
so stunning that Ascot came to mind
immediately. Totally wonderful and great
in conception as costumes but sadly
not achieving the purpose intended.
Will the production
familiarize the audience with anything?
Yes: Mozart’s magical music under Maestro
Muti. As for the concept of familiarization
with the myth, in my opinion the production
fails. Frequent opera-goers do not need
the lesson and first time attendees
should not be confused by time/costume
changes which only affect some of the
cast some of the time with consequential
obfuscation.
Robert McKechnie
Chorus and Orchestra Wiener Staatsoper/Riccardo
Muti 
DVD TDK DVW-OPDG [173.00]
