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OperaNotes Review
Metropolitan Opera House
February 20, 2004
By Charlene Frank
L'Italiana in Algeri
Music: Gioachino Rossini
Conductor:
James Levine
Libretto: Angelo Anelli
Production: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Set and Costume Designer: Jean-Pierre Ponnelle
Stage Director: David Kneuss
Cast:
Lindoro: Juan Diego Flórez
Isabella: Olga Borodina
Taddeo: Earle Patriarco
Haly: Mariusz Kwiecien
Mustafà: Ferruccio Furlanetto
Gioachino Rossini stopped composing at 37 years old. Music was changing and he found it too difficult to adapt. We have had the great fortune to hear two of his great comedic operas in one season at the Met; both with the incomparable King of Bel Canto opera, Juan Diego Flórez.
What a great season the Met has had. Two operas with Placido Domingo, Werther with Roberto Alagna, Traviata with Renee Fleming, Pavarotti (will he show up? Oh, I really hope so) in Tosca, and the cherry on top, two operas with Bel Canto royalty, Juan Diego Flórez! And that's not covering the whole season! YAY!. I Love Living in this City!
Tonight was really fun. The audience had a great time, and it seemed like the cast did too. My friend, who goes to the opera only occasionally, couldn't believe that she would go to an opera and hear the entire audience belly laughing! It was fun, and it was funny.
What would I have changed? Almost nothing. James Levine is a magnificent conductor, I surely would not have changed that. It is always a thrill to be in the audience when James Levine is conducting. Kudos to Jean-Pierre Ponnelle. I know that the set has been around for about 20 years, but it was very well done and the costumes were a big part of tonight's fun, and some of the biggest laughs were for the terrific costumes.
Ferrucio Furlanetto (Mustafà), a strong and robust bass, was excellent in this role. There were some parts that were a little uncomfortable in the portrayal of him as the hairy, bad, stupid Turk (in stark opposition to the good - viva Italia - Italians). But he fit his role beautifully.
Olga Boradina (Isabella) paints the colors of a mezzo beautifully. That was no surprise. The surprise was that she was funny, and did the role well. You knew she was going to find a way to outsmart that ridiculous Mustafà, she did it with gusto. But she wasn't "L'italiana". That is what I might have changed. What would have made me really happy would have been to see Cecilia Bartoli in this role. She IS "L'italiana". Although Ms. Boradina was very good, she didn't "blow me away". Cecilia would have been the icing on this delicious cake.
Now to the big part of the evening: Juan Diego Flórez. He is so good, that his name has become synonymous with excellence. And he didn't let anyone down tonight. He hit those notes with ease. His "Papataci" dance had the audience laughing almost to tears. He has become one of the very few tenors who own the entire show. It is difficult to notice the others on stage with him because his talent is so big that it makes you want to see only him. The others have to be superb simply to be on the stage with him. And luckily for us this season, he has been cast with others who also excel. Once again, I just love this guy. I'm seeing this one again in March. Juan Diego will not be in New York again for a while, so once is not enough.