Verdi Weekend

On Saturday, I went to see the simulcast of Giuseppe Verdi's Otello at Eastgate Cinema.  On Sunday, I went to see the live performance of his lesser-known gem Un Ballo in Maschera (A Masked Ball) at Overture Theatre in Madison.  So my weekend has been full of Verdi.  I have added another singer to Top Favorite Male Opera Singers List, so it has gone from having seven on the list to eight.  

Let's start with Saturday's performance.  Otello was sung by tenor Johann Botha.  Desdemona was performed by soprano Renee Fleming (Desdemona is her signature role).  Iago was played by baritone Falk Struckman, who appeared two seasons ago as Scarpia in Puccini's Tosca.  And Cassio was sung by tenor Michael Fabiano. 

Otello is adapted from Shakespeare's play Othello, which is a tragedy of jealousy and misplaced trust.  The title character is a Moor and a general in the Venetian army.  At the start of the opera, he is on the Venetian flagship in a storm and has just defeated the Turks.  the ship arrives safely and he tells the people to rejoice.  He has also recently married Desdemona, a Venetian woman, who is deeply in love him.  Everyone celebrates the victory, except one: Iago.  This man is jealous of the fact that Otello promoted a man named Cassio the rank of Captain (In the original play, it was Lieutenant), instead of him.  So he tricks Cassio into getting drunk.  This sparks a riot and Otello impulsively strips Cassio of his rank.  Otello and Desdemona then have a moment to themselves where they recall how they fell in love. 

Iago manipulates events from that point onward.  He tells Cassio talk to Desdemona and ask to her to ask Otello for a pardon.  Cassio does so.  Iago then sings what is perhaps one of the most terrifying Villain Songs ever written: his Credo.  Here he sings about just what a nasty piece of work he is (and in many productions he concludes the piece with an evil laugh).  He tricks Otello into thinking that Desdemona is being unfaithful.  And this undoes both Otello and Desdemona.  Otello Murders Desdemona in her bed, but when both Emilia (Desdemona's maid and Iago's wife), and Cassio disprove Iago, Otello kills himself in a fit of remorse. 

The sets were awesome.  In Act 1, we first had the harbor where soldiers and townsfolk were praying for salvation for the flagship which is struggling in the storm.  Then the scene changes to the grand hall where the victory celebrations are being held.  These scenes had high ramparts and huge columns.
Same was true for Act 2, which took place in Otello's study and the garden.  There were enormous columns there two.  On the desk was a model of the fortress and ships, which made me think that it was for plotting strategy.  The garden outside had a path surrounded by bushes, with trees in the background. 
Act 3 had the grand hall scene from Act 1, but in the first scene we see this enormous painting of what appears to be either a scene of damnation or else the martyrdom of a saint, I couldn't tell which.  The picture was lifted the show the grand hall.  
Act 4 was the only one where the sets did not involve columns.  It was in Desdemona's bedroom, so we had her bed in the center, there was an end table off to the side, and behind was another picture that I had a hard time identifying.  Was it the martyrdom of Saint Ursula, the Coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, or what?  I couldn't tell.  Oh, and in this production, Otello dies before he can give his wife the final kiss.  

Now on to Sunday's performance.  This opera was in Development Hell and gave Verdi a lot of trouble.  At the time Verdi wrote it, Italy was in a period of upheaval, and the opera was based off of the real-life assassination of Sweden's King Gustavus III by a disgruntled courtier.  Naturally in a time of trouble this would not go over well, and Verdi wound up re-setting the opera in Colonial Boston and the king was demoted to a governor.  This production used the original Swedish characters. 
The role of King Gustavo was sung by tenor William Joyner.    Baritone Hyung Yun, who stunned audiences last year with his amazing portrayal of the title role in Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, sang the role of Renato Anckarstrom, Gustavo's best friend and secretary.  Soprano Alexandra LoBianco made her Madison Opera debut as Amelia, the king's love interest who is also Mrs. Anckarstrom.

The plot centers around the fortune-teller Ulrica's prophecy that Gustavo will die at the hand of a friend.  "The first to shake your hand shall be the one," she tells him.  But Gustavo considers the prophecy to be sheer nonsense and laughs it off when Renato Anckarstrom is the first to shake his hand.  But trouble has been brewing from start.  Even before Ulrica prophesies his death, already there are men conspiring to overthrow and kill Gustavo.  To make matters even worse, Gustavo is in love with Renato's own wife, Amelia.  She herself is in love with the king, but she is aware that it is trouble, and things get worse when Renato finds out about it.  

As Act 1 opens, the king's court awaits him in grand hall.  This particular set had tall windows and two desks.  The floor was blue and beige tile and the king made entrance from the doorway in the back.  One group of courtiers sing Gustavo's praises while another group plots his downfall.  When the king enters he sits down at his desk to look over the list of people who will be attending an upcoming masquerade (the titular Masked Ball).  He is excited to learn that Amelia, the woman he loves, will be in attendance that night.  Unfortunately, she also happens to be Mrs. Anckarstrom.  Renato Anckarstrom arrives to warn Gustavo of a growing conspiracy, but the latter pays no attention to his words.  A judge arrives to tell Gustavo of a complaint against Ulrica, a fortune-teller, whom he has sentenced to be banished for practicing black magic and witchcraft.  Oscar, the king's page (beautifully done by soprano Caitlin Cisler), however, defends the woman.  Gustavo decides to go to see the woman in disguise.  
        The second scene takes place in Ulrica's hut.  This set looked like it was falling to one side, as witches aren't always well known in fiction for having nice neat houses.  There were five orange-glowing lanterns by the fireplace, and there was a table center-stage where Ulrica (sung to perfection by mezzo-soprano Jeniece Golbourne), deals out tarots cards and tells fortunes.  While a group of women look on, Ulrica calls upon the devil to assist her with her magic.  Gustavo arrives disguised as a fisherman, but the woman tell him to go away, and so he hides in the house.  Christiano, a sailor in the king's navy, approaches Ulrica and asks him about his future, telling her that he has served faithfully for fifteen years and has never been rewarded.  Unbeknownst to him, the king has overheard him and takes the complaint into account.  Ulrica reads Christiano's palm and tells him that he will be promoted and become wealthy.  While both their backs are turned, Gustavo quietly slips money and a promotion notice into Christiano's bag, and then returns to his hiding place.  Christiano is overjoyed when he finds out that his fortune came true, and everyone present praises Ulrica's abilities.  Ulrica sends everyone away when Amelia's servant tells her that that the mistress is waiting outside.  Amelia enters and tells Ulrica about her unfortunate love for the king.  Ulrica tells her to find a magic herb that grows between the stones near the scaffold and that the herb will cure her illicit passion.  Amelia thanks her and leaves.  Then the disguised courtiers enter and begin to ask Ulrica their fortunes.  Gustavo comes out of hiding and does the same, but he's very defiant too.  Ulrica tells him that he will die at the hand of a friend, the first one to shake his hand.  Gustavo laughs at her words, and laughs even more when Renato is the first to shake his hand.  Christiano recognizes the king and all who present either bow down to him or curse him.  

Act 2 takes place by the scaffold near midnight.  The moon shines on the gallows, which in this production had two nooses; one dangling from above, the other was wrapped around a scaffold beam and it looked like it had blood on it.  There was a grove of trees on either side of the scaffold and underneath the gallows grew the so-called magic herbs that Ulrica told Amelia would cure her illicit passion.  Amelia enters and summons the courage to gather one of the herbs.  Gustavo surprises her, and while she resists his advances, she does tell him that she loves him.  Renato arrives suddenly and Amelia covers her face (in most productions she veils herself, in this production she pulled the hood of her cloak over her head).  Renato warns the king that his enemies are approaching.  Gustavo tells him to escort the lady back to the city, but not to ask her identity.  Renato agrees and the two men exchange cloaks.  Gustavo leaves, but before Renato and Amelia can escape, the conspirators find them. They realize that they have caught Renato and not the king, but they fight him anyhow.  To save her husband's life, Amelia reveals her identity.  Renato is shocked at this revelation and the chief conspirators laugh at the prospect of Renato sneaking out at night to make love to his own wife.  Renato tells the leaders, Counts Ribbing and Horn, to come to his house the next day.  But he swore to escort Amelia back to the city, so he does so.  

Act 3 starts out in Renato's study.  There were tall windows and curtain doors on the left and right.  Renato's desk was off to the right and red armchair stood to the left.  There was also this wooden stool that was moved around at times.  By this time, Renato feels heartbroken and betrayed by Gustavo.  He and Amelia enter and he throws her to the ground threatening to kill her with his sword.  She pleads with him to grant her one last request before she dies, which he allows her to do.  In this production Renato put his sword on the chair and sat down on the stool while Amelia made her request.  She asks him to let her embrace their only son one last time.  Heck, they even had Amelia clutching Renato's leg as she pleaded with him.  He relents and pulls his leg away.  Then Renato decides that it is Gustavo who must pay with his life.  When Ribbing and Horn come in, Renato tells them that he will joint their conspiracy.  When they can't agree on who shall assassinate the king, the agree to draw lots.  They force Amelia to draw the winning name: Renato.  Oscar the king's page enters with an invitation the masked ball.  The conspirators welcome this unexpected chance to kill the king while Amelia resolves to warn him.
       The final scene starts with the king alone in front of a curtain just before the ball.  Torn between love and duty, he decides to make the sacrifice of sending Amelia and Renato back to their homeland.  The masquerade begins when the curtain is drawn up revealing a magnificent ballroom.  There were four chandeliers with candles lighting up the place.  The chorus members wore mostly light yellow or  bluish costumes and everyone wore a mask or had one on a stick.  Many were dancing.  Renato, Ribbing, and Horn entered wearing identical costumes.  They approached Oscar the page and asked him to tell him which one is the king.  Oscar playfully refuses to give away the information.  But then he tells him: The one in the black cloak with the scarlet ribbons.  Meanwhile, Gustavo finds Amelia and tell her that he is sending her and her husband back to Finland, and they tell each other good-bye.  Just then, Renato comes from behind and shoots Gustavo in the back.  Everyone present demands that he be punished, but Gustavo asks that Renato be spared punishment.  He insists that even though he loved Amelia, she never broke her marriage vows.  He then tells him that Amelia and Renato were meant to leave the following day.  Renato is overcome with remorse at what he has done.  The king forgives the conspirators and bids his country farewell.  He dies and everyone present begs the forgiveness of Heaven.  In this production, the king took Renato's hands as he lay dying.  I do believe this his way letting the traitor know that he did not hold the murder against him.  And as each of the crashing final chords sounded first Oscar, then Renato, then Amelia fell weeping over Gustavo's body.  

I am gong to engage in a fangirl moment here.  I must say that what sold the performance of Ballo for me was Hyung Yun.  I love that baritone.  I didn't care that Renato turned traitor; I was so taken with Mr. Yun's performance that during the curtain call I yelled "I love you, Renato," from my seat up in the top balcony.  I swear, this guy is a perennial.  I first saw him as Valentin in Faust.  He later performed the roles of Escamillo in Carmen (which I heard re-broadcasted on the radio), M. Germont in La Traviata (which I also heard over the radio), and then Eugene Onegin.  He's got to come to Madison College and do a master class.  



 Both performances were splendid.  I think that both Otello and Un Ballo in Maschera are stupendous operas that show the genius of Verdi.  And Otello was premiered when Verdi was already in his seventies.  I recommend both operas for those who are new to the opera medium.