Pure Enjoyment in Music and Vision 14 Novembre

Pure Enjoyment

'Simon Boccanegra' in Turin,
reviewed by GIUSEPPE PENNISI

Giuseppe Verdi took almost twenty-five years to complete the definitive version of Simon Boccanegra (Very Welcome, 27 March 2010). With extensive re-writing of the libretto by Arrigo Boito as well as many changes in the score, after a failure in Venice in 1857 and a lukewarm result in Piacenza and other theatres in 1859-60, the opera was eventually a success at La Scala in 1881. Nonetheless, for decades, Simon Boccanegra has been considered a minor opera in the Verdi catalogue. Many authors write that its revival during the second part of the twentieth century was due to Claudio Abbado's 1971 La Scala production, which traveled all over the world.

In 2000, a new and quite different production under Abbado's baton was the hit of the Salzburg festival. In my view, after World War II, the real discovery of the richness of Simon was due to the efforts of Gianandrea Gavazzeni. Simon can be understood only at full maturity, as shown by the disappointing experience of Michele Mariotti in 2007 when he conducted the opera at the age of twenty-eight in Bologna. Recently, Berlin, La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera House co-produced Simon with Plácido Domingo singing the title role, as baritone. The star of Verdi conducting, Riccardo Muti, took up the challenge only at the age of seventy-one with a 2012 Rome Teatro dell'Opera production (Psychological Evolution, 4 December 2102) scheduled to tour Japan next Spring.

Several major Italian opera houses have scheduled important revivals of Simon over the next few months -- a clear indication that this difficult and dark music drama now has favor with audiences. On 1 October, the Parma Verdi festival began with a revival of Hugo de Ana's 'grand' production entrusted to young, up and coming conductor, Jader Bignamini. On 9 October, the Turin Regio Theatre revived Sylvano Bussotti's 1979 production with the musical aspects entrusted to the well-known Gianandrea Noseda. In the Spring, Muti will be in the pit for a revival in Rome, and in October 2014, Barenboim will conduct the opera at La Scala. Thus, there will be real competition between the various productions.

I missed the Parma revival for two reasons: a) after Mariotti's lack of experience in 2007, I am fully convinced that the opera requires a mature conductor able to perceive the drama of the young seaman almost obliged to enter the political arena (in the short prologue) and his sufferings as an ageing man (in the successive three acts); b) Simon is a man of the sea and the sea must be seen on stage as well as heard from the pit whereas in Hugo De Ana's staging there are monuments but very little vision.

Instead, Sylvano Bussotti's 1979 sets and costumes show the Genoa bay and its sea at each and every scene; a needed airy element as a contrast to the dark and complex score. During the very many years of the composition of Simon, Verdi had gradually left the style of his 'popular trilogy' (Rigoletto, Trovatore and Traviata) with specific musical numbers and was travelling toward the Otello music drama with its symphonic and vocal flow.

On 9 October 2013, Gianandrea Noseda directed the score very well in perfect tune with Sylvano Bussotti's concept. Bussotti, aged eighty-four, is a composer, not only a director; he revived the staging with the assistance of Vittorio Borrelli. Since 1979, many operatic conventions have changed, but in complete harmony, stage and pit appeared and sounded very modern. Pure enjoyment for the eyes and the ears. Noseda is also to be commended for the instrumental solos and for giving evidence to the moments when small groups of instruments have almost a chamber music flair.

Ambrogio Maestri as Simon Boccanegra (centre), Alberto Mastromarino as Paolo Albiani (right) and Fabrizio Beggi as Pietro in Verdi's 'Simon Boccanegra' at Teatro Regio Torino. Photo © 2013 Ramella & Giannese. Click on the image for higher resolution

Unfortunately, at least on 9 October, the vocal cast was not entirely up to the level of the rest of the production. In short, only Ambrogio Maestri (Simon), albeit with some difficulties in the mezza voce and Michele Pertusi (Fiesco), with a register not as low as required in certain moments, were in tune with their roles. Maria José Siri (Maria) had difficulties with the start of her cavatina and tended to go toward an excessively high register. Roberto De Biasio (Gabriele) lacked volume; Noseda lowered the sound of the orchestra at his 'Cielo Pietoso' grand aria. Alberto Mastromarino as Paolo just had a bad night.

Director, conductor and cast were warmly applauded by the audience.

Copyright © 14 November 2013 Giuseppe Pennisi,
Rome, Italy