Opéra Comique, Paris – February, 4th. 2009
This is not my favourite repertoire and I was reluctant with this after last season’s failures. But the achieved result is interesting in a way. No, I still consider this is not my “cup of tea”, indeed, as an opera. Auber composed it well but I think there is a strong lack of substance in the music and the dialogues.
As it remains a light opera, so are my expectations. The singers offer a homogeneous contribution with the strong exception of Antonio Figueroa as Lorenzo who is obviously suffering to have any strength in his voice – and not to mention his acting which reminds me old fashioned statufied singers.
Sumi Jo as Zerline is acceptable and looks, at least, happy to sing there. Nevertheless nobody can believe in her role: she is not the Italian very young girl. She is quite well pronouncing French but again she belongs to those hooting group of singers who needs an over-pronounced vibrato to hide their technical defects.
The couple Lady Pamela (Doris Lamprecht) and Lors Cockburn (Marc Molomot) looks excellent in their role and becomes very funny. The other couple by both “brigands” formed the same asset of this production.
Fra Diavolo by Kenneth Tarver makes me think of Luis Mariano: same diction, same attitudes, same glance… I liked him as much as one can like this opera… I am pretty sure is an excellent singer when having “real” repertoire. To be checked!
Jérôme Deschamps proposed a come back to what he did when he was director for his theater company: same kitsch décor, bottles and their noise… Nevertheless singers’ direction was at its minimum without strong innovation. This was a professional, honest work. We might expect more.
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