Gioachino Rossini’s Cenerentola is one of those operas that remained forgotten for many, too many years. Until the beginning of the 1950s, Rossini was identified in theater posters largely, if not exclusively, with Il Barbiere di Siviglia. We owe the “rediscovery” of Rossini’s work to a great Italian conductor, Vittorio Gui.
Even the Verdi Theater in Trieste was no exception: scrolling through the chronology of the seasons, a seventy-year gap in which this playful melodrama was absent from the Trieste stage comes to mind. In fact, the first revival of the 20th century dates back to 1951, with Giulietta Simionato in the role of the protagonist. Cinderella, however, remains a title – compared to others – little frequented in our latitudes, perhaps because it is a little foreign to that elusive propensity of the Trieste public for works closer to its own introverted character, those which show grace, but also a nice grating. of grumpiness.
Yesterday, in a crowded theatre, the opera was revived in the production that debuted in 2022 at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa directed by Paolo Gavazzeni and Piero Maranghi who were inspired by the historic show of Emanuele Luzzati.
The fairy-tale dimension, which should have been the distinctive feature of the evening, was a little obscured by some directorial choices that seemed gratuitous: the almost perpetually tarantulato male chorus, for example, doesn’t seem to me to have added much to the childish atmosphere an enchantment that was instead suggested by the projections – episodically a bit intrusive – and the scenes.
Other moments seemed more successful, like the slow motion well interpreted by the artistic partner and the storm scene. The lights are beautiful, the costumes are appropriately colorful and imaginative but a little anonymous. In line with the best-known tradition, the director’s work on the performers confirms a pleasant staging but which never really takes off nor offers particular food for thought.
Brilliant direction Enrico Calessowho interpreted the score with style, elegance and an underlying sobriety that enhanced both the crackling liveliness and the melancholic abandon that pervade Rossini’s masterpiece in which a character from opera serie, Angelina, and opera buffa happily coexist.
The theatrical narrative emerged clean, homogeneous, and allowed us to appreciate the virtuosity from the beginning – I am thinking of the beautiful opening Symphony of the Verdi Orchestra which gave a clear example of what Rossini’s crescendo means.
Said of the excellent performance of the Choiralso very busy on the stage, the singing company seemed to be of a good standard.
Laura Verrecchiain the role of the protagonist Angelina, confirmed all the qualities already widely known to the Trieste public who have frequently appreciated her in recent years.
The winning weapons were the beautiful amber colored voice and the varied and mobile phrasing, which allowed her to outline a convincing protagonist without falling into sugary mannerisms. The mezzo-soprano also solved the difficult final rondo without too many problems I was born into trouble and she seemed effortless in her acting, characterized by an introverted sobriety appropriate to the character.
Excellent performance Dave Monaco in the part of Don Ramiro, which is characterized by a very acute vocal writing and requires the ability to explain the voice with almost heroic outbursts alternating with sudden elegiac parentheses: paradigmatic, in this sense, the aria Yes, I swear, I’ll find her again in the second act, applauded on stage by the audience.
Carlo Lepore he was convincing as Don Magnifico, of which he was able to restore the original origins of the Neapolitan commedia dell’arte. Easy on the stage, Lepore also has a resonant voice of beautiful timbre and faced the arduous Rossini spelling with confidence.
Good boy Giorgio Caoduro, which wittily portrayed the hilarious Dandini, one of the funniest characters in Italian opera. The baritone, in a rather high tessitura part, sang with stylistic relevance and great vocal civility, avoiding those interpretative excesses that have nothing to do with Rossini’s music.
Alidoro is the occult protagonist of the work and was well played by Matteo D’Apolitowhich exalted his humanity and authority.
To complete the cast Carlotta Vichi and Federica Sardella who were the two unbearable and viperine, but fun, sisters Tisbe and Clorinda.
The evening was appreciated by the audience who often applauded openly and in the end it gave the entire artistic company a great success.
The review refers to the performance of April 26, 2024
Paolo Bullo
