«The almost everywhere perfect balance between music and drama is achieved, the state of grace granted in Rigoletto. Gilda’s father is Verdi’s first living creature, created entirely and frankly, without artifice of any kind.”: Massimo Mila effectively summarized the “revolutionary” significance of the first title of the “Popular Trilogy” which was staged on 11 March 1851 at the Fenice, greeted with resounding success. Rigoletto in Verdi’s path it marks a strong change, staging the tragedy of real life, where there is no room for redemption, much less for forgiveness and mercy. On the one hand, the highly dramatic libretto, on the other, music full of pathos but also of lightness and verve, which immediately manages to penetrate the ears of the audience. Now as then.
At Petruzzelli it was performed for the first time in 1906, the last in 2018, in between many editions which have seen singers of the caliber of Gino Bechi, Mario Filippeschi, Aldo Protti, Piero Cappuccilli, Salvatore Fisichella and Mariella alternate over the years Deviate. And now Verdi’s masterpiece, with the staging designed in 2018 by John Turturro for the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, he returned to the Barese politeama for the “2024 Opera and Ballet Season” with five performances all sold out.
The “vision” of the Italian-American director of Sicilian-Puglia origins, overall traditional and essential but not minimalist, rich in pictorial and cinematographic atmospheres with Gothic atmospheres and set in a late-Renaissance palace that evokes the Hall of the Giants of Palazzo Te a Mantua, was masterfully shot by the director Cecilia Ligorio. The stage setup is very accurate Francesco Frigeri, where Gilda’s miniature house stands out in the emptiness of the scene, inside which stands a large fresco of the Holy Family, and Sparafucile’s crumbling hovel, where the face of a monster by Giulio Romano can be seen. The lights of Alessandro Carlettioften “Caravaggesque” in style, and the costumes designed by are sumptuous Marco Piedmontese. Two of Turturro’s ideas deserve to be highlighted in particular: the swirling tourbillon of the courtiers in the palace party in the first act, with the choreography of Giuseppe Bonannoand the coup de théâtre final when Rigoletto opens the sack but finds only Gilda’s cloak while she is standing and walks across the stage before dying in her father’s arms.
The proposed edition was the traditional one with the “historical” highlights awaited more than ever by the public, such as the sol of “Paririamo”, the A flat of the baritone and the E flat soprano’s supercut at the end of “Yes, revenge…” and, above all, the yes natural of the tenor at the end of “Donna è mobile”. The enthralling direction of Renato Palumboon the podium of the flexible and impeccable Theater Orchestra, exalted the rhythms and dramatic progressions of the score while also admirably underlining its more exquisitely lyrical aspects. Excellent as always the test of Theater Choir led admirably by the new director Marco Medvedwith a particular mention for at least two moments: the pianissimo syllable of “Zitti, zitti let’s move on to revenge” and the mocking tale of “Scorrendo united remote via”.
In a complex part, perhaps among the most complicated written for the baritone string, George Petean he turned out to be a great interpreter of Rigoletto. Thanks to his clear voice, easy high notes and varied phrasing, he highlighted the pathetic and affectionate side of the court jester, to whom he also gave a “human” charge of strong emotional impact on stage, emerging in particular in the beautiful duets with the daughter performed with very clear diction.
If already in 2018, again at the Petruzzelli, she had perfectly identified with the part with excellent results, in this edition the Tarantino soprano Giuliana Gianfaldoni she confirms herself as an ideal Gilda thanks to her homogeneous, sweet, clean and precise voice in the high notes, and a phrasing rich in chiaroscuro: characteristics that allowed her to give her character, even on stage, traits of intense expressiveness. The tenor arrived in precarious health conditions Valerio Borgioniwho also has a voice and phrasing suitable for the Duke of Mantua, showed some difficulties from the beginning, but courageously reached the end and indeed, in the famous song “La donna è mobile”, he found strength and energy again to conclude with a good high note.
The bass Marco Spotti, in the part of Sparafucile, he was very authoritative both vocally and scenically, bringing out the figure not of a vulgar brigand but of a man who has his own “conscience”, almost a professional “ethic”, who is repelled by betrayal. The mezzo-soprano Daniela Innamorati, also thanks to her notable tonal qualities, she performed well as Maddalena, rendered scenically with great ease and full adherence to the spirit of the character. A flawless performance on the bass Andrea Comelli in the role of Monterone. The mezzo-soprano characterized their parts well Simona Di Capua (Giovanna) and the soprano Sara Rossini (Countess of Ceprano and Page of the Duchess), like the tenor Saverio Fiore and the baritone William Hernandez both very good like Borsa and Marullo. The bass performance is also punctual Lorenzo Mazzucchelli in the guise of the Count of Ceprano and the baritone Pasquale Arcamone in those of the Usher.
At the end, very warm applause for all the protagonists with a well-deserved ovation for Giuliana Gianfaldoni.
The review refers to the evening of June 7, 2024.
Eraldo Martucci
