Cavalleria Rusticana Composed by Giacomo Puccini. Libretto by Giovacchino Forzano and Gianni Schicchi. Composed by Pietro Mascagni. Libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzetti and GuIdo Menasci .
Sung in English. Directed by Kate Millett. Musical direction by Colleen Rae-Gerrard and Michael Politi. Conducted by Louis Sharpe. Belconnen Community Theatre. August 20-Setember 1 2019.
Reviewed by Peter Wilkins
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| The Canberra Opera cast of Gianni Schicchi |
Giacomo Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi , directed with a light and witty touch by Kate
Millett and played with a joyful air of fun by the small and excellent
orchestra under the skilful baton of conductor Louis Sharpe, proved the perfect
curtain raiser with this thoroughly enjoyable comic opera. Loosely based on an
incident in Dante’s Inferno and given a mischievous treatment by Puccini and
his librettist Giovacchino Forzano. Gianni
Schicchi exposes the hypocrisy and avarice of relatives gathered at the
hospital deathbed of Buoso Donati, a wealthy Florentine. In an attempt to sort
out the matter of a will, nephew Rinuccio (Alastair Colgrave) invites the
father of his beloved Lauretta (Hannah Carter) to intervene and solve any
argument over the will. Enter the eponymous Gianni Schicchi (Colin Milner), a vision
of Florentine Il Padrone, complete with Stetson, boots and gold chain around
the neck. With skilful guile and a rich, consuming baritone voice, Milner spins
a devious web of deceit to secure the bulk of the legacy for himself and a
dowry for his daughter and her betrothed. Director Millet keeps the action
flowing, the trickery surprising and the final acclamation of Schicchi
jubilant, leaving the audience with an uplifting feeling during Rinuccio and
Lauretta’s duet, Lauretta Mine, Here Will
We Always Stay . Puccini’s talent for melodic composition populates this
relatively unknown and clownish Comedy Buffo with popular arias, duets and
solos. The opera’s small and comically motley ensemble sing with gusto and
conviction. Most notable arias are Lauretta’s pleading Oh, my dear Papa, sung with exquisite charm by Hart, Rinnucio’s You’re Mistaken followed Florence
Is Like A Blossoming Tree and Schicchi’s
cautionary and authoritative A Final Word Of Warning. Milner’s
obvious acting skills and powerful singing voice lend his performance of Schicchi auspicious
impact. Appealing to the ear, pleasing to the eye and wonderfully entertaining,
Gianni Sccicchi proved a most
pleasant and memorable offering by Canberra Opera.
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Anna Greenwood
as Santuzza, James Penn as Turridu
Veronica
Thwaites-Brown as Lola and Andrew Barrow
As Alfio in
Canberra Opera’s Cavalleria Rusticana
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While the
discerning spectator might kindly accept the fact that most of the cast are not
trained actors, there can only be applause for the singing and the excellent
orchestration under Sharpe’s lively conducting and Michael Politi’s musical
direction. As the tormented outcast, Santuzza, Greenwood gives a moving and
entirely believable performance. Her duet with Turridu scales the lofty ideal
of the tragic opera. James Penn’s
powerful tenor voice plumbs the depths of intensity. Unfortunately, diction is
barely discernible and downcast eyes avoid the impact of interaction. He plays
at being an opera singer, rather than the character of a man full of his own
importance and subsumed by ego and immoral action. With actor training and his
wonderful tenor voice, Penn is certainly a singer with a promising future.
Similarly baritone Andrew Barrow, whose diction was fine enough needs to be
confident with his talent, which is considerable. With the two bloodstained
combatants appearing before a dismayed and shocked congregation of villagers,
Mascagni brings this dark and moralistic piece to a fitting close .
Canberra Opera
has shown with this double bill that a low budget production need not be a sign
of mediocrity. Although I may have quibbles with the general paucity of acting
expertise, I was entirely drawn into the conviction and the musical and vocal
talent of the company. Standouts would be Milner’s Gianni Schicchi and Greenwood’s
Santuzza, but with only half the stage for Millett to work on while Sharpe and
his musicians occupied the other half the creative team and the cast presented
a thoroughly enjoyable, engaging and beautifully sung and played interpretation
of Puccini’s delicious comic opera and Mascagni’s dark and brooding revenge
opera. Canberra is fortunate indeed to have such fine singers and musicians in
town and the creative team to bring out their best. Here is an intimate opera company
well worth the communiy’s support. You won’t be disappointed.
