Radames - Riccardo Massi
Amneris - Violeta Urmana
Amonasro - Reginald Smith Jr
Ramfis - Hao Jiang Tian
Pharaoh - Igor Durlovki
Messenger - Chen Chen
Priestess - Li Yang
Opera Hong Kong Chorus
Shanghai Opera House Orchestra and Suzhou Symphony Orchestra
Xu Zhong (conductor)
Jean Louis Grinda (director)
Opera Hong Kong and the Shanghai Opera House staged a grand and creditable performance this evening by reviving the general conservative appeal of Verdi’s timeless classic which delves into the difficult themes of fate, conflict of obligations, patriotism, and the salvific eternity of love.
Featuring stars such as Kristin Lewis, He Hui and Riccardo Massi, the all-star cast in this co-production is formidable to say the least. Marjorie Owens who sang the title role tonight was exceptional in many respects. Possessing a rich and substantial dramatic voice easily capable of filling the theatre, she offered an acoustic alternative to the other two renowned lyrical-spinto sopranos. ‘O Patria Mia’ was beautifully sung with ravishing phrasing, lush crescendos and a finely controlled pianissimo towards the end.
The role of Amneris seems to require much more versatility than that of Aida as her character is instilled with much more pathos and emotional changes. One sometimes wonders if Amneris is the real victim in the opera. From being a venomously jealous rival of Aida to being a repentant intercessor for Ramades, Violeta Urmana pulled off the role convincingly, striking the audience with her forthright but heartfelt vocalism.
Tenor Riccardo Massi came in strong with a stunning ‘Celeste Aida’, sung effortlessly with fervor and finesse. His tone was however a tad too light to complete Radames’s supremely heroic and domineering aura in Act I, as one who has heard Franco Corelli’s robust interpretation might agree. By contrast, his acting suggested a stout and headstrong Radames who would ultimately find himself defenseless before the dictates of fate.
Worthy of special mention are Hao Jiang Tian who sang Ramfis and Reginald Smith Jr who sang Amonasro, both possessing a round, orotund and fruity voice. Brilliant acting contributed to a climactic scene in Act III where Amonasro brazenly confronted Aida and hurled her to the ground.
By contrast, the Opera Chorus was disappointing to say the least. Consonants and entrances were very untidy. Intonation was questionable, especially during the sacrificial scene of Act I at the Temple of Vulcan. Tone was bland and lacked depth. There was also a problem with taking the sound out too early in the last syllables of many a phrase.
Whilst the quality of singing (apart from the Chorus) was generally undeniable, more doubts loom over the Jean Louis Grinda’s cinema-inspired setting. Despite the originality of the idea of mixing the contemporary with the ancient and of presenting the plot as an imaginary film, the final stage result was nothing short of uncomfortable and odd. The awkward presence of a redundant and messy film crew fussing around on both sides of the stage endured way beyond the introductory setting of the scene and gradually became a nuisance which served only to pull the audience away from the otherwise impeccable force of the drama. It irrevocably distanced the audience from the tragic impact of the plot every time the crew intruded into the scene to remind everyone that the whole thing was just a figment of imagination. Even worse was when the director lost courage to sustain his cinematic vision and apologetically called the film crew to retreat in the last Act.
Although the production was certainly not low-rent, many artistic details were glaringly overlooked, or worse still, tolerated. The grandeur of the Egyptian court in Act I was severely diminished by the poorly aligned soldiers, most of whom in their half-exposed state looked either unpleasantly flaccid or utterly skeletal. Costumes were uninspiring and mediocre – one would certainly be forgiven to ask if the great Pharaoh was actually one of the slaves during his first appearance. Make-up was subpar – there were one or two in Pharaoh’s entourage who liked like drifting ghosts. The otherwise deeply romantic secret meeting scene at the Nile in Act III felt shortchanged as one saw grotesque and coarse metal installations on what were meant to be lush lawns with beautiful flowers. Despite the well-choreographed dance in the sacrificial scene in Act I, everything and everyone looked dead and conveyed neither exoticism nor mysticism. Such a scene would probably have benefitted from the use of dimmer lighting and candle fire. That said, the pageantry of Act II, the choreography and the sets were generally commendable.
Overall, this was a fine and under-applauded production which could nevertheless have used more attention to detail and better on-stage actors.
(Photo credit: Opera Hong Kong Facebook page)
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