The Toronto
Star, Monday, November 9, 1998. Geoff Chapman Music Critic
Opera in
Concert delivers a feast of singing in Italian
Quick. Name
five operas by Gaetano Donizetti.
You might start
in a rush: "Lucia di Lammermoor, Don Pasquale, La Fille du Regiment,
L'Elisir d'Amore." But it gets trickier after that, even though Italy's
19th century bel canto maestro wrote 65 of them.
That's where
Opera in Concert comes in, trolling the lesser-remembered glory-holes of
operatic creation with rare and innovative productions: 96 since it was founded
in 1974.
The 25th season
that began at Jane Mallet Theatre Saturday is devoted to operatic women of
passion, and thus Donizetti's "Linda di Chamounix" is an interesting
choice. It is a semi seria work that blends distinctive styles, frivolous and
serious characters, aristocrats and peasants in a stout defence of virginity
and family honour, though to keep herself intact the heroine first has to go
mad. After all, she was almost on the point of kissing her boyfriend!
The opera is a
slight piece but full of charm, redolent of the 18th century in its music, with
much lightness and grace, humour, and occasionally infectious tunefulness.
This Opera in
Concert version (they did it once before, in 1982) delivers a feast of singing
in Italian, with many fine duets, but it has more than usual difficulty with
the story's melodramatic aspects. When peasant beauty Linda, in finery provided
by boyfriend the Viscount (the aristo formerly known as poor painter Carlo), is
discovered by her father, who believes she has dishonoured him, emotions run
high, but it's hard to convey this with just two singers, indomitable pianist
Raisa Nakhmanovich and page-turning assistant on stage.
But all is
stripped-down opera, after all, and there was much to enjoy, even though characterization
is so conventional.
Coloratura
soprano Leslie Fagan in the title role impressed from the start, but then her
opening aria "O Light of My Soul" is a real cliff-climber with
stratospherically high notes. There are other vocal peaks to scale, too, and
she did this fearlessly and successfully, though the effort left little
opportunity for colouring her sound. Her mad scene had some power.
Her paramour
the Viscount was tenor Kurt Lehmann in his OIC debut. His personable voice
displays depth and potential, though later his high-register notes seemed
strained. And strain was there too in Act 1, with the 34-strong OIC chorus
under Robert Cooper too fierce and too harsh, though their measured final act
contribution was pitched more comfortably.
Baritone
Gregory Dahl (another OIC newcomer) was warm and effective as Antonio (Linda's
father) and pulled off punch duets with bass Kenneth Baker as the prefect,
while mezzo Renee Lapointe in the "trouser" part of Pierotto showed
poise and promise. There was much enjoyment from baritone Ron Darlington as the
dastardly marquis seeking Linda's favours, figuratively twirling his moustache
Sir Jasper-style as he tried a host of sleazy abortive seduction techniques.
The work is
short of profound moments. Rarely can it be accused of engaging fully audience
feelings, while its sung dialogues are more effective than solos. Yet the
finale of Act 3, with its five-voice a capella sequence and unusually happy
ending, did command attention. (A different cast of principals performed
yesterday).