Verdi: Il Trovatore (Rösner)

Introduction

A live performance of one of Verdi`s most enduring `crash-bang-wallop` operas from Lake Constance, filmed over two nights in August 2006. The story is set in Spain, many hundreds of years ago, although this production isn`t, and so an explanation of the `plot` will do little. Suffice it to say, it involves absolute power, gypsies, appalling death and torture, family mix-ups and absolutely noone comes out of it all with a spotless character reference.

As this is an outdoor show, on the edge of one of Europe`s most beautiful lakes, the director and designer complemented the setting by building a huge, red monstrosity of an industrial complex. Part refinery, part concerte factory, it takes the form of a 15th century fortress and is possibly the most grotesque and complex sets I`ve ever seen for an opera production.

The soloists are all wearing fairly obstrusive head mics, the orchestra is playing in the indoor theatre`s orchestra pit (nearby) and the chorus (or perhaps most of them, as there is either choral singing on stage, or some damn good miming) is stuck in a dingy room away from everyone else.

To keep things as together as possible, screens have been dotted about the area so that there can be some semblance of connection between the conductor and performers on the stage, and the sound and balance is being controlled from yet another area.

I`m sure putting on an opera should be easier than this.

Video

The video quality is second to none. Despite the dramatic natural light changes (the performance starts at sunset and continues into the late night), and flame effects, we have absolutely no problem in seeing what is going on, although due to the nature of the staging, several full-stage shots mean we lose much of the immediacy.

Audio

Sound too, is very good indeed, but suffers from what seems to be lip-synch issues (nothing to do with the disc) and a couple of sudden re-balancing problems, probably due to an over-enthusuastic sound technician.

Features

In addition to the illustrated synopsis and cast gallery, we are treated to a half-hour (although for some reason the booklet says it lasts12 and a half minutes) chat by Paul Steinberg and Robert Carson (the aforementioned designer and director) desperately trying to convince us that the up-to-date setting is more relevant to modern audiences and reflects present day power-politics.

Subtitles are available in English, French, German, Spanish and Italian.

Conclusion

The fact that the Marx Brothers `A Night at the Opera` chooses this for its main subject may speak volumes about the supposed silliness of the plot, but as the music itself is so sumptuous and contains at least two of the most famous choruses around, it can stand even the harshest of mickey-taking.

Unfortunately, it can`t really stand an ever-so-serious udpating of the setting which, on more than one viewing, becomes quite ridiculous.

We are told that as there are over 100 references to fire in the libretto (ranging from characters `burning up inside`, to accidentally throwing your own baby son onto the fire which is already consuming your mother), then it would be perfectly fine to shift the whole setting into a war between petro-chemical conglomerates and some form of guerilla warfare. As the libretto itself has not changed though, then many of its references appear nonsensical.

There is also at least one `laugh-out-loud` (or perhaps `wish the whole thing was over as soon as possible` ) moment during the famous `Soldiers` Chorus` when they all appear to practise bad capoeira intermingled with the campest movement I`ve seen since I played a week of `A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum` last year.

Musically, the singers fare better, and considering there were four different casts we seem to have been lucky with the choice for the recording. I was particularly impressed with the tone and power of Zeljko Lucic (Il Conte di Luna), and there is some staggering singing from Marianne Cornetti (Azucena). Iano Tamar (Leonora) almost lasts the distance, but sounds a little strained towards the end, and Carl Tanner (Manrico) appears in a world of his own for much of the time, but has a decent and powerful voice.

Acting on a stage this size will obviously have its difficulties, and so movements and emotive expressions need to be somewhat overdone when trying to communicate to an audience of 7000 (all of whom have an equally good seat we are told, but I suspect those at the back either needed 20-20 vision or a powerful telescope). This means that when we are in close-up mode, some things seem a bit overly-dramatic and unintentionally humerous.

The Vienna Symphony Orchestra play as well as they can in such circumstances (although there are several instances of scrappy ensemble) but again, due to the fact that the stage under which they were actually playing was completely empty, the necessary drive and excitement of a live performance is missing. It was difficult to know whether the singers were following the conductor, or vice-versa.

I think that if you need a more persuasive performance of Trovatore on DVD, then regretfully you should look elsewhere.