The performances of Verdi's Il Trovatore at the Teatro Real are entering their final stretch, concluding next week. As usual in the summer operas, casts of fabulous international singers alternate in the performances. I have already reviewed the successful first cast, whose performance on the July 10, was broadcast on a giant screen in the Queen Isabella II Square for thousands of spectators, with the occasion of the Opera Week that the Teatro Real organizes every summer. However, I have had the opportunity to see two more casts, just as stellar as the first.
I saw the second cast on July 11. It featured two acclaimed Spanish artists, Saioa Hernández as Leonora and Juan Jesús Rodríguez as Conte di Luna; and two international stars making their debut at the Teatro Real after many years of glory in major theaters: the Italian Vittorio Grigòlo as Manrico and the Georgian Anita Rachvelishivili as Azucena.
Hernández is one of the most acclaimed Spanish sopranos, and she is finally achieving the career she deserves in the world's leading opera houses. She returns to the Teatro Real after her success in Madama Butterfly two years ago, and we will see her in Manon Lescaut at the end of this summer. In the performance we are discussing, her Leonora sounded full-bodied (with a clearly defined chest voice), with a dramatic timbre, and beautiful high notes that grew in intensity. These qualities reached their peak in her great scene in Act four, offering a dramatic version of "D'amor sull'ali rosee" in a spinto voice that received an enthusiastic applause.
Rodríguez has a powerful voice, but his style couldn't be more different from Rucinski's in the first cast. The Spanish baritone's voice is bigger, and his interpretation of the Conte di Luna creates a tougher character. His performance of "Il Balen del suo sorriso" was quite accomplished and generally good, earning him much applause afterward.
Grigòlo finally makes his debut at the Teatro Real. The Italian tenor has a career which spans two decades and boasts an impressive discography. It took long for his Madrid debut, now in the role of Manrico. His voice is beautiful, resonant, with considerable volume, and a youthful, lyrical timbre. But is performance, sadly isn't entirely flawless, as there are moments when it sounds somewhat unrefined. He sounded a bit chaotic in his entrance with the beautiful "Deserto sulla terra." In the exquisite aria "Ah sì ben mio" from the third act, he struggled a with the demanding tessitura. He relied on his stage presence and showmanship in the "Pira" scene that closes the act. He was very good in his final scene in the fourth act, both as Azucena and as Leonora.
Rachvelishvili is one of the most important mezzo-sopranos of the last twenty years, with acclaimed performances of, roles such as Carmen or Azucena in this Il Trovatore. During her prime, despite she is only 42, we didn't see her perform here. It seems that for some years now, her voice hasn't been the same. However, the material she still possesses, despite the difficulties, is so powerful that I think she still has much to offer as an artist—and how she must have sound in her prime! Her voice has a dark, almost contralto timbre that sounds imposing and beautiful. Her commitment on stage is total, and best of all, her low notes are almost otherworldly, giving goosebumps because of their deep darkness. In my 25-year operagoing experience, I've seen few female singers with impressive low voices as hers. I can't deny I experienced some hard moments, when she didn't reach the high notes (like at the end of "Condotta ell'era in ceppi", although she did sing well the rest of the aria; or at the end, in the closing "sei vendicata, o madre"), but the good moments were so worth it, like a stunning "Stride la vampa", the breathtaking low notes in "Ma nell'alma dell'ingrato" or in the duets with Manrico, that not only compensate any limitation but I want to see this accomplished artist live again.
The rest of the cast was equally remarkable; the only variation from the first cast was Mar Morán 's Ines ,with such an imposing voice that it sometimes blended with Hernández's in their scene together in the first act.
The cancellation of Russian soprano Anna Netrebko's four performances of this opera, due to health problems stemming from exhaustion caused by the extreme heat that has recently gripped Europe and the accumulation of performances during this period, has left everyone who had bought tickets months in advance just to see her, deeply disappointed. This is even more excruciating because her performances as Leonora has been very celebrated, even twice filmed, and there was great anticipation in the local operagoers to see her live in this role. Her departure left the cast weakened, as she was the main attraction, and because her now ex-husband and still artistic partner, tenor Yusif Eyvazov remains in the cast, not generating the same enthusiasm. The performances were saved thanks to the willingness of Italian soprano Eleonora Buratto, who replaced the Russian diva. Alongside her, baritone George Petean and French mezzo-soprano Clémentine Margaine completed the cast, which I saw on the 13th.
Buratto has sung several times at the Teatro Real, and her performance as Norina in Don Pasquale, in her coloratura period, conducted by Riccardo Muti in 2013 in this stage, is particularly remembered. Her voice has evolved to the point where she can sing Verdi, and she recently stated that one of her greatest dreams was to sing the role of Leonora. Her interpretation of this role has been rather lyrical, reminiscent of her earlier period, sung with great sensitivity. Her high notes are beautiful, and her timbre youthful. In "Tacea la notte placida," she displayed ease with the brief coloratura that closes the number. Equally beautiful was her interpretation of "D'amor sull'ali rosee," revealing an introspective side of the character.
Eyvazov remained in the cast as a reminder of the performances that would have happened had he shared the stage with his ex-wife. The Azerbaijani tenor may have limitations, which are not suited to the role of Manrico, but his effort cannot be denied. To evaluate him objectively is a challenge, because while he has tricks and manners to pull off the character (for example to go into piano voice), it is his unpleasant timbre, which worsens as he reaches the high notes, that holds him back. His is a large voice, which fills the entire theater well, but it ultimately delivers mixed results because, beyond a certain point, what is a competent, if not beautiful, voice, becomes a difficult-to-hear high note. Thus, his rendition of "Ah si ben mio" goes from sounding good to sounding strident. Like Grigòlo, but with more boldness and volume, he managed to pull off the Pira despite his inconsistencies, closing the number with a prolonged final high note. Where I saw him at his best was in the duets with Azucena and in the finale with Leonora.
Petean gave a remarkable performance as Count di Luna, with a beautiful voice of considerable volume and villainous timbre. He delivered a lovely rendition of the aria "Il Balen del suo sorriso," completely at ease, with beautiful high notes, and closing the aria, just like Eyvazov, by prolonging the last note.
Margaine was a stunning Azucena, thanks to her powerful voice, dramatic intonation, and vocal resources, all in top form. Even so, at first, I found her timbre not always entirely pleasing. However, from the third act onwards, where she was truly memorable, her singing reached very high levels: moving in "Giorni poveri vivea," and excellent in her final scene. Furthermore, her high notes are formidable, delivering two incredibly powerful ones: one at the end of the aria "Condotta ell'era in ceppi" and another at the opera's finale.
In that performance, Ferrando was sung by bass Marko Mimica , whose voice was more powerful than Baczyk's in the first cast, as well as darker and more imposing, making itself heard throughout the hall. The other supporting roles— Rocío Faus as Inés, and the tenors Lara and Marín— were equally remarkable.
This time, I felt I could appreciate the full power of the male section of the choir in the first part, when the male section was confined beneath the set, unlike on opening night, in the famous gypsy chorus. In the second half, they sounded as good as ever, since they weren't singing within any scenery. Once again, they dazzled with their exceptional vocal and acting skills.
The orchestra under maestro Luisotti continued to play with the same passion, although I noticed it was better on the 13th than on the 11th.
The audience response was enthusiastic for both casts. No boos, only applause. During the performance on the 11th, Grigólo and Rachvelishvili's bows were particularly moving, generously rewarded by the audience, and both artists became emotional, touching the stage in a heartfelt gesture of gratitude.
There are still a few performances of this opera left, running until the 20th. And one more cast, with Celso Albelo as Manrico and Teresa Romano as Azucena, who, along with Hernández and Rodríguez, form the "Spanish cast," but I won't be able to see it. These performances have provided the public with a great vocal feast, featuring many of the most accomplished voices available for this opera, putting us on par with the world's great opera houses for once. I don't recall such enthusiasm since the unforgettable Tosca series we had in 2021, which featured Kaufmann, Radvanovsky, and Netrebko, among others, in all those performances. We will fondly remember this season finale.
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