He is definitely the male opera star today. The most desired tenor, alongside Flórez and Domingo. Feted in his native Germany, as well as in Vienna, Paris, London, New York, and of course also Spain. Desired in any aspect, even beyond his musical merits. Praised by his fans, due to his musicality, his baritone-toned voice and his beauty, as well as criticised by his detractors, who find him a "fake" voice. Whatever the opinion is, what is true is that Jonas Kaufmann is the one of the big stars in the current operatic stage. Wanted in every major opera house, Kaufmann has been in stardom for around fifteen years. In Spain he as sung mainly in recitals, but in 2018 he sang in Andrea Chénier in Barcelona (with the same cast in this production), with the tickets more expensive than usual, and still sold out. In Madrid, he had already made an unexpected debut in 1999 replacing Zoran Todorovich just in one performance of La Clemenza di Tito. Since then, his comeback had to cope with several cancellations: he cancelled his participation in a 2008 Fidelio under Claudio Abbado, and some recitals. Finally, on June 25, 2018 he made his return to the Teatro Real, now as a big star, with a concert. He returned for another one in last January, and now he returns for only two performances of Tosca as Mario Cavaradossi, one of his signature roles, singing with the first cast, alongside the also big stars Sondra Radvanovsky in the title role and Carlos Álvarez as Scarpia.
Kaufmann is now in a stage of vocal maturity. Many things are be said by his detractors: he is past his prime, he strangles notes, even that he gargles... what remained clear last night was his musicality and that he commands the role of Cavaradossi. There are some moments that voice seems to have become a bit frail, comparing with himself years ago. He reserves for the most important moments, but the voice can be heard generously in most of times. His baritone-like tone, fit for Wagner, can go easily to a more lyrical register in the case of Italian heroes. If I was asked, I would say the voice is nice, reliable, and with enough experience to get Cavaradossi off the ground, even to portray it interestingly. And also an intelligent artist. In addition, he is a skilled actor: his gestures, expressions show the most tender and even amusing side of the character, which made me laugh sometimes during the first act. But also he conveys the bravery and impulsivity of Mario, being a complicated rival for Scarpia.
He started with a reserved rendition of Recondita Armonia, but still nice to hear. During the first love duet with Tosca he sung better, singing warmly, beautifully "Quale occhio al mondo può star di paro", and the chemistry with Radvanovsky was remarkable on stage. The high note in "La Vita mi costasse" was powerful, but seemed to be projected with a bit of effort. Second Act was definitely other level, in a passionate performance both in acting and singing. The second of the "Vittoria, Vittoria" was a long, big-volumed and beautiful high note, and the following fighting scene with Scarpia was really breathtaking in acting, with Cavaradossi almost combating the villain.
E Lucevan le stelle is to be mentioned apart. Kaufmann really commands this aria. He sings it with taste, exquisitely, he is able to move and convey the final pathos of the character, not as a strong-tempered man who says goodbye vehemently, but as a sensible soul, physically broken, who is finally defeated and only longing to see her beloved one once again. And really, from "O dolci baci" he starts to sing in his usual pianissimo register, which conquers the audience. And once again in the excerpt "disciogliea dai veli", really beautiful and convincing.
When he finished to sing, audience stayed quiet for a while, and only when the Jailer appeared on stage, audience started to applaud with great enthusiasm, and for such a long time, that even Kaufmann had to sit because the character position was starting to tire. From my seat I could see the maestro Luisotti moving the hand like asking Kaufmann "shall we encore?", but the tenor took his time, while receving a bath of applauses before consenting, smiling to the audience and finally to encore. The encore was even better sung, in a beautiful pianissimo line again, with tenderness and sensibility. Once again, the audience began to applaud late, but in this time, Luisotti didn't stop the music. He was even better during the final duet, singing with a heroic tone and again his beautiful piano singing in "O dolci mani, mansuete e pure", that even a young trombone from the orchestra gazed towards him.
Radvanovsky returns to Madrid after her successful performances of Verdi's Ballo last October. She has already sung Tosca in 2011 in this stage, when she amazed the audience with her unforgettable performance. Ten years later, her rendition of the ill-fated diva is warmly welcomed again, even encoring the Vissi d'arte in some performances. Her voice is also in a mature stage, affecting her vibrato, but still being a great performer of the role. She sounded reserved in first act, despite the chemistry with Kaufmann and the beautiful legato in the final line "Egli vede ch'io piango".
The great rendition started in Act Two. As actress she is convicing in turning Tosca's initial irony into fragility and despair at the end. In the whole scene with Scarpia high notes were amazing. In the Vissi d'arte, as usual, the climax was reached, and Radvanovsky sounded as fresh and outstanding like she did ten years ago. Here, the voice reached its peak, with beautiful, resounding high notes, the voice appearing with a dark, dramatic tone and a delightful final legato. She was ovationed at the end of the aria, and when Luisotti turned back some pages in the score, we knew she would encore. The second Vissi was even better, with the soprano singing truly moved, conveying the state of defeat of her character in that moment. Azorín's staging portrays Tosca not as that sturdy, strong-tempered diva as we could imagine her, but as a fragile, frightened woman able to do anything to save her Mario, and Sondra successfully perform this vision, by showing herself falsely solicitous before killing Scarpia.
In Act three, she gave a splendid, prolonged high note in "Io quella lama plantai nel cor", really outstanding, with repeated in her famous final line "O Scarpia, avanti a dio", closing her singing triumphally.
Álvarez also returns to this stage with Scarpia, after having success in Viva la Mamma (as Mamma Agata) last month. He has sung this villainous role in many major theatres. Now he sings the evil Scarpia, a role already sung in several major opera houses. He is a great artist, but his Scarpia is more elegant, refined in his evil, than brutal and scary, and the latter ones were missed in his singing. That is why Act I seemed a bit insufficient despite a final great rendition of the Te Deum. In Act 2 he showed the beautiful tone of his voice, an aristocratic performance, with clear diction and beautiful singing, well projected. In Ha più forte sapore and Già mi dicon venal the singing was exquisite, showing all things mentioned before.
Concerning the orchestra, chorus, staging and supporting roles, I had already talked deeply in my review on the second cast, but some comments can be said:
Nicola Luisotti's strong, big-volumed rendition seemed to sound a bit lower with this occassion, maybe to help Kaufmann, but it resumed its spectacular tone during the Te Deum, and also strings, with predominance of the cello, repeated their beautiful rendition during the previous moments to Cavaradossi's torture. Also the brass section and clarinets shone again in Act 3. It seems strings are improving, and that's good news.
In this occasion, I saw Luis López Navarro in a better shape as the Jailer.
Little else can be said now about the staging by Paco Azorín, but being in a better seat, I could notice in Act 3, that the Jailer treats Cavaradossi with humanity, helping him and Tosca in their final meeting, a recomforting glance of humanity in a cruel world. I also could see how Cavaradossi is beaten and even stabbed in the torture scene. And a curiosity: the Revolution, a naked woman, was played today by a different actress, with a long hair.
The performance was generously applauded by the audience, and the sensation was that everyone had a great time, specially after the encores of Kaufmann and Radvanovsky, something historical in the modern Teatro Real as it was the first time in its history that two singers give encores in the same night. Some people in the corridor said this was an "once in a lifetime event". This season is closed with a historic triumph for Teatro Real.
Anna Netrebko, Yusif Eyvazov and Luca Salsi will close these largely awaited run of performances of Tosca, with two final shows, but this blog will not review them because I won't attend more performances. With the Puccini's masterpiece, the first season post-Covid at the Teatro Real concludes. A season difficult to run, facing many obstacles, but so successful that we the madrileños (as well as in the rest of Spanish opera houses, which also were opened, but more affected in their seasons) have become the envy of most operagoers worldwide, by having live performances while most of the major opera houses have been closed or just streaming on the internet filmed audienceless performances. So, Teatro Real definitely consecrates itself as a major operatic venue and at the same time makes history, by maintaining alive the magic of opera in such challenging times, whose end seems to discern (vaccinations are making progress in Madrid, now starting with over-16 youth) but not to come.
My reviews are not professional and express only my opinions. As a non English native speaker I apologise for any mistake.
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