Madrid, June 9, 2023.
The Teatro Real in its most recent years, is a debt to Rossini, since it has programmed very little from him. Two years ago they staged La Cenerentola, and this season, close to its end, a buffo title: Il Turco in Italia. Premiered in 1814 at the very Scala in Milan, this Rossinian title is more of a buffo drama, a comedy with dramatic touch, the story of a married but unfaithful woman who falls in love with a Turkish prince and previously with another man; and how her husband first seeks revenge, but then forgives her. A work with the greatest musical brilliance, with musical virtuosity, which on the other hand, as in almost all of Rossini, makes it very difficult to sing.
Laurent Pelly, the director in this staging, an expert in comic opera, sets the action in the world of photoromances, during the 50s and 60s. Fiorilla and Geronio are a middle-class couple, neighbors of the poet Prosdocimo, who is not inspired and seeks some conflict to achieve inspiration. Fiorilla is a housewife addicted to photoromances, which make her escape from her boring marriage and look for romantic love elsewhere. Selim could be the heartthrob of one of them. In a way, Pelly takes this traditional and moralizing comedy to a time when entertainment for the masses was beginning to creep into society and transform it. Selim is a lover of that medium, and the fact that he appears from a magazine could lead one to think that he is an idol of the masses. During most of the show, comic-strip like boxes appear, to turn this story into a photoromance itself, in which the characters are protagonists. I find this an interesting connection between stage and reality, considering the current success of Turkish soap operas in Europe, with their actors causing mass hysteria to every Western country they visit...
Giacomo Sagripanti's musical conducting if the Teatro Real Orchestra is for the most part of the show, agile, fresh, fitting into Rossinian liveliness. The overture was brilliantly played and the strings were splendid. The brass is fine although there was some ups and downs. The singers were also well accommodated. The Teatro Real Chorus was, as always, excellent at a vocal and acting level. Between the intense-scored Nixon in China in April and Turandot next month, this less demanding, buffo hiatus suits the chorus well, which also suit themselves into the vitality of the score.
After cancelling, due to ilness. the first performances, Lisette Oropesa, has been able to sing last night. The American soprano, one of the favorites of the Madrid audiences, has succeeded again. Five years have passed since the production that established her internationally, that Lucia di Lammermoor in this same stage, during July 2018. Oropesa continues to have the same beautiful, charming, sweet-toned voice with a youthful tonee as always, although in some high-pitched notes she seems to be a bit tired, although it is understandable given the terrible score. As actress, she shows how much fun she is having playing Fiorilla. From the final duet of the first act with Geronio, where she was radiant, the performance got better, reserving herself for her final aria, Squallida veste e bruna, whose rendition, with tremendous coloratura,which Oropesa completely commanded and closed with a sharp finale high note. So, she delighted the audience, who broke into a standing ovation.
At her same big level was Misha Kiria, whom we saw as a great Falstaff in 2019, like her husband Don Geronio. Kiria showed a splendid voice, generous in volume, well projected as well as endowed with a lot of comic vision, representing a hilarious portrait of acuckold. Alex Esposito as Selim also had a good voice, in addition to physically corresponding to the story hearthrob, here coming from a magazine, with that air of platonic love. Edgardo Rocha sang well his role as Don Narciso, coming out of his complicated arias with his lyric tone. Florian Sempey as the poet Prosdocimo began with a slightly guttural voice, but it improved throughout the performance. At least his portrayal as a scheming poet for his literary purposes was convincing. At a good level Paola Gardina as Zaida, with a pleasant voice, and Pablo García-López as Albazar.
The performance was enthusiastically received, especially Lisette Oropesa who once again confirmed herself as one of the most beloved divas in Madrid. Plácido Domingo was seen among the audience, it seems he is spending much time in Madrid, despite his busy worldwide schedule. The Teatro Real audiences have a predilection for bel canto titles, and specially when they are as well served by fine performers like these ones. Let's hope that in the future there will be more Rossini titles to be seen in Madrid. I myself, who could not see the 2021 Cenerentola due to a domestic accident, hadn't seen an opera by Rossini in Madrid since 2007.
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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