Oviedo, September 16, 2023.
The operatic season begins in Spain, and the Oviedo Opera starts its 2023-2024 season with a classic title from the French repertoire, although rare in recent years in our country: the delicious Manon by Jules Massenet. The story of Abbé Prévost tells the adventures of a woman who, in her time considered a libertine, in line with the author's intention to warn young women not to stray from righteous path, but today inspires us admiration and compassion at the same time: Since by choosing to be independent and decide his destiny, he has a tragic end. Throughout its five acts, we witness the fascinating journey of a woman, innocent and resigned to her predetermined destiny as nun in the first act, to another very different woman at the end: a life lived, a long path traveled.
Two musical geniuses like Massenet and Puccini put music to this story, and both have managed to establish themselves in the operatic ABC repertoire, in some way. Being an opéra-comique (although it really has little comedy, despite the exuberance of the music and the secondary characters), the presence of dialogues and spoken phrases, accompanied by the orchestra, draws attention to the fact that their number is higher than that of another masterpiece belongin to its same genre, Bizet's Carmen. And all this is accompanied by Massenet's tender and exquisite music, which portrays the rise and fall of the protagonist
Oviedo is a city which does love music. The quality of the schedules of its major musical venues are among the most important and interesting in Spain, as well as the Orquesta Filarmonía giving free concerts in August at the Old University. And The Teatro Campoamor , home of the Prince of Asturias Awards, is one of the most emblematic places in the Asturian capital. This year, it hosts its 76th opera season. A very well-dressed audience gathered in its cozy, elegant main room, although perhaps because of the Saint Matthew's festivities, the major ones in the city, it was not completely full.
The duo formed by the director Emilio Sagi and set designer Daniel Bianco is back again for a new and elegant staging, in their elegant line. Although minimalist in nature, this staging does not lack the colourful quintaessence of much of this work. The minimalist stage in turquoise green tones, decorated with trees and flowers taken from a bucolic painting from the 18th century, the period in which the story takes place, can be seen before the play begins, covered only by a curtain of colored strips. Next to the stage there are several staircases that the figurants, dressed as ordinary people, move as the action progresses, to recreate the different scenarios. Thus, in the second act, two of them come together to represent the protagonists' house, with beautiful jade furniture. Or in the fourth, the lamps, an iconic signature of Sagi's and Bianco's stagings such as Puritani or Don Gil de Alcalá, make their appearance, rising and illuminating the gamble scene. At the end, something terrible happens: the elegantly dressed courtesans are undressed by the police, the furniture destroyed and they are thrown to the ground, a sign that they would have been raped and tortured before their deportation. And in the midst of this devastation, the final act and Manon's death takes place.
The Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias, (Principality of Asturias Symphony Orchestra), conducted by Nuno Coelho, was at a good level, notably accompanying the artists, and never surpassing them. One can highlight the strings in the Des Grieux's arias. The cello and also the brass had moments of brilliance during the second part. The Coro Intermezzo, the Oviedo Opera Chorus, maintained a good level, highlighting the intervention of the female voices at the beginning of the fourth act.
The cast, mostly made up of great Spanish artists, has shown a devotion rarely been seen in recent times.
Sabina Puértolas sang Manon in a moving and passionate way, both at an acting and singing level, living, conveying the emotions of the character, and demonstrating her spectacular high notes in the second part, and a melancholic performance in Adieu, notre petite table.
Celso Albelo sang Des Grieux, in a performance that grew as the play transcurred. I couldn't help to get my eyes wet in En Fermant les yeux, not only because of the beauty of the aria, but also because its purity and tenderness makes the imminent separation of the characters even more hurtful, an aria in which Albelo recreated the youthful illusion of the character. But it was from Ah, fuyez douce image, which he sang with dedication and beauty, that his performance turned into excellency, and alongside with Puértolas he gave a moving rendition of the final duet.
Manel Esteve was a well-sung Lescaut who conveyed the courage and sarcasm of the character. Roberto Scandiuzzi, sang Des Grieux's father, and he is still in a magnificent, miracolous vocal shape at 65 years old. Although the voice is logically showing signs of maturity, the dark tone and the powerful vocal flow, which sounds generously throughout the room (and in the front rows, even reverberates in the eardrums), added to his stage presence, result in a performance full of authority.
The rest of the cast sang with the same devotion, especially the three soloists who performed the roles of the three actresses.
As it was the last performance, the emotion was present throughout the show. In fact, the two protagonists hugged each other, with tears of emotion, after the final duet, and the performance was also very well received by the public, who, at leaving the theatre, were awaited by the San Mateo festivities, of which the soprano and the conductor echoed the greetings, each carrying party scarves.
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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