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IN A RICH HISTORY OF PREPOSTEROUS ENDINGS IN OPERA, TIRIDATE'S AWAKENING TO THE GOOD AND TRUE IN "RADAMISTO" RANKS HIGH.
The New York Times
November 22, 2013 Friday
Rethinking Further War
By JAMES R. OESTREICH
Through most of this long work by Handel, the tyrannical Tiridate,
king of Armenia, is bent on taking over Thrace and, with it, Zenobia,
the wife of its prince, Radamisto, who fights on its behalf. At
the last minute, Tiridate, his forces in revolt, sees the error of
his ways, offers his own throne to Radamisto's father, the captive
King Farasmane, and reconciles with his own wife, Polissena (not
incidentally, Radamisto's sister).
It is to the credit of James Darrah in his production of "Radamisto"
-- a joint venture of Juilliard Opera and the period-instrument
Juilliard415 that opened on Wednesday evening at the Peter Jay Sharp
Theater, conducted by Julian Wachner -- that he injects real drama
into the formulaic final chorus of joy. Polissena first recoils from
Tiridate's touch, then stalks off, crossing the stage and hesitating
before turning and running to join him in a passionate kiss at the
curtain.
Mr. Darrah's spare staging is generally effective, though he may be too
eager to stress bodily contact: Characters lean away from each other's
grip, or clutch and fondle others. The sight of Tiridate's aides
avidly pawing his wife by way of consolation seems implausible at best.
The set (designed, like the evocative lighting, by Emily MacDonald
and Cameron Mock) consists of little more than a standing wall in the
center of the stage, with symbolic props strewed about: daggers, ropes
of captivity, chairs doubling as thrones. Sara Jean Tosetti's costumes
are elegant or rough, as needed, in a vaguely Middle Eastern style.
Staging "Radamisto," an almost unrelieved series of da capo arias,
is unquestionably a challenge. (This production cuts some arias,
or parts, and runs three hours.) But the bigger challenge here may
fall to the singers and players, since they are working within the
somewhat recent memory of a stellar concert performance of the work
at Carnegie Hall in February, with the countertenor David Daniels
singing Radamisto and Harry Bicket conducting the English Concert.
All hands responded well to Mr. Wachner's vigorous conducting on
Wednesday. The fire in the string playing was remarkable, as was much
of the work of the young singers.
Especially fine were Mary Feminear, soprano, as Polissena, and Virginie
Verrez, mezzo-soprano, as Zenobia. The Radamisto, the countertenor John
Holiday, began tentatively but gained stature as the evening unfolded.
Aubrey Allicock, a bass-baritone, was properly blustery as Tiridate.
Elliott Carlton Hines, a baritone, sang well in the small role of
Farasmane and, bound in chains of ropes, served as one of Mr. Darrah's
striking props.
"Radamisto" repeats on Friday and Sunday at the Peter Jay Sharp
Theater, 155 West 65th Street, Lincoln Center; 212-721-6500,
juilliard.edu/radamisto.
URL:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/22/arts/music/juilliard-opera-and-juilliard415-perform-radamisto.html
From: Baghdasarian
The New York Times
November 22, 2013 Friday
Rethinking Further War
By JAMES R. OESTREICH
Through most of this long work by Handel, the tyrannical Tiridate,
king of Armenia, is bent on taking over Thrace and, with it, Zenobia,
the wife of its prince, Radamisto, who fights on its behalf. At
the last minute, Tiridate, his forces in revolt, sees the error of
his ways, offers his own throne to Radamisto's father, the captive
King Farasmane, and reconciles with his own wife, Polissena (not
incidentally, Radamisto's sister).
It is to the credit of James Darrah in his production of "Radamisto"
-- a joint venture of Juilliard Opera and the period-instrument
Juilliard415 that opened on Wednesday evening at the Peter Jay Sharp
Theater, conducted by Julian Wachner -- that he injects real drama
into the formulaic final chorus of joy. Polissena first recoils from
Tiridate's touch, then stalks off, crossing the stage and hesitating
before turning and running to join him in a passionate kiss at the
curtain.
Mr. Darrah's spare staging is generally effective, though he may be too
eager to stress bodily contact: Characters lean away from each other's
grip, or clutch and fondle others. The sight of Tiridate's aides
avidly pawing his wife by way of consolation seems implausible at best.
The set (designed, like the evocative lighting, by Emily MacDonald
and Cameron Mock) consists of little more than a standing wall in the
center of the stage, with symbolic props strewed about: daggers, ropes
of captivity, chairs doubling as thrones. Sara Jean Tosetti's costumes
are elegant or rough, as needed, in a vaguely Middle Eastern style.
Staging "Radamisto," an almost unrelieved series of da capo arias,
is unquestionably a challenge. (This production cuts some arias,
or parts, and runs three hours.) But the bigger challenge here may
fall to the singers and players, since they are working within the
somewhat recent memory of a stellar concert performance of the work
at Carnegie Hall in February, with the countertenor David Daniels
singing Radamisto and Harry Bicket conducting the English Concert.
All hands responded well to Mr. Wachner's vigorous conducting on
Wednesday. The fire in the string playing was remarkable, as was much
of the work of the young singers.
Especially fine were Mary Feminear, soprano, as Polissena, and Virginie
Verrez, mezzo-soprano, as Zenobia. The Radamisto, the countertenor John
Holiday, began tentatively but gained stature as the evening unfolded.
Aubrey Allicock, a bass-baritone, was properly blustery as Tiridate.
Elliott Carlton Hines, a baritone, sang well in the small role of
Farasmane and, bound in chains of ropes, served as one of Mr. Darrah's
striking props.
"Radamisto" repeats on Friday and Sunday at the Peter Jay Sharp
Theater, 155 West 65th Street, Lincoln Center; 212-721-6500,
juilliard.edu/radamisto.
URL:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/22/arts/music/juilliard-opera-and-juilliard415-perform-radamisto.html
From: Baghdasarian