a highly enjoyable “Alcina” at Boston Conservatory

This is a brief write-up of the performance on Friday night with cast #2. On Saturday i’m coming back with a group of friends/new-comers to operas for cast #1, with a mezzo Ruggiero. First, a link to Sta nell’ircana to listen along as I continue to type:

Having just come back from the Alcina in Wien, the first 10-20 minutes were a little bit of adjustments in the head to the difference between full professional and a *very good* student-based production. That being said, I’m most happy to report the orchestra, under the direction of Andrew Altenbach (musical director of Opera for the Boston Conservatory), was superb! For such a production one could say the conductor is the most important person: his precise direction in the orchestra as well as care for the singers were a great joy to listen/watch. Several of the tempo choices, I wonder, were perhaps adapted to put the singers in the best situations to shine. For about 3/5 of the arias, part B & A-repeat were omitted. I think this is justified considering the (a) duration, (b) high level + focus on singing, and (c) non full-professional acting. The staging is minimal and made sense, and almost reminded me of the Carsen’s Alcina in several scenes. I will write more about the staging perhaps after tomorrow. Here is more a focus on the singing.

Bizhou Chang sang a very convincing Alcina. Her voice is quite warm and large (Verdi?!) which allows her to vary quite a bit in intensity and even shades/colors, even during the recitative part! The only part that didn’t quite work for me was the B-section in “Ah mio cor”, where it was a bit too “smooth” (almost swinging) in the tempo! I’d have liked it a bit more “vicious” or “faster” and delivered with more emotion, which I think she could do, but for some reason the tempo was just a bit too much “in harmony”. Perhaps there is a point there, sarcastic?, which I might have missed.. “Mi restano le lagrime” was skipped! as well as the B+A part for “Ma quando tornerai”. Actually, for “Ma quando tornerai”, i think a certain amount of “shaking” in the body is a requisite! 🙂 . No, really, either that, or more vocal expressions are needed (in general, from any singers I’ve heard), otherwise it’s a bit too smooth and doesn’t quite express the mood. Having been listening a lot to Alcina lately, I have also now a theory for “Sì, son quella”: the most important work required for this aria is in the recitative leading up to it! otherwise it will not set the mood correctly, e.g., if Alcina rushes through the recit for example, or if the Ruggiero/Alcina dynamics are not set properly, and thus will result in a “jump” from rush to a sudden huge drop in emotion. I remember liking her “Sì, son quella” but enjoying also her “Di, cor mio”. This one, being an “interactive” aria of simultaneous acting between Alcina and Ruggiero (as it seems to be the case for many stagings?) and musical phrasing of Alcina, it works well if the acting is not “hindering” the phrasing. Here the only minor quibble I had was with Ruggiero’s (lack of) facial expression..

the chorus

Ruggiero was sung by counter-tenor Rudy Giron. I was quite puzzled by the tempo set for “Di te mi rido” , again being strangely “swingy” and “smooth” and on the slow side, enough for me to be confused about the flow and needing to read up the translation. On that same note, “la bocca vaga” was a bit “too nice”. Need stalking! After the first intermission, I moved up to row B (from row F, in a very intimate 325-seat theater and caught up with Giron’s facial expression. He seemed to finally expressed the torment in Ruggiero in his face and thus one can make connection to the phrasing. “Mi lusinga il dolce affetto” was quite beautifully delivered. And this is the first time *ever* i actually understand “verdi prati” !! the staging finally made sense for this, with a bit of “reflection” as Ruggiero stood in an empty spot looking at a small now-stripped flower-branch reminiscing his time with Alcina. I’ll make more notes and report next time… “Mio ben tesoro” was skipped.. and we were delighted to hear the horns to start Sta nell’ircana. His delivery of this aria was great! I particularly liked how he treated the coloratura run. And the voice somehow fits this aria very well: not light, not smooth, but with a nice texture + color. As we have discussed before, just like for Alcina, Ruggiero’s various arias call for a range of colors and flexibility and sensitivity, and some voices fit certain arias better than others. His acting, though on the minimal side, was actually a delight starting in Act 2, in that Ruggiero was not swaggering across (Bradamante took charge instead!) but was more on the internalizing of the conflict and guilt. He even spent some time by Alcina’s side after all was set and done.. and it was Bradamante who return during “Sta nell’ircana” with 2 swords in hand taking charge. Thus Ruggiero’s internal conflict was more on display and at times one forgets whether it was a male or female singer who was delivering. Regarding the clip above, I’m quite amazed to re-listen to Vivica Genaux and realizing how much “heft” and superb low-notes she has! (Side note: could we also have her as Ruggiero for one of Papatanasiu’s future Alcina?)

Oberto, Oronto, Morgana, Alcina, Ruggiero, Bradamante, Melisso

The best acting of the night went to Natalie Logan’s Morgana. Her timing for acting + phrasing is quite spot on. And the absolute best comedy moment as well: just before “Tornami a vagheggiar” when she flipped her magic to close the doors and trapped Bradamante in the room. This aria was very well delivered, and was the first time I noticed she started phrasing and using different colors. The rest of the evening follows with increasingly more delightful phrasing. She had the two highly sensitive arias with solo viola da gamba and violin, and W.O.W. the soloists in the pit!!! SUPERB phrasing (and conducting). Back to Logan, her voice is a bit on the “getting used to” for my ears.. not sure if i could ever get used to it, but she was right behind Alcina in vocal expression. The sisters ruled! (and they stick together at the end when everyone else abandoning the island!)

Bradamante was sung by Michaela Wolz. She might take over Ruggiero sometimes with the nice stance! Her acting contrasts quite nicely with Ruggiero’s sensitive version. It’s a bit hard to comment on Bradamante’s arias: they are fast and furious, and unless they set the theater on fire you will simply go with them as are.. I quite like the tempo for “All’alma fedel”, and in parallel with the acting, showing how Bradamante was the stabilizer of all relationships and possibly the only one with a head to think properly. In fact this might be the first staging I’ve seen (and perhaps having to do with Wolz’s acting) where Bradamante seems to fully take control, knowing what she wants and how to get it.

Oberto, Oronto, Morgana, conductor, Alcina, Ruggiero, Bradamante, Melisso

Of the minor roles, I quite enjoy the singing of Haichen Peng as Oberto. I must emphasize though the superb job Altenbach did in leading the orchestra to highlight the music, lead the story, and fully paying attention to all his singers. The acting took a bit to warm up but everything fell into places as the night went on, and with the superb music and Händel, it ended up a highly enjoyable evening! Fingers crossed the orchestra and conductor keeping up the high energy tomorrow; everything comes from the pit! and I’m ready for a mezzo Ruggiero!

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