The Teatro Colon in Buenos Aires has presented a double program with the premiere in this Hall of the opera «Aleko» and «Francesca da Rimini» Serguei Rachmaninov. The work as operista of the composer is very less well known than his work for piano, Chamber or symphonic and therefore the release of these titles was expected with anticipation.
«Aleko»premiered in 1893 in St. Petersburg was the work that Rachmaninov presented as a final work of his composition studies at the Imperial Conservatory and is based on a text of Pushkin that recounts an episode in a gypsy camp where a good family Russian (Aleko), takes refuge looking for that community’s simplicity, freedom and contact with nature. There meets the carefree Zemfira wih whom he falls in love with, but that ends up fooling him with another Gypsy. Discovered the betrayal, Aleko kills the lovers and is expelled from the camp of those who are considered simple but not murderers.
Version that mounted the Teatro Colon could not retract the temptation to move time and space to the plot and thus the Group of Gypsies was transformed into a circus troupe, and 19th century was replaced by indeterminate age from the second half of the 20th century, change that involved also abandon the sense that Pushkin gives its history emphasizing its sleaze and a naturalism of Class B Black Cinema.
The major obstacle that found this criterion of Silviu Purcarete, who was responsible of The scene, was the Rachmaninov evocative character almost pictorial music describing the fall of the afternoon, the starry night, the dances of women and men (replaced here by some pantomimes and circus acrobatics) so much of the best of the score was wasted. The appearance of certain symbols such as the bear-man, the chandelier trimmings or giant ceiling fan in the middle of the circus camp were difficult to understand for the Auditorium. The scenery and costumes for Helmut Stürmer accentuated the sordidness and kisch’s picture stealing all poetic feature.
Among the actors stood Serguei Leiferkus who created a committed Aleko, even if the text did not allowed to delve into a composition of which we are accustomed to applaud him, even in other titles by Rachmaninov. His voice, pleasant timbre and rich in nuances, seemed however somewhat light for the role, but apart from any repair his presence nested scene.
Irina Oknina showed a more disgusted than carefree Zemfira and her singing sounded a little shrill and demanded here and there.
Leonid Zakhozhaev as young Gypsy, Kuzmin-Karavaev Maxim as the old Gypsy and Barrientos Guadalupe as the old Gypsy, met solvency with its parts, although it would have liked greater authority on the characterization of the second who, in the end, is the head of the group.
«Francesca da Rimini», premiered in 1906, is a work of greater body, better accomplished in dramatic and indeed, tighter content in which reltes to the experience of Modesto Chaikovski as librettist.
Here the stage director had major successes than his predecessor.
Very interesting was the prologue with their «dance» row in the whirlwind. Dress Dante and Virgil of black same as the scenery and costume of the damned perhaps was not the best idea and lost there chance to show the difference, indicated by Dante, among the visitors to hell and its definitive occupants; beyond this, the use of skeletons in the choreography and the action seemed shocking and touching, a pity that the use of the same resource in the remaining pictures subtracted effect and ended lossin all it’s impact.
Serguei Leiferkus who played a Lanceotto worthy of the merits of the artist, was also highlighted in this work. His II and III scenes of the table I ° were the best of the evening. Her singing was of great class and his interpretation worthy of its history.
Irina Oknina was a beautiful Francesca, sung with good line although her tone is a bit cold.
Hugh Smith was below the ideal Paolo both scenic and vocally, presenting us with a canto devoid of nuances and subtleties. Its timbre which is not unpleasant and its flow were not used with justice.
Leonid Zakhozhaev as Dante and Maxim Kuzmin – Karavaev as Virgil, commendably fulfilled their roles.
The stable Choir had a very outstanding work in both titles, in which their participation is nothing significant, and sounded with pleasant uniformity and good filling.
The direction of the Maestro. Ira Levin was not noted for its subtlety or knew how to extract the wealth that involve the scores. A more dramatic sense is missed in your reading and a greater ability to qualify the sound.
The Teatro Colón has paid off a debt with Rachmaninov to present two of his works and that is an achievement. We would have liked the version rewarded with higher brightness the waiting and expectation.
(Traducciónm: María Garcia-Rosado)
