Verdi: Aida -- Royal Opera House [DVD]

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A high-level cast and ‘La Dolce Vita’ setting charm from the get-go in San Francisco Opera’s The Elixir of Love (27/11/2023) In many ways, Aida is bound up with contemporary history, however. When Ismail Pasha, the new Viceroy of Egypt, arrived in Paris to represent his country at the Exposition universelle in June 1867, the Egyptian pavilion that he had erected on a large corner of the Champs de Mars – featuring, among myriad things, a pharaoh’s temple, a modern-day bazaar, and a panorama of the Isthmus of Suez created by the Suez Canal company – was described by one French commentator as ‘a living Egypt, a picturesque Egypt, the Egypt of Ismail Pasha’. His lavish spectacle was almost certainly designed to present Egypt as a major player on the modern world stage, and this idea also lay behind his commission, two years later, of Verdi’s Aida, which was to be performed in Cairo’s first opera house, positioned beside the recently opened Suez Canal. Director Robert Carsen has envisioned a combination of America, China and Russia as the key influences for the new Aida aesthetic. However, no one superpower is represented, and it speaks to the timeless theme of power and war-time conflict instead. The set’s (Miriam Buether) colour scheme is stark; lifeless grey dominates the palette, interjected by splashes of red carpet or flag. Even the costumes (Annemarie Woods) reflect this, ranging from khaki to ashen, with the King of Egypt and his daughter getting to wear a rare blue and red while celebrating victory. The lighting (Robert Carsen and Peter van Praet) also adds seamlessly to the oppressive atmosphere, casting massive shadows outlining uniformed men onto the blank canvas of the walls. Having the director this closely involved with the lighting decisions paid off hugely; all of the chorus-heavy scenes feature at least one tableaux imprinted ten times larger in silhouette onto the bunker walls, looming over us like the dark fates of Radames and Aida. It is 20 years since Sir Antonio Pappano was first named music director of the Royal Opera House, then the youngest person to have held this post. Two decades later, audiences know that in the Italian repertoire in particular the orchestra and chorus of the Royal Opera are in hands not only expert but thoughtful, passionate and kind. Does it work? Yes and no. Verdi wrote an opera that was to be full of spectacle, and if you take the visual oohs and ahhs away then there are stretches of music that no longer have much reason to be there, yet still need filling. That’s how come we have to watch the women painstakingly laying a table, and to wait while every single soldier salutes the returning Radames, one by one.

Mezzo-Sopranos Maria Brown, Siobhain Gibson, Zoë Haydn, Maria Jones, Clare McCaldin, Hyacinth Nicholls, Dervla Ramsay, Jennifer Westwood The performance was dominated by two artists: the Amneris of Elīna Garanča and the conducting of Sir Mark Elder. Elder found such detail in the score – the orchestra played at its very best for him throughout, the opening of the first act beautifully, keenly phrased, the great musical arches of the big choral scenas perfectly traced. Elder is a man of the theatre, and how it showed. As for Elīna Garanča, she dominated the stage throughout, effortlessly, her voice strong, resolute and rich from her first entrance. Worth mentioning, as the Aida on this occasion, Angel Blue, took a little while to warm into the role of the captured Ethiopian princess (also in contrast to Elena Stikhina last time round). Once she had centred herself, though, Blue’s vocal strength was all there (a fine ‘O patria mia’) – a pity she did not show an equal dramatic presence to that of Garanča. In her drab beige pinafore, by contrast, it is through the gleaming soprano voice of Russia soprano Elena Stikhina that Aida shines. Her musical phrasing and utmost control is all the colour she needs to make a big impression. The autumn season of Jamiel Devernay-Laurence’s Ballet Nights reaches its Grande Finale (26/11/2023) The Belfast Ensemble conducted by Tom Deering in rehearsal at the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Photograph: Neil HarrisonRamfis ( Solomon Howard) who is ordinarily a High Priest, here appears as an intimidating senior military attaché whilst the rest of the junta wouldn’t have appeared out-of-place in Mubarak’s Egypt. When he presents the General with the icon which will lead Egypt to victory in battle, here it manifests as a Kalashnikov assault rifle. Tightly choreographed set pieces involve the enormous chorus and dancers who have been drilled into a marching/fighting machine equal to any found on an equivalent parade ground or battlefield. Aside from the assault rifle distribution scene, the 2 other notable unsung orchestral interludes give rise to an inspection of the guard by the king and the laying of the victory banquet table. Both are inspired choices and add considerably to the audience’s enjoyment — if only due to the excited nervousness which comes from anticipating whether every chorus member will have managed to reach his/her designated place by the last note. No apologies, one week on, for another eulogy to the musicians at Westminster Abbey. From the warmup act brilliance of the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner, to the service itself under the orchestral and choral helms of Antonio Pappano and Andrew Nethsingha working in perfect harmony; to the formidable trumpeters; to each of the choristers and soloists; to the organist; to the composers past and present: this coronation was a display of impeccable music-making by singers and players who (with only a few exceptions) were trained in this country. Their discipline and hard work is beyond measure. Anyone paying attention already knows the perilous state of British musical life. The music that resounded in the abbey was more eloquent than any rant. Words add nothing. At least for now.

Angel Blue took on the title role of Aida. Vocally there was a bright, gilded edge to the sound; this brought an urgency and intensity to the character, and a palpable sense of desperation. It also meant that Blue had little difficulty clearing the orchestra in the biggest climaxes, even if there were fewer colors and shades available above the stave. The velvety textures and muted colors of her middle register were thoroughly absorbing in more inward moments, especially when joined with Blue’s luxurious portamento . In the very highest reaches her vibrato veered a little wide, and intonation lost its focus as a result. But such foibles aside there were many standout moments. Act three’s “O patria mia” sequence showed glorious musical and dramatic range, as well as the limpid ensuing duet with Radamès. This reviewer just wishes (for the entire company’s sake) that Verdi had not written the second half. For any optimist and even most romantics, it is simply an excrutiating hour of misery, blame, recrimination and human stupidity. There are few redeeming moments and the final tomb scene — which here is actually an underground bomb storage depot — is one of the most foolishly morose to ever feature in the work of a genius as notable and loved as Guiseppe Verdi, (so we must lay the blame squarely at the feet of his librettist Antonio Ghislanzoni). Updated! English National Ballet in 2023/24: introducing Maria Seletskaja their new music director (07/11/2023) Plenty of opportunities for the Chorus of the Royal Opera House to shine in this grand spectacle, which they did (notwithstanding a temporary disagreement with Elder about tempo in Act two, which will presumably iron itself out). Nothing is more exciting than quiet singing – the Act one scene in the temple saw superlative, feather-soft singing from the men of the chorus, the sound veiled and blooming. It was an unearthly moment of beauty that hinted at some residual humanity hidden behind the bellicose world of the opera. Aida – Elena Stikhina, Radamès – Francesco Meli, Amneris – Agnieszka Rehlis, Amonasro – Ludovic Tézier, Ramfis – Soloman Howard, King of Egypt – In Sung Sim, High Priestess – Francesca Chiejina, Messenger – Andrés Presno; Director – Robert Carsen, Conductor – Sir Antonio Pappano, Set Designer – Miriam Buether, Costume Designer – Annemarie Woods, Lighting Designers – Robert Carsen and Peter van Praet, Choreographer – Rebecca Howell, Video Designer – Duncan McLean, Orchestra and Chorus of the Royal Opera House.If colour was absent from the stage, then there was plenty of it in the pit where Antonio Pappano mined all the subtleties of the score, from the most delicate string sound to the heights of orchestral opulence. Time and again, the sensitivity of his reading brought balance, and human warmth, to the grim austerity of the design and the tragic tone of the drama. To take just one moment, Aida’s wrenching mourning after she has been condemned by her father: here, the soft darkness of the lower strings and bassoon wonderfully underscored Aida’s desolation and the pathos of her lament.