| Titles | Artists | Composers | Conductors | Broadway | Opera | Home |
Le Nozze di Figaro
John Eliot Gardiner, Conductor
Bryn Terfel, Alison Hagley, Rodney Gilfrey, Hillevi Martinpelto, Pamela Stephens
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Librettist: Lorenzo da Ponte
John Eliot Gardiner leads the English Baroque Soloists in this very charming and lively video performance of Figaro. (Help, I sound like an advertisement!)
Seriously, this is a great performance despite its flaws. The performers are all both wonderful singers and convincing actors, and the entire ensemble generally succeeds in creating a lively and comic mood that doesn't drown out the serious bits of the piece.
Bryn Terfel's Figaro is lovable, although whoever designed his costume should be made to wear it in public. Terfel manages to transcend his bright blue hairnet and give us a Figaro who, though good-natured and fun-loving, is neither as simple as he seems nor the kind of man you want to cross. His rich, full voice only adds to the effect.
Alison Hagley is a truly superb Susanna, and the best I've seen on video. She's in touch with the character and manages to be mischievous, impetuous, and funny without being cutesy. Wonderful facial expressions throughout, but in particular "Via resti, servita" is priceless. Also a beautiful voice, suited to the role.
I didn't like Rodney Gilfry as the Count at first, but he grew on me with repeated watchings. His Count really is a self-centered jerk and not at all sympathetic, but it works within the context of this performance, alongside such a lively Susanna and lovable Figaro. His acting throughout the final scene is masterful, however, and you get the feeling that he really is repentant. I do love the way he salutes Cherubino at the end.
Hillevi Martinpelto, as the Countess, has a really nice voice and is a decent actress. She's a fairly dignified Countess (though not so much so as Kiri Te Kanawa), and very sympathetic. Unlike Janice Watson in the video conducted by Paolo Olmi, she isn't a whiner. "Porgi Amor" displays instead a very real, poignant sorrow, which is how it is supposed to be sung.
Pamela Stephens makes a pretty good Cherubino. She looks boyish enough for the part with the short haircut, and has a nice if not particularly disctinctive voice. Her acting is much better. I like the way she slouches down after being uncovered in the chair by the count - the picture of a small boy caught in the act and trying to sink into the floor. The nervousness at the beginning of "Voi che sapete" is cute, but it makes the first part of the song sound terrible. However the fact that what he hums as he enters in the last scene is "Finch'han dal vino" from Don Giovanni is the kind of detail that makes a performance fun. I'm sure Mozart would approve.
The supporting characters are performed decently. I liked the very minimal and undistracting set. All in all, a very enjoyable performance that is worth seeing.
| Originally Reviewed: | 10-Jul-03 |
