On stream tonight – Eastern Europe conquers Rome’s new Aida
OperaWith its cast of hundreds, thrilling score, and sweeping tale of love and heroics in ancient Egypt, Verdi’s Aida has long been a fixture on the stages of every major opera house in the world and it is being brought to you by Slippedisc, courtesy of OperaVision.
This new production combines the colossal and the intimate. For Michele Mariotti, conductor and music director of Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Verdi’s genius lies in his managing to combine spectacular, triumphal elements with a love story that unfolds far from public space in delicate pianissimi and sotto voce singing. For these elements to exist on stage, director Davide Livermore has found inspiration in silent epic cinema of the early twentieth century combined with certain references to Art Deco. Soprano Krassimira Stoyanova takes on the title role with mezzo-soprano Ekaterina Semenchuk as her rival, the conniving princess Amneris. Tenor Gregory Kunde is Radamès, the warrior that both women love, and baritone Vladimir Stoyanov is Aida’s father, the fallen king Amonasro.
The Plot: Princess Aida has been kidnapped: a valuable prize in a war between Egypt and Ethiopia. The ambitious soldier Radames wrestles with his feelings for her. As they draw closer together, each must make a painful choice between their loyalty to home, and their love for each other.
Available from Friday 7th March 2023 at 1900 CET/ 1800 London/ 1300 NY (subtitles in English and Italian)
Does anyone think Kunde is an acceptable Adames? I hate to say he makes me cringe. And I felt the same a few weeks ago in Maryland where I saw him live as Otello.
Kunde used to be one of my favorite tenors due to his strong performance as Aeneas in Berlioz’s Trojans.
What is there so new about it? The reference studio recording of Aida — from Rome! — was done by a Romanian conductor with a Croatian Aida, Italian Amneris, Swedish Radames, American Amonasro, and Bulgarian Ramfis. The best live that I know was conducted by an Italian with a Bulgarian Aida, German Amneris, Spanish/Mexican Radames, German Amonasro, and British Ramfis. And here we have a Bulgarian Aida, Ukrainian Amneris, Americam Radames, Bulgarian Amonasro and Italian Ramfis. Looks like business as usual to me. Why not leave geopolitics to Mr. Putin, a dyed-in-the-wool genius in the field?
OK, you win. I have watched it all. Amneris, the real protagonist, was fine. Stoyanova, a superb artist, delivered a perfect, musical Aida with a voice a bit too lyrical for the part — the voice has survived splendidly over years of doing this, but the diction suffers. The King and Ramfis, put together, do not make half a bass.
But think of the Italian participation: a less than mediocre Ramfis, an impossibly bad High Priestess, and a chorus 73 years behind what you hear on the Perlea recording. And an audience visibly incapable of appreciating what they hear. First timid Bravi! after the absolute low point, the temple scene. Boos for Kunde, who at least sang in beautiful Italian, and for Stoyanova??? Given some recollections, why must the best Verdian baritone of today be Bulgarian? Where is the Italian Radames? What about Barbieri, Simionato, Cossotto?
There was applause for the production — a bit premature before it has been ascertained whether it was by Livermore or by ChatGTP. The only touch of elegance was leaving Aida entirely without makeup — a final proof to the fact that white is the new black.