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Opera Review. La Fanciulla del West
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La Fanciulla del West, first sung at New York’s Met in December 1910 in a star-studded production, Destinn as Minnie, Caruso as Dick Johnson and Toscanini as conductor, is a rollicking plot of life in the Far West during the Gold Rush, which gives Puccini full scope to display all his enormous skills at winding up tension and tugging at our hearts with brief and poignant arias. The tale is true melodrama, but powerful, with promises of dire tragedy and damned love; however, all ends happily, Minnie and Dick galloping off to start a new life.
Giancarlo Del Monaco is responsible for the production, a miracle of economy of gesture and movement, the costumes, fairly conventional cowboy but very effective, and sets, which are, quite simply, spectacular, particularly so in Act II. Snow falls relentlessly during the whole act, adding immeasurably to the drama evolving in Minnie’s cabin. The appearance of the odd live horse also adds greatly to enjoyment.
Gianluigi Gelmetti conducts with all his customary verve and with enthusiatic immersion in the complexities of the score, displaying at the same time an exquisite sensitivity towards the singers battling with very serious demands of their roles.
The main protagonists are generous.
Minnie is Daniela Dessì, who with strong voice and endless range of tone inflections conveyed myriad subtleties of emotion, while also displaying extraordinarily moving acting abilities. The tenor, Fabio Armiliato, another highly talented singer, heroic in presence and voice, was Dick Johnson. In a very rare break with opera theatre etiquette and to the insistent demands of the audience, he was forced to sing an encore of ‘Ch’ella mi creda libero e lontano’, one of Puccini’s greatest and best-loved melodies, in which he declares his love for Minnie and begs that she should never know his fate. A show-stopper. Silvano Carroli is oustandingly professional with a beautiful voice and gives a superb performance as sheriff Dick Rance, a difficult role, in which he is the villain of the piece and at the same time wins our sympathy as the disappointed lover.
A wonderful evening.
Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, Piazza Beniamino Gigli 1, Roma. Tel. 06 481601 www.operaroma.it 8 April 2008. Further performances 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 15 April 2008
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