I saw Bartlett Sher's daffy production of Rossini's Il Barbiere di Siviglia twice last season and enjoyed it tremendously both times, but I still went into Saturday night's performance at the Met with a high degree of principled uncertainty, shall we say. The big deal was the New York debut of Latvian mezzo Elīna Garanča (left), a 31-year-old performer whose European appearances have been highly touted; based on the two recital CDs I'd heard, I was impressed with the voice but largely unmoved by the interpretations.
Garanča, the subject of a nice profile by George Loomis in the New York Sun last Thursday, was not the only artist making a first appearance Saturday night. Spanish tenor José Manuel Zapata, an artist unknown to me, made his company debut as Almaviva, and John Michael Moore took on the small role of Fiorello. And I'd not previously seen Italian baritone Franco Vassallo, who made his company debut as Figaro in 2005 and repeated the role here, though I enjoyed his work in the recently released DVD of last season's Puritani.
When I first saw Sher's spare, perpetual-motion production, I felt that its lasting success would depend largely on the singers engaged in the principal roles. The original cast -- Flórez as Almaviva, Damrau and DiDonato as Rosina, and Mattei as Figaro -- filled the vast spaces left by the sketchy sets with the overwhelming power of their personalities. Mattei's oversize, swaggering rock-star machismo and playful demeanor in seemed especially crucial. (Unfortunately I didn't get to see Russell Braun's performances and wasn't able to compare.)
The most welcome news on Saturday night, then, was that Vassallo managed to fill the role with just as much charisma as Mattei, and sometimes sounded even more stylish. He had a similarly scene-stealing flair. Zapata, working with a cold according to a pre-curtain announcement, sounded slightly rough at the beginning and end of the night, especially at the highest end of his range. In between those points, however, he was solid and engaging, and engaged in some crooning that was positively swoon-worthy. In place of Flórez's slender elegance and boyish charm, Zapata offered what my female companion called a "teddy-bear" quality.
Garanča sang gorgeously, and created a Rosina distinct from those of last season. Damrau's Rosina had a hard edge, and even seemed a bit too steely and aggressive at times. Di Donato seemed very nearly perfect: frisky, vulnerable and resourceful. Garanča demonstrated hints of both qualities, as well as patrician bearing, a coquettish streak and an occasion air of desperation. Her characterization didn't always feel quite as finished as those of her predecessors, but it was viable and enjoyable all the same.
Bruno Praticò's Bartolo, equipped with a cute little clutch-purse chihuahua in one scene, was a roly-poly, blubber-cheeked delight. Praticò was sensational in patter taken at a breakneck pace, and remarkably he was also a good deal more sympathetic than the average Bartolo. Peter Rose's Basilio was solid if not as domineering as that of Samuel Ramey last season. Jennifer Check, as Berta, displayed sharp comedic timing and a penetrating voice. Rob Besserer's portrayal of Ambrogio retained its ghoulishly Riff Raff charm.
Sher's production remains much as it was, though there are new bits of funny business crammed into nearly every nook and cranny: more oranges and pumpkins, the aforementioned dog, Rosina's breathy "olé" during Almaviva's serenade. Falsetto squeals and other silly voices popped up with greater frequency.
But two older bits didn't come off this time. Ambrogio's uproarious sole utterance was swallowed by scenery applause -- imagine! (This also happened last spring, and could be fixed simply by having Almaviva wait another beat or two after the curtains part before offering his last "Gioia e pace.")
Also gone was the fiery explosion that sends that character tumbling backward through Bartolo's house; Jay Nordlinger was happy to see this omitted in his New York Sun review today, but it seemed like a pyrotechnic mishap to me, given that the program still altered audience members to the production's use of "explosive noises and fire and smoke effects."
Harpsichordist Robert Morrison's accompaniment was always imaginative and appropriate. And apart from a slightly shaky overture, conductor Frédéric Chaslin drew a tidy, effective performance from the orchestra. Audience response was generous, and considerably more than that for Garanča and Praticò. The reception for Chaslin and Sher seemed noticeably cooler.
Still, this is a solid cast in a vibrant, imaginative imaginative production. It's reassuring to think that if Sher's Barbiere does in fact require larger-than-life performers to fill up its gaps, there currently seems to be no lack of bright performers capable of doing the job. And Garanča is clearly a major star in the making. I couldn't help but wonder how long it will be until she's cast in something with Anna Netrebko. Così, maybe?
More reviews: Bernard Holland, Clive Barnes, Ronald Blum, Harry Rolnick
Playlist:
Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil (Blue Note)
Dave Douglas and Keystone - Moonshine (Greenleaf)
David Sylvian and Robert Fripp - Damage (DGM/Virgin)
Giacomo Puccini - Manon Lescaut - Renata Scotto, Plácido Domingo, Pablo Elvira, Metropolitan Opera Chorus and Orchestra/James Levine (Rhapsody.com stream)
Funkadelic - Hardcore Jollies (Priority)
Marillion - Friends and Family (Racket downloads)
Sonic Youth - Rather Ripped (Geffen)
Olivier Messiaen - La Nativité du Seigneur - Olivier Latry (Deutsche Grammophon)
Nine Horses - Snow Borne Sorrow (Samadhi Sound)
John Corigliano - Circus Maximus (Symphony No. 3) (publisher's demo); The Ghosts of Versailles - Teresa Stratas, Marilyn Horne, Metropolitan Opera/James Levine (Deutsche Grammophon video)
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