Simon Boccanegra is not one of Verdi's best operas, however it is an opera that I'm liking more and more every time I hear it. The story is convoluted especially with Boccanegra and Amelia deciding to keep their father-daughter relationship a secret, but it is also daring and interesting enough. I have often seen and heard the criticisms that the score lacks truly great melodies.
Perhaps compared to the likes of La Traviata, Il Trovatore, Rigoletto and Don Carlo that's true, but I do love several moments of the score, with the standouts being Il Lacerato Spirito, Plebe Patrizi..., Orfanella In Tetto Umile... and the duet between Boccanegra and Fiesco, so it is an operatic score that I wouldn't hesitate in hearing again willingly.
This Simon Boccanegra is truly excellent. Of the productions I've seen the best ones have been from 1978(La Scala), 1984(Met) and 1995(Met), but this production is better than the 2010(Met) and 1998(Glyndebourne) performances, which were good but lacking.
I did very much like how it looked. Of course the sets are minimalist and the costumes austere, but for a production and opera that was emphasising on characterisation and drama rather than the look of sunlit shores, palaces and villas this is ideal. The camera work is interesting and done in a way that you connect with the characters, and the picture quality is of good clarity. The sound is fine as well.
Musically, this production is superb. The orchestra are wonderful, with such a powerful sound, the chorus are balanced beautifully especially in the Counsel scene(Plebe Patrizi) and Daniele Gatti's conducting is insightful and alive to nuances. Orfanella In Tetto Umile and Il Lacerato Spirito are particularly well done in this respect.
Thomas Hampson is wonderful as Boccanegra. Simon Boccanegra is alongside Rigoletto the most complex of the Verdi baritone roles in terms of characterisation, and while I like Hampson I admittedly had reservations of whether he would work in one of the more difficult roles he has possibly taken on. Actually, while his lyric high baritone is not quite what I have in mind vocally in the role, I would have preferred a more smooth(Cappuccilli), authoritative(Milnes) or sympathetic(Chernov) quality to it, he sings with great beauty of tone and his acting ranges from sympathetic, firm and loyal, making his account of Boccanegra a gripping one.
Ferruccio Furlanetto is no stranger to Verdi bass roles, he has done King Phillip, The Grand Inquisitor(both Don Carlo), Zaccaria(Nabucco) and Sparafucile(Rigoletto) and he excels at all of these, especially The Grand Inquisitor. My favourite as Fiesco is still Nicolai Ghiaurov, but that is in no way disputing Furlanetto for he is dramatically very powerful and his vocal production is commanding with some nice firmness and ferocity in the vocal expression, making his Il Lacerato Spirito and duet with Hampson all the all impressive.
Cristina Gollardo-Domas is an excellent Amelia. I am more accustomed to Mirella Freni, Anna Tomowa-Sintow and especially Karita Mattila in the role, but Gollardo-Domas is very endearing and affectionate. Generally she sings very well with her singing in Orfanella in Tetto Umile quite musical and affecting, but occasionally her vibrato can be a little too wide and some of her phrases could've done with being more sustained. Admittedly I found her freer vocally as Mimi a year later.
Miloslav Dvorsky is one of the stronger Gabriele Adornos I've seen. Apart from Placido Domingo and Michael Sylvester I have found many in the role stolid and unexciting. Dvorsky is conversely pretty forthright, and his singing while not as delicate as I would've liked is fine.
All in all, a musically superb and inspired Boccanegra. 9/10 Bethany Cox
Perhaps compared to the likes of La Traviata, Il Trovatore, Rigoletto and Don Carlo that's true, but I do love several moments of the score, with the standouts being Il Lacerato Spirito, Plebe Patrizi..., Orfanella In Tetto Umile... and the duet between Boccanegra and Fiesco, so it is an operatic score that I wouldn't hesitate in hearing again willingly.
This Simon Boccanegra is truly excellent. Of the productions I've seen the best ones have been from 1978(La Scala), 1984(Met) and 1995(Met), but this production is better than the 2010(Met) and 1998(Glyndebourne) performances, which were good but lacking.
I did very much like how it looked. Of course the sets are minimalist and the costumes austere, but for a production and opera that was emphasising on characterisation and drama rather than the look of sunlit shores, palaces and villas this is ideal. The camera work is interesting and done in a way that you connect with the characters, and the picture quality is of good clarity. The sound is fine as well.
Musically, this production is superb. The orchestra are wonderful, with such a powerful sound, the chorus are balanced beautifully especially in the Counsel scene(Plebe Patrizi) and Daniele Gatti's conducting is insightful and alive to nuances. Orfanella In Tetto Umile and Il Lacerato Spirito are particularly well done in this respect.
Thomas Hampson is wonderful as Boccanegra. Simon Boccanegra is alongside Rigoletto the most complex of the Verdi baritone roles in terms of characterisation, and while I like Hampson I admittedly had reservations of whether he would work in one of the more difficult roles he has possibly taken on. Actually, while his lyric high baritone is not quite what I have in mind vocally in the role, I would have preferred a more smooth(Cappuccilli), authoritative(Milnes) or sympathetic(Chernov) quality to it, he sings with great beauty of tone and his acting ranges from sympathetic, firm and loyal, making his account of Boccanegra a gripping one.
Ferruccio Furlanetto is no stranger to Verdi bass roles, he has done King Phillip, The Grand Inquisitor(both Don Carlo), Zaccaria(Nabucco) and Sparafucile(Rigoletto) and he excels at all of these, especially The Grand Inquisitor. My favourite as Fiesco is still Nicolai Ghiaurov, but that is in no way disputing Furlanetto for he is dramatically very powerful and his vocal production is commanding with some nice firmness and ferocity in the vocal expression, making his Il Lacerato Spirito and duet with Hampson all the all impressive.
Cristina Gollardo-Domas is an excellent Amelia. I am more accustomed to Mirella Freni, Anna Tomowa-Sintow and especially Karita Mattila in the role, but Gollardo-Domas is very endearing and affectionate. Generally she sings very well with her singing in Orfanella in Tetto Umile quite musical and affecting, but occasionally her vibrato can be a little too wide and some of her phrases could've done with being more sustained. Admittedly I found her freer vocally as Mimi a year later.
Miloslav Dvorsky is one of the stronger Gabriele Adornos I've seen. Apart from Placido Domingo and Michael Sylvester I have found many in the role stolid and unexciting. Dvorsky is conversely pretty forthright, and his singing while not as delicate as I would've liked is fine.
All in all, a musically superb and inspired Boccanegra. 9/10 Bethany Cox
