Can Pavarotti, Domingo, Kaufmann, Marton, Netrebko, Harteros save IL TROVATORE?
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- čas přidán 6. 04. 2024
- Il Trovatore - whenever I see or hear this opera my only question is: what possessed Verdi to compose his divine music to such an absurd libretto? Probably money - and that’s a great reason, I get that. But what an awful, truly awful story he had to deal with.
There is this quote attributed to Caruso that Trovatore is an easy to produce opera: the only thing you need is the best 4 singers in the world. I would add the best stage director in the world to this list because it is a simply impossible task to make sense of the nonsense happening in this opera.
Bad enough that almost nothing is happening on stage. And that this nothing is always happening at night. Everything interesting happens between the acts and will be narrated in the following act. Every fight or duel or meaningful development - we never see it, we just hear about it after it happened somewhere else, probably in the cafeteria of the opera house or in the dressing rooms, I don’t know.
Original videos:
Bayerische Staatsoper 2013 • Il Trovatore Full Oper...
Staatsoper Berlin 2013 • OPERA Il trovatore - A...
Metropolitan Opera 1988 • Il Trovatore by Verdi-...
You have to love an incomprehensible opera in which baby-burning is the climactic event that happens…before the opera ever starts.
What a delightful surprise! Thank you for sharing the Bayerische production. I posted the video with English subtitles because I found the singing and acting to be of excellent quality, although I admit the production itself was at times difficult to understand, and at worst, downright dreadful. (The most shocking moment for me was the appearance of the two huge dolls in Act 3, Scene 1) 😱. However, despite the implausibility of the story, I must say the libretto itself is rather well crafted. It features a tightly woven plot, some beautifully poetic lyrics, vivid imagery, and avoids the common pitfall of repetitive language due to limited vocabulary. Conversely, there are some librettos where, despite the relatable story, the writing is subpar (e.g., Cavalleria rusticana). In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed your post and found myself laughing quite a bit.
Hello! The libretto of Il Trovatore is based on a play by Antonio García Gutiérrez, premiered in 1836. Several modifications are introduced in the libretto that make the plot more incredible than the play itself. Even so, I personally love this opera because it is the epitome of romantic delirium. Another thing is that the set design does not help to understand the work and makes it even more absurd, for example that in the Bayerische Staatsoper production Leonora is blind or in the Staatsoper Berlin production, the gypsy camp scene that seems taken from the Goya's Caprichos or Disparates. Fortunately on CZcams we can see other productions in which the script is not distorted and, more importantly, well sung. As for operatic plots in general, we have some pretty crazy ones and a lot of detestable characters, but music can do it all. Thanks for your videos.
What a refreshing take on the various aspects of this opera! I agree with you that no. 3 is the one I'd also like to watch live. In the recording studio it's hard to beat Milnes and Pavarotti but as a stage production, they might as well have put cardboard figures on stage, played the recording and sent the orchestra and singers home.
That scene with the knife and the shower curtain-I couldn’t help but think of Pyscho. All I wanted was for him to slash that plastic.
Rare win for the BSO. When it comes to staging. Seen quite a few of them now and aside from the excellent wnd moving „war and peace“ they usually range from „cool. But why?“ (Lucia/Idomeneo) to „what in the world were you thinking? Who thought this was a good idea?!“ (Macbeth)
I also liked the final production with Kaufmann the best tho I don’t hunt for this opera when I want to listen to music. I watched a version with Hvorostovsky and Jose Cura: great singing as expected, and stars were easy on the eye. Dima dressed in beautiful blue uniform. Fight scene was much better and Cura seemed into. it. Well acted and more classic opera, in my opinion
Kaufmann and Netrebko saving Il trovatore? Good gracious. There are some spectacular singers out there today, not sure why you keep focusing on the bad ones.
I was laughing really sweetly. 😂And I learned something again.🙂 My only fear is, if I continue to be your student (which is certain), how will I experience operas in the future?🤔
Не буду сравнивать Leonora, их много очень хороших и прекрасных. То же касается и Azucena. А вот лучшие на мой взгляд Manrico это Aureliano Pertile, MDM, Corelli and Franco Bonisoli. Любимые Conte di Luna - Apollo Granforte, Ettore Bastianini, Giangiacomo Guelfi. Дирижеров сейчас тоже не буду сравнивать, никакого места не хватит😁 И как жаль, что в этом Вашем видео не включены субтитры. Я не так хорошо знаю английский язык, чтобы понять всё😕Глубоко уважаю Вас🥰
The sets for the first two seemed sterile, in fact the first one was almost "Il Trovatore in Concert". I certainly couldn't say that about the third one but I didn't like the shower curtain either! Despite the fact that it contains one of my favourite numbers (Miserere) which was also one of the first pieces of opera that I ever listened to, Il Trovatore is not one of my favourites. This is because I find the story preposterous and nasty, so I think we may agree about it.
"ok Leonora, now we wait him release Manrico and before the marriage you.."
That’s okay. If the soprano, tenor, mezzo, and baritone can sing this opera beautifully, they can sing anything. Verdi demands the very best singing in Trovatore. And who cares about the story! Nowadays, new operas are produced all the time with subjects ripped from the headlines. And they are never heard from again. People always return to Trovatore because of the incredible music.
I have to agree with you. Could you analyse a production Corelli - Bastianini? It would be interesting. Thanks.
I think Norma wins the stupid libretto prize. Who knew virgin priestesses got such long sabbaticals, no questions asked? And Clothilde, what's with the diaper bag? But I digress. Agreed, 3rd production is the watchable one, tho I agree the locomotive is inexplicable. I thought of the wheels/gears on both the scrim and set as echoing how the characters are caught, both by the situation and their emotions. Yes, that might apply more appropriately to Forza, but still works here, IMHO. The set on #2 was ridiculous; looked like a prison courtyard. Di Luna's castle would be better fashioned, and why would the gypsies be popping into the same place? You'd think Deutsche Oper could afford better, and smarter.
It is indeed VERY difficult to find a perfect work that contains everything. Verdi unfortunately was imo the biggest victim of this. Probably due to his long career and he was almost the monopoly that time, he had to yield to some limitations.
Oh dear, here we go again. The majority of Operas have silly and/or crazy plots. lol Opera is not about the "plot" but themes and ideas, not to mention the music obviously. It is a melodrama. Il Trovatore has everything; love, hate, revenge, regret. Lot's of tension and passion galore. And some of the most beautiful and majestic music there is in an opera. Furthermore, the great thing about Il trovatore is that its wonderful music isn't just for the tenor and/or soprano, but for everybody involved; Tenor, Soprano, Baritone, Mezzo, Bass, Chorus and Orchestra. Just yesterday I re-listen to Price, Corelli, Bastianini, Simionato recording with Karajan, during Salzburger Festspiele in 1962. My god! I was on the edge the whole time and almost hold my breath during the whole time, only to release and cry by the end of it. Absolute perfection. If an Opera doesn't stir those kind of feelings in you, but instead you're too busy to solve the "plot", then probably it isn't a genre for you.
Too bad you cannot show the CORELLI - BASTIANINI production. It is unique and magnificent. We would appreciate it.
Thanks for this hilarious video. I had a good laugh and greatly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, Il Trovatore has always been regarded as the epitome of operatic silliness. The Marx brothers used is as the opera being performed in their movie comedy "Night at the Opera" and Gilbert and Sullivan pilloried it in "The Pirates of Penzance." In my opinion, there is no way anyone can make this opera work dramatically much as no one can make Ponchielli's La Gioconda work dramatically.
With a knitting needle my mother was able to perform miracles ....🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣. I liked Leonora being blind, but the confusion is because in the opera they are brothers, and they are supposed to look alike. They could put masks on the actors. In this case, Leonora is blind but not stupid, and she chose Kaufman as her boyfriend. Gypsies like to travel, so I guess that's why they put a locomotive. The wheels between scenes look like the ones that appeared on television between shows in the 50s. My guesses.