James Edward Hughes
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Travel
  • Essays
    • Science >
      • Science Essays
      • Underwater World >
        • Essays
      • The Lithopaedion's Lair
    • History >
      • History Essays
    • Book Reviews
    • Music >
      • Music Essays
      • CD Reviews
      • Concert Reviews
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Henry Parker

Vivaldi's Griselda: Cadogan Hall

9/19/2014

0 Comments

 
Opera Settecento’s first production left no doubt that this young Opera Company will make its mark on the Baroque music scene in the years to come.
Picture
Opera Settecento burst onto the Baroque music scene with a concert production of Vivaldi’s Griselda at Cadogan Hall. Drawing on internationally renowned singers such as Contralto Hilary Summers and Countertenor Andrew Watts, as well as promoting up-and-coming new talent, Opera Settecento’s resurrect the “unjustly neglected ‘opera seria’ scores from the 18th century” which reside in the vaults of libraries and archives all over Europe. The company is lead by is led by its Musical Director, Thomas Foster.

The incomparable contralto Hilary Summers delivered the title role of Griselda with arresting stage presence. Her characterisation was underpinned by a precise understanding of the libretto, and a willingness to bring a steely determination to the role. Summers’ rich contralto was a striking contrast to the four higher voices, at times even challenging Ronan Busfield’s lyric tenor for strength in the lower registers. Particularly impressive was the fiery “Ho il cor già lacero” which Summers delivered with total security and with astounding force. Given the role was created by Vivaldi’s protégé, the contralto Anna Girò, it was wonderful to see a true contralto in the cast for once.

The revelation of the evening was the soprano Erica Eloff, who excelled in the en travesti role of Ottone. The role is a difficult one to cast, as its range of over two octaves from G3, its awkward, athletic jumps between head and chest registers, and its tessitura, create palpable challenges for sopranos, mezzos and countertenors (though David Hansen performed this role masterfully in Pinchgut Opera’s recent production).

Eloff had no such troubles with the technicalities of the role, unleashing a few incredible stratospheric pieces of ornamentation. Her control, and use, of the full dynamic spectrum, with some incredible pianissimo notes left the audience in no doubt of her technical capabilities. She was also a fantastic actress as well, crafting a cleverly nuanced Ottone with dashes of humour. The key aria for the role is, of course, “Dopo un'orrida procella” and Eloff executed this devilish arias with the air of someone who rolls off arias like that as a warm-up exercise. Eloff delivered an exhilarating performance, and she is definitely someone to watch in the future.

Ronan Busfield took on the role of Gualtiero, Griselda’s husband. His first aria was one of Vivaldi’s nightmare tenor coloratura arias, which Busfield heroically delivered, committing himself totally from the onset. In his final aria, Busfield interpolated a magnificent octave-and-a-half leap from chest to head registers.  His voice was an excellent choice for the often low-lying tessitura of the role. Kiandra Howarth performed a mighty “Agitata da due venti”, while countertenor Andrew Watts often threatened to steal the show as Roberto. The second countertenor of the even was Tom Verney in the role of Corrado.

Thomas Foster, directing from the Harpsichord, lead his orchestra, playing on period instruments, with style and flair, breathing life into the work, and giving the long passages of recitative a dynamism which helped the audience to engage with the drama of the plot. His tempo choices were always tasteful, and Foster resisted following the current trend of replacing every tempo marking with prestissimo!

0 Comments

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Alan Oke
    Alastair Miles
    Alexei Grynyuk
    Alex Jennings
    Alice Coote
    Andrey Breus
    Anna Christy
    Anna Netrebko
    Anna Rita Gemmabella
    Ann Hallenberg
    Ann Murray
    Barbican
    Barry Banks
    Benedetta Mazzucato
    Brian Mulligan
    Cecilia Bartoli
    Château De Versailles
    Château De Versailles
    Clive Bayley
    Contralto
    Corinna Schnabel
    Countertenor
    Daniel Behle
    Daniil Shtoda
    David Hansen
    Dawn French
    Delphine Galou
    Dmitri Hvorostovsky
    Dwayne Jones
    Eglise Gutiérrez
    Elin Manahan-Thomas
    Elizabeth Llewellyn
    Emiliano Gonzalez Toro
    ENO
    Erica Eloff
    Erika Escribá-Astaburuaga
    Ewa Podles
    Filippo Mineccia
    Franco Fagioli
    Galerie Des Glaces
    Giuseppe Esposito
    Gweneth-Ann Jeffers
    Hilary Summers
    Jacek Laszczkowski
    Jeremy Ovenden
    Joyce DiDonato
    Juan Diego Flórez
    Juan Diego Flόrez
    Juila Lezhneva
    Juliet Stevenson
    Karina Gauvin
    Lawrence Brownlee
    Lawrence Power
    Luanda Siqueira
    Lucy Parham
    Malin Christensson
    Maria Bengtsson
    Maria Grazia Schiavo
    Matthew Brook
    Michael Porter
    Miranda Richardson
    Monica Piccinini
    Morten Lassenius Kramp
    Nash Ensemble
    Natalie Dessay
    Nicholas Spanos
    Nikolaisaal
    Olivier Lallouette
    Opera Settecento
    Orchestra Of The Age Of Enlightenment
    Paolo Lopez
    Peter Marsh
    Pretty Yende
    Private Musicke
    Queen Elizabeth Hall
    Roberta Invernizzi
    Romina Basso
    Ronan Busfield
    Rosenblatt Recitals
    Royal Albert Hall
    Royal Festival Hall
    Royal Opera House
    Ruth Rosique
    Sabina Cvilak
    Salle Gaveau
    Sarah Pring
    Sara Mingardo
    Serena Malfi
    Sergio Foresti
    Shintaro Nakajima
    Simon Callow
    Simone Kermes
    Sonia Prina
    Soprano
    St. Martin In The Fields
    Susan Gritton
    Tanja Ariane Baumgartner
    Tarik O’Regan
    The British Library
    Thomas Foster
    Tilman Lichdi
    Topi Lehtipuu
    Trondheim
    Veronica Cangemi
    Veronique Gens
    Vesselina Kasarova
    Vladimir Jurowski
    Vuyani Mlinde
    Warsaw National Opera
    Wigmore Hall

    Archives

    September 2014
    February 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    June 2013
    February 2013
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    February 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010

MOST VIEWED POSTS

QUEEN CATHERINE DE MEDICI
Picture
The "Maggot from Italy's Tomb?" The "Black Widow" of St Bartholomew? Or one of the finest examples of power politics and survival ever seen? Well, I would have to say yes to all of the above, and more! Catherine was one of the most complex characters in a time of massive internal strife in France, with enemies both within (Guise, D'Albret) and abroad (Philip II of Spain).

MARK OLIPHANT
Picture
Born in Kent Town, Adelaide, Australia, Mark Oliphant was a Physicist, who received the prestigious Hughes Medal (other recipients include Alexander Graham Bell, Enrico Fermi, Stephen Hawking, and Andre Geim). He was also a life-long vegetarian after seeing a pig slaughtered at a farm as a child.

HAYDN'S CELLO CONCERTO IN C MAJOR
Picture
The third movement of Haydn's Cello Concerto in C Major is one of my favourite pieces of music. It is a truly joyous piece, and one which I find uplifting. The first performance I heard was by 13-year-old Han-na Chang, who took my breath away with her skill, musicianship and dynamism.

ETTORE MAJORANA & THE MAJORANA FERMION
Picture
New research from Dutch scientists has revitalised the search for the elusive  Majorana Fermion. The Majorana Fermion was first predicted about 75 years  ago by Italian scientist Ettore Majorana, one of the Via Paspernera Boys - a group of scientists named after the street where their lab was located.

LIQUID CRYSTALLINE WATER
Picture
Water. Without it, we would not exist. Covering nearly 71% of the world’s surface, it is one of the key building blocks of life on Earth. We think we know all about it, how it works, and what it does. But Gerald Pollack, Professor of Bioengineering at the University of Washington, Seattle, is sure we don’t!

FRANCO FAGIOLI: COUNTERTENOR ASSOLUTO
Picture
Franco Fagioli is an Argentinian Countertenor "who seems to redefine the capabilities of the countertenor voice." He has won great acclaim for his performance in the role of Arbace in the recent all-male production of Vinci's Artaserse, and will soon be releasing an album celebrating the star castrato Caffarelli.

© James Edward Hughes 2013
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Travel
  • Essays
    • Science >
      • Science Essays
      • Underwater World >
        • Essays
      • The Lithopaedion's Lair
    • History >
      • History Essays
    • Book Reviews
    • Music >
      • Music Essays
      • CD Reviews
      • Concert Reviews
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Henry Parker