One of the Puccini operas that I like. In fact, I like it so much I have two different versions on DVD. This blogpost was originally intended to be about both, but because it got so long I decided just to publish the La Scala version for now!
For me, it takes a helluva long time to get started. Which is a shame. The first half hour or so is quite important for setting the scene, for letting us understand the context in which happens the drama about to unfold. I have read that the orchestral work in that first sequence is interesting and evocative, but it fails to engage me. I accept that every opera, even the greatest of operas, has passages that seem of lesser quality than the rest of the work. But this section is too long, and in too great a contrast with the remainder of the opera, and means that Fanciulla is a pretty good opera, rather than the 'approaching greatness' that the remainder suggests.
The synopsis is quite straightforward and can be found, for example at Wikipedia.
Puccini was very irritating giving his operas the wrong title. This title implies that the main role is the soprano, but it is so obviously a tenor's opera. Admittedly, one has to wait 38 minutes for the tenor's arrival, and that does drag a bit, but when he arrives with a flourish, it's worth it.
It will come as no surprise that both DVDs I have feature Plácido Domingo as Dick Johnson. It is one of my absolute favourite roles of his. He plays the role of the Spaniard from Mexico who's travelled to California with such perfection, as if he inhabits the role. As soon as he walks in the bar it's obvious that Minnie has to fall in love with him. Just standing there, oozing Latino testosterone turns me on. and that's even before he opens his mouth! Vocally, the role is superb for him. I'm surprised it doesn't get mentioned more as one of his signature roles.
From the moment he walks into the bar, he is sultry seductive and sexy, absolutely compelling. I love his costume in the La Scala DVD, almost all in black (except for an off white polo neck, shame, no opportunity for chest hair fondling), knee high boots that serve to emphasise his long legs and delicious thighs. I love the way he struts round the bar, I love the way he looks at Minnie, and I love it when Minnie declares she would protect the miners' gold with her life, he falls for her hook, line and sinker. He looks absolutely irresistibly gorgeous, in one of his chubbier/cuddlier phases...
Act 2 is perhaps my favourite act in the whole of Puccini. I can do without the appalling dialogue of the native Americans, Wowkle and Billy. I am reading the pidgin English subtitles which are translations of the pidgin Italian. It's not unreasonable to assume that uneducated servant native Americans in California in the 1850s were not fluent in English or Spanish or whatever it was the incoming masters spoke. But it's probably reasonable to assume that when talking amongst themselves they spoke fluently in their native tongue. But once that scene's over, and Minnie starts anticipating Dick's arrival, it sizzles from start to finish. The librettist captured her pre-date anxiety superbly, worrying over whether her fanciest shoes were too tight, will he like them, putting on her red roses, wanting to wear her Sunday best, spraying perfume. The initial awkward exchange of small talk is so recognisable. And the way he uses his charm on her (admittedly, this isn't really acting, this is him!)
There's a lot of recitative in this opera. Or sort of recitative, the 20th century version, where lines are sung in the natural rhythm of conversation, rather than in the unnatural form of the aria. His voice sounds so rich, , sweet and lyrical, which is a lovely contrast from when he expresses more passion eg when he sings that there are women in the world one would wish to have in one's life just for one hour and then die.
My major criticism of the La Scala DVD is the strange absence of chemistry. I don't like it when the leading lady seems to be avoiding looking at the leading man. There he is working his charm on her, and it's like she's impervious to it, avoiding looking at him most of the time. I was watching with Jimmy and he commented on this quite independently of me thinking it. He begs her for a kiss and she turns away uninterested. If it had been me, I would have been right in there; if it had been me playing Minnie I would have refused with my words and agreed with my eyes. And, indeed, she hastily bundles poor Wowkle out of the house and into the snow, and grants the kiss with an almost orgasmic musical flurry "That would be you," said Jimmy. "No," I said, "I would have succumbed to much more much earlier." And then we have the least convincing stage kiss I have seen him give (what's wrong with this woman?).
He makes to leave and realises it is snowing. She begs him to stay; he refuses, but there's a knock on the door and he agrees to stay. Cue the most erotic music in Italian opera, when, fully clothed, they consummate their love. I said to Jimmy that there's sex in the music, he said he didn't notice, I said that was because you were too busy talking about how people don't listen to the actual music. He's doing well, shagging her when she's as frigid as anything. They sink to their knees as the music subsides (oh, to be overwhelmed like that!). His look of admiration is pure post-coital.
The Sheriff and posse arrive, and Johnson is alert, gun at the ready. Minnie tells him where to hide as the boys storm in, and reveal to Minnie that "Dick Johnson" is in fact America's Most Wanted Bandito, Ramerrez, as revealed by his lover Nina Micheltorena,a woman of low repute from nearby (whom he had denied knowing). And they know he's at Minnie's. When the posse has gone, she demands he comes out of hiding and confronts him with the truth, and angrily tells him to leave. He explains that he has no alternative but to be a thief; his father was, and on his father's death he had to take it up to support his mother and siblings.
There's a certain quality in Plácido's voice that I simply adore yet cannot describe in words. It's particularly noticeable in the lower part of his range, when he relaxes and these beautiful gorgeous sounds roll out caressingly. and complement perfectly the power of the high notes. Perfectly illustrated in Or son sei mesi.
Update: Should now be available here
He leaves, she laments it's over - (and I remember that there are some people who you would wish to have in your life for just one hour and die*) and he gets shot, so she drags him back inside and insists he stays and hides. He is staggering, she bundles him up the ladder and foregoes the opportunity to grope his thighs, never going above his knees. Sigh I wouldn't be so restrained.
A knock at the door, Evil Sheriff Jack Rance has returned, now completely convinced that Ramerrez is hiding there. He makes an advance on Minnie who spurns him and he's about to go when he discovers Ramerrez's blood dripping from the loft. (38:16, great shot). Somehow, Dick is half dragged and half falls out of the loft, falling to the floor and rolling into the position he maintains for the rest of the act. The remainder of the act is a poker game where the prize is Dick Johnson aka Ramerrez. Minnie cheats (at which point the timpani are fabulous!), and wins, which is good. But if it had been me, if I had a shot man bleeding in my loft and I was not able to summon Emergency Services on account of it being the 1850s, I think I would have tried at least to administer basic first aid.
The final act is again an act of two parts. The first part is only really setting the scene for when a now recovered, cornered and arrested Ramerrez makes his entrance bound at the wrists, to the delight of the miners who want to hang him as a thief and murderer. Also to the delight of any red blooded woman watching, because he looks unbelievably drop-dead gorgeous. Now without the polo neck and revealing just a teasing hint of chest hair, made up to look as if he has designer stubble, his dark eyes flashing with proud anger, trying to dodge the blows and pushes of the miners (still with bound hands), falling to his knees and rising again, not once, but twice, with bound hands. Defiantly he says he cares nothing for death, if his hands were unbound he'd slit his own throat. He begs they never tell Minnie how he came to die and then breaks into the most fabulous aria Puccini wrote Ch'ella mi creda libero e lontano - still with bound hands (it must be incredibly difficult to sing with bound hands...). The audience like it, a lot! Rance knocks him violently to the floor, and he falls spectacularly and gets himself up - still with bound hands. With great dignity he walks to the scaffold and has the noose put around his neck just as Minnie arrives. Now, it would totally freak me out to have a noose around my neck, even if on stage. Jimmy says it wouldn't bother him on stage, and it's just because I can't bear anything round my neck. But it would be too much to take psychologically.
To cut a long story short, Minnie pleads - successfully - for his release and it ends happily if anti-climatically with a body count of absolute zero and a homespun wisdom lecture on being nice. And they ride away into the sunset. As Minnie delivers the lecture, Ramerrez is looking at her with undisguised lust, she seems barely aware of his existence.
I just so love the best bits of this opera that I can happily overlook the less gripping bits. And although I have been critical of Mara Zampieri lack of passion for Dick, all other aspects of her performance are somewhere between good and excellent. She acts a convincing Minnie and is vocally and musically of a high standard, with just a few squawks in a punishing role. Juan Pons is eminently adequate as Jack Rance. None of the other characters in a cast of thousands are significant enough to be described. The production is excellent, a traditional production but with attractive sets and a naturalistic and convincing personenregie.
The DVD inlay card has the complete libretto, which is an unexpected bonus.
There is another DVD I ought to get, which I remembered when Googling, and was perturbed to find that the cast included Daniels. One of the great advantages of a composer like Puccini is the complete absence of counter-tenors. I was relieved to find that it is actually a soprano called Barbara Daniels.
In due course I shall watch, blog, and maybe MyTube add to a video sharing site with balls the Covent Garden version.
* I take it to mean that if you could only have one hour, you would gladly take it even if it meant death, rather than - an hour's enough, now get lost.
