So many people have said to me how lucky I am that I was able to spend my birthday evening watching a live broadcast of Simon Boccanegra live from New York beamed into my local cinema - a performance of Simon Boccanegra starring my hero, Plácido Domingo.
I don't feel lucky. I ended up having my birthday meal at 4pm, and it was a bit rushed, and not necessarily in a place I would have chosen for a special birthday meal, but moaning about that would be churlish.
Put it simply, I drunk before, during and after. I was never steaming drunk, and wasn't even particularly drunk until much later. I was squiffy. I was able to concentrate on the performance, appreciate what was worth appreciating, and criticise that which needed criticising, but by the next day I was suffering memory loss.
In some ways I am kicking myself, but I am trying also to be wise. Better to have this amnesia now than in relation to a live performance. I know that I thoroughly enjoyed the performance (and myself), and in my 'live for the minute' philosophy that's what matters. Ultimately, it doesn't matter than I can't remember sufficient detail to write intelligently about it. It will appear on TV and/or DVD at some point, so it is not lost for ever; perhaps when I watch it again I will have my memory refreshed, or else I will be able to savour it anew. Either way, I have a future win!
I do not advocate that all good operas need a tune to hum on the way out. When they do have a tune to hum, they aren't necessarily operas (think of the number of rarely performed operas that have produced one memorable aria or duet!).
But I do think it's worth persevering with and getting to know better. I think it's on at Covent Garden this summer, so I suppose I might as well try and get a ticket for a performance or two. Although, dear reader, it will be shown on BBC TV, so I don't feel that you need bother getting tickets to see it live, when you can enjoy it from the comfort of your own home.
I found the supporting cast (ie all but the lead role) a bit ordinary. People had written that James Morris is past it, part of the voice gone, forcing him to speak the role. I noticed that and it didn't bother me greatly; he had impressive gravitas in the role . Adrianne Pieczonka was so-so. I thought her very squawky, especially when she was first singing in the garden. She got less squawky and did a decent job, but I can't see myself rushing to hear her again. Her facial acting was non-existent, her physical acting was largely a case of going through rehearsed roles.
I was pleasantly surprised by Marcello Giordani. I have never heard him live, and don't especially wish to. This was the best I have heard him in televised etc productions; I was a bit shocked to read that many people thought that this was one of his best performances ever. It was, just, okay. He hit the right notes with the right tone and dynamics, and I guess the core of the voice is essentially beautiful. But it's forgettable, and lacks subtlety, nuance, any real attempt to colour it or to project any sort of character.But I did find his diction clear and easy to follow (yes, I know he's Italian, but I don't always find Italians easy to follow in Italian any more than I find English-speakers necessarily easy to follow in English).
I thought the production was as dull as dishwater and flatter. I did like the garden scenery, but one decent set doesn't a production make. I can't really pull it apart and say - this was wrong, this was wrong, because there was no 'this' there. It was in effect a cast of characters in rather risible gowns moving fairly meaninglessly around the set, except for when they stood still. To some extent it was little more than a concert performance with scenery and costumes. (But I don't think the ROH production is any better).
I thought the Council Chamber was spectacularly tacky. In fairness, it was designed to be seen from afar within the house, rather than close up in HD on a cinema screen, but I was a bit gobsmacked when the audience applauded. I can kind of see the point of applauding the scenery on the first night of a new production, when the designers are in the house to hear it, but after so many years, such ill-timed applause simply drowns out the music which is supposed to be making an impact at the time.
I haven't much to say about the orchestral playing, and thus conducting. I had a very favourable impression at the time, but, in actual fact, notwithstanding my general memory loss, the most forgettable aspect was the music. In any case, I think this is where the cinema does fall down. Jimmy remarked, without my prompting, that he missed the sound of a live orchestra, it sounded muffled; I had already decided that the resonance of the timpani was killed.
But of course, the highlight for me was Plácido singing Simon Boccanegra. I am very much looking forward to hearing and seeing him perform this live in London - which seems a long way off. He's also doing it in Berlin (again), Zurich, Milan and Madrid, but, with regret, I decided not to book for any of these, largely for financial reasons!
There has been criticism of the idea of him taking on the role, and some criticism, mainly from 'the usual suspects' of his actual performance, but overall the intelligent comment has been very positive. I do wonder why there is such a big deal about the difference between a tenor and a baritone: sopranos become mezzos and vice-versa, and take on each other's roles. There are roles that are performed by light baritones, 'Verdi' baritones, and bass-baritones. I do accept that there is a difference in tone and even colour between what one would expect from a baritone and hear from a tenor.
I suppose if I was mostly interested in the sounds that singers make, I would have grounds for criticising. But I don't ever see opera as being a display of sounds.
What was very striking about Plácido's performance was how he gets the basics absolutely right. The right notes in the right order, on pitch, without wobble, scoop, swoop or compromise and in delightful phrasing that is intrinsically musical. And it builds from there, vocally, yes, with lots of expression and variety, but also physically.
I felt he was a natural in the role. He did joke in the interview after the Prologue - apropos the rest of the opera being set twenty-five years later - that he would be getting closer to his real age. And, obviously, that helped. I didn't think much of the Act 1 sword fight, on the other hand, the final death scene was glorious. I am in awe of the way Plácido just falls to the floor. In contrast, the rolling is easy.
So, as I say, I enjoyed it while I was there, but there's no use me trying to make out I remember more than I did, when I didn't! I wish there was a 'replay' in the UK but as far as I can tell from the web, there isn't. I'm hoping it will be on SkyArts eventually, but that won't be for months.
Do check out remarks by commenter P-Dingo on the 25 January performance live in the house.
