Spanish practices

 

Rumours that the first revival of the Royal Opera House's Don Carlo was in even better shape than the original were given some weight by yesterday's dress rehearsal. Half the original cast return - Ferruccio Furlanetto as Philip, Marina Poplavskaya as Elisabetta and Simon Keenlyside as Posa. The new additions are Jonas Kaufmann (Carlos), Marianne Cornetti (Eboli) and John Tomlinson (the Inquisitor).

But it's the new conductor, Semyon Bychkov, who has the most impact. Some of his tempos are unique to say the least - the great third act ensemble is taken at such a clip the singers struggle to keep up. But it's a probing, intelligent perspective, at times revelatory - I suspect it will be controversial. Jonas Kaufmann's performance may be too. I had some reservations, but they can wait given this was only a rehearsal, things may change, etc.

Poplavskaya and Keenlyside bring a greater depth to their characterisations this time round. (Ferruccio Furlanetto is of course unimprovable). Poplavskaya in particular has matured astonishingly in just a year. Her range has extended upwards so she can now actually sing all the notes, and with what power. When she sings, she changes the temperature of the room.

Marianne Cornetti is a lovely sympathetic Eboli, and although John Tomlinson isn't quite as scary-looking as Eric Halvarson was, he sings with the authority of absolute power.

The sets seemed uglier than I remembered them, the lighting brasher and less forgiving - just a concession to the official photographers snapping away? I hope so.

Comments

[Furst]

Enjoy. And in reference to the Pape post bellow, we do hope that in time he'll follow somewhere along in Furlanetto's path (with more Wagner, obviously). We heard the latter for the first time just months shy of his 50th birthday but he has remained just about unsurpassable in his repertoire - even the Figaros and Leporellos generally associated with younger singers. Incidentally, fascinating comparison of Pape's Loporello (Furlanetto as Don G - as Salzburg) with Furlanetto's 2 months later at the Met (Terfel, Fleming common to both casts, regrettably s#$# Elviras). Both superb, of course, but very very different. Same for their Phillips in successive seasons at the Met (future plans for both to reprise the part, Furlanetto in the CG production).

[Vera]

You are lucky to be there and hear it all live. I think I had to come to Met to see and hear this production next season.

[Tommie]

AH! And not to forget, another singer not included in the second run, the more than eminent tenor Nikola Matisic, who played the two characters of L'araldo Reale and Conte di Lerma.

[HairMan]

I'm notoriously fidgety, but I was glued to my seat for the whole performance - from my position in the amphitheatre nearly all the cast were pulling me into the story, especially the KFP mob. Slight reservations about Cornetti - she'd make a terrible burlesque dancer judging by her veil handling skills; Tomlinson started out strongly but seemed less imposing as his shift wore on and Carlos Quinto didn't quite hit the back of the net for me. But overall I'd like to say - "More please!"