ROSSINI’S L’ITALIANA À LA RUSSE AT THE MET; FLOREZ SHINES Metropolitan Opera House, N.Y.; February 16th, 2004 Did you know that today, even in this political climate, there’s a show in New York which depicts a despotic Muslim leader as a fool, duped by a pretty Italian woman? It’s at the Met, and it’s Rossini’s youthful, sometimes witty, more often slapstick, 1813 opera, “L’Italiana in Algeri” (The Italian Girl in Algiers). The production dates from 1973 and it was, and remains, an airy, delightful concoction of Jean-Pierre Ponnelle’s, and with David Kneuss’s direction, the cast moved just as lightheartedly, half-dancing and prancing, and not taking too much too seriously. The big news was the casting. Tenor Juan Diego Florez, singing the role of Lindoro for the first time at the Met, was charming, boyish and involved, singing with absolute security, unafraid of either high notes or rapid coloratura. His comfort – both vocal and physical – centered the performance: He was enjoying himself and it was catching. Ferruccio Furlanetto sang Mustafa, the Turkish Bey, with big tone and great comic abandon. He can’t quite handle the quick divisions Rossini wrote for the character, but he still stuck to the rhythms and sang right on the notes. The casting surprise was Olga Borodina as Isabella, the eponymous “Italiana.” The Russian mezzo is normally heard in heavier roles, but she proved here that her superb technique can carry her through Rossini’s bel canto demands, and her plush tone was a glory from top to bottom. Marilyn Horne made the role her own in the ‘70s and, frankly, it’s still hers – Borodina caught some of the role’s comedy, but she’s hardly a natural comedienne; she lacks the necessary looseness as well as some major irony. But this didn’t cut into the performance’s pleasures – it merely reminded this listener of how superbly all-encompassing Ms Horne was in the role. (Those who never saw her in the role can hear her on CD; it’s worth looking for.) Baritone Earle Patriarco was fine as one of Isabella’s suitors and the rest of the cast was worthy as well. James Levine led a fleet, light-handed reading, and the Met Orchestra played with dash; the chorus was a bit ragged. Precisely why Levine included an aria for a relatively minor character which it is known that Rossini did not compose remains a mystery. There are seven more performances through March 17th. Robert Levine