Metropolitan Opera House, New York; February 27, 2007
Simon Boccanegra is probably Verdi’s darkest opera. Not only is the story gloomy and filled with confusions and political intrigue (the first act takes place 25 years after the Prologue, and untying the characters’ relationships to one another can be a chore), but Verdi relies heavily on the lower strings and brass. And three of the characters are taken by low men’s voices – two basses and a baritone. All ends sadly, at a whisper, with our noble title character poisoned by a political rival. Michael Scott’s immense sets add grandeur, particularly in the frescoed Council Chamber of the second scene of the first act. Verdi’s music is deeply affecting and the work is a true beauty; played right, it is immensely moving.
And, indeed, the Met has cast the opera strongly this season and makes a superb case for it. As the eponymous hero, Thomas Hampson, that most thoughtful of baritones, definitely lacks the true Verdian sound – his voice, even when he was younger, had too little meat on it. But he was at his best Tuesday evening, singing with careful coloring of the text, a full range of dynamics and a solid tonal center. His acting has always been impressive, and here his swaggering Prologue was well contrasted with the rest of the opera, in which his character is much older and wise; his death scene was restrained and dignified. A beautiful performance. As his nemesis, Fiesco, bass Ferruccio Furlanetto was towering, singing his gorgeous aria “Il lacerato spirito” with rolling tone and deep feeling. The villainous Paolo was sung by bass Vassily Gerello, his sound menacing; his cowering when his guilt is made clear was quite a sight.
The upper voices, too, were in good form. The tenor seems like an afterthought in this opera – politically, he opposes Simon, who killed his father, romatically, he’s in love with Simon’s daughter – but Marcello Giordani sang the role as if it were major. His sometimes-too-bright sound was toned down in the more intimate moments and he carried himself well. Soprano Angela Gheorghiu’s voice and stature continue to grow and she delivered a beautiful, heartfelt reading of Maria/Amelia (another confusion is her name in the opera). Her voice gleams at the top and its darkish grain is most effective in more intimate moments: her duet with Hampson’s Simon in the first act was a highpoint.
Fabio Luisi’s conducting was thrilling and full-speed-ahead; he emphasized the work’s one-on-one drama and kept the action flowing. The Met Orchestra and Chorus played and sang remarkably for him.
There are three more performances of the opera through March 9th.
Robert Levine
