 www.coc.ca |
The Canadian Opera Company’s first show of the 2010/2011 season is Giuseppe Verdi’s venerable Aida playing now until November 5th. Aida first performed in 1871 at the Cairo Opera House is filled with the grand themes that make Opera is often larger then life love, betrayal, heartbreak and war.
Aida is an Ethiopian princess captured by the Egyptians and is being worked as a slave in the Pharaoh’s palace although her identity as a princess is not known to the Egyptians. Aida falls in love with Radames who is also in love with her and has just been named the new leader of the Egyptian army that is just about to launch a major attack on her homeland. Radames is victorious and returns to the palace along with some prisoners as his spoils of war. Among those prisoners is Aida’s father who is posing as a regular soldier. Aida and Radames now have to decide whether to obey her passions or to obey their duty to their respective countries. Like most operas it does not turn out well for either of them
Set in Egypt this production has decided to go the modern route rather then setting it in the classical period. Although the set is well designed and highly functional it does not lend itself well to any opulence or glamour. If they didn’t sing about being in Egypt there is very little else that would suggest the setting.
My biggest criticism of the show is that it bypasses the rich culture that influences its setting. The opera’s opening scene which is a meeting to announce who should lead the army is set in a boardroom setting. I must say a singing boardroom is only slightly more interesting than a regular boardroom.
All theatricality is not completely thrown out the window however, some glamour is brought to the production through dancers who appear periodically thought the production. Their movements and opulent costumes are the only remnant of glamour in the production and a real highlight for me.
Spectacle aside Opera should be about the singing and music and the best of the Canadian Opera Company is on display in this production. Aida the character is being played by two women who alternate nights Michele Capalbo and Sondra Radvanovsky. On the night I saw the production the Canadian Soprano Capalbo was starring as the title character. Capalbo’s beautiful voice is seemingly effortlessly able to cover the wide ranging and complicated motivations and emotions of the character giving a nuanced subtly to the character. The other performance highlight for was Scott Hendricks who portrays Aida’s father Amonsaro. His powerful baritone shakes the rafters of the theatre as his character struggles to take back his daughter and country from the Egyptians.
The music of Verdi is ably performed by the COC orchestra under the direction of conductor and music director Johannes Debus that continue to prove that the Canadian Opera company is one of the best in the world and another bright spot on Toronto’s cultural landscape.
Conductor: Johannes Debus
Director: Tim Albery
Cast: Philip Ens, Rosario La Spina, Michele Capalo and Scott Hendricks
Choreographer: Laila Diallo
Set Designer: Hildegard Bechtler
Aida is now playing at the Four Seasons Centre through to November 5th.
No related posts found
