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Il Corsaro |
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02/02/2005 – La Vanguardia – Barcelona (Spain)
A Solid Success for José Cura
Roger Alier
Last Monday was the first performance of Verdi’s opera “Il corsaro”, and also the official debut of the great Argentinian tenor José Cura, who assumed the role with energy and power, completing his first aria (in which Giovanni, very well sung by Josep Ribot, remains just as extra company) with enormous effectiveness. Cura’s performance grew in quality through his following parts: both the duo with Medora and the prison aria kept the Liceu audience completely satisfied, because this tenor understands all the requirements of a Verdian opera of the “primitive” type, such as this “Corsaro”: energy, emotional intensity and security.
In the role of Medora, which has the only somewhat known aria “Non so le tetre immagini”, Marina Mescheryakova offered a notable performance; her main virtue is the great extension of her voice, even though she sings in a less elegant way than could be expected. Susan Neves sung the mezzo role of the slave Gulnara, which has all the difficult requirements put by Verdi in its way; in more than one occasion we had the impression that she suffered a little in the coloraturas, but she did a great performance, and although the pitch of her voice is not totally homogeneous, she reached her goal and had considerable success.
The “villain” of the play, the Muslim pirate Seid, was solidly sung by Carlo Guelfi, who we recently heard as a competent Rigoletto. Here he also showed security and quality, especially in the difficult cabaletta of his aria. Other complementary roles were effectively sung by José Manuel Zapata, a tenor with a very interesting voice that should have been more noticed. The choir did a very solid job in the many scenes in which it appeared, and the orchestra, in spite of some small dysfunctions, performed with adequate rhythm under the competent direction of Marco Guidarini.
Il Corsaro is one of the worst operas of Verdi, but it has a taste of authenticity, and when performed by such good artists, can be satisfactory enough.
Thanks for the translation by M Jesus B.
Il País
Not sooner than in 157 years
Javier Pérez Senz
They put this opera on from from time to time, whenever a famous tenor is eager to show his ability to give life to Corrado, the main corsair. And José Cura, the principle draw in the concert version of Il Corsaro at the Liceu, was eager to show his voice and dramatic temperament. He even kept our souls in tenterhooks during the evening with his glasses: now I put them on while the choir is singing; now I leave them on while I am singing; now I take them off as I am not singing; now I put them into their box.
The Verdi master Carlo Bergonzi found shattered gold in the role based of elegance, sense of phrasing and control of the Verdi style. Cura opts for a different approach, one more direct and visceral, one taking advantage of the strength of his voice with its resounding center, its dark color, its attractiveness, the great dramatic appeal. A straightforward Corrado, thrilling without filigrees, greatly applauded by the public.
(thanks to Marion for sending and to Dana for translating!)
ABC
José Cura, the Corsair
Pablo Meléndez -Haddad
José Cura, the star of the night, was comfortable in those passages where he was able to convert to the heroic voice with his explosive personal style. He sang his part in accordance with his musicality and temperament, with his trademark vision which can thrill and which, if lacking in the obvious tradition of belcanto, replaces the loss with an outpouring of high notes and glimpses of ornamentation.
(thanks to Marion for sending and to Dana for translating!)
ÓPERA
Estreno en el Liceo
NINO DENTICI
Although not very well known, ‘Il Corsaro’ is a good example of the romantic music of the young Verdi. It is an opera that exists between the heroism of its epic passages and moment of great lyricism, with an authentic Belllini or Donizetti flavor. The role of Corrado, the protagonist, is that of a man of action who resembles those found in 'I Masnadierí' or 'Ernaní.' The concert version of the work at the Liceu in Barcelona was highly commendable, thanks to the balanced roles and the good direction of Maestro Guidarini.
Musically, as almost all the works of the young Verdi, it lacks continuity in the musical development…. Nevertheless, it is an opera of enthusiastic song with varied subjects and full of moments of inspired belcanto and beautiful orchestral coloration.
The protagonist was the tenor José Cura, who sang his role reliability, teaching with his voice the beautiful colors of a lírico-spinto, the voice required for a hero who has to alternate between fierceness and tenderness. Susan Neves performed perfectly the desperate and coloraturas song of the Slave girl. Not, however, at the same level as the others was mezzó Mescheriakova….
Thanks to Virginia for sending
Last Updated: Monday, April 21, 2008
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