Nabucco in Pisa. Review: Fabio Bardelli. Photo: Massimo D’Amato

PISA: Nabucco by Giuseppe Verdi is a peculiar opera, rather static almost an Oratorio, not only because of its sacred argument, but also for the importance of Chorus and ensembles. So it requires a very skilled conductor and stage director in order to make believable the action, which is in itself not very theatrical, and capture the audience.

In this production of Teatro Verdi in Pisa the staging by Antoine Selva was traditional but functional, more or less following the libretto. The sets were essential and consisted of four fixed elements like towers, closing the scenic space, with rather useless projections of images on the background, and a light design which enhanced the scenes. On stage there were few others elements, some smoke effects, and very traditional costumes. The Chorus was biblically static, while the singers seemed to be rather autonomous in their acting, more or less as they wanted.

Va Pensiero choire in Nabucco in Pisa. Review: Fabio Bardelli. Photo: Massimo D’Amato

Conductor Gianluca Martinenghi showed a quite good collaboration with the singers on stage, and under his baton the orchestra builds a rather good accompanyment, but he doesn’t show special interpretative strenght or particular ideas, not even in ensembles or in choral scenes
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The protagonist was Giovanni Meoni, an Italian bariton with a light and good voice. At the beginning he was rather cautious (after all, Tremin gl’insani is problematic for every singer, who have to sing it with a “cold” voice!), but in due course he was rather good both vocally and scenically, with an emotional crescendo until the Final Scene, depicting his character with intelligence and a great expressive pathos. Mr. Meoni has a homogeneous voice, very correct, probably he lacks in strong personality both vocal and scenic, in interpretative strenght, but as a whole he was a really good Nabucco.

Nabucco – Meoni, Abigaille – Theodossiou in Nabucco in Pisa. Review: Fabio Bardelli
. Photo: Massimo D’Amato

Dimitra Theodossiou was Abigaille, a very difficult character (so many are the comparisons with singers of the past, even without mentioning Giuseppina Strepponi who was the first Abigaille, up to the sopranos of our days), which she has delineated in a rather convincing way, both scenically and vocally.

We all know her vocal peculiarities, her undeniable gifts and her limitations. She has a very personal expressivity, a vocal line often fragmented, and expecially in the high register her voice seems forced and often precarious, she seems to reach the highest notes with a great effort.

Ms. Thedossiou has surely the correct incisive accent, always agreeing to the vocal and dramatic situation, and having a great personality she gives very much to the public, real emotions even in her more problematic moments.

In spite of some moments when she seemed to recall too much Callas’ style, Ms. Theodossiou went on in crescendo during her performance as Abigaille, and was very good in the Fourth Part of this opera, even if her vocal line stayed very personal, not always agreeing with conductor’s baton.

Elia Todisco was an adequate Zaccaria, vocally rather correct in depicting his austere and solemn character following the tradition.

Ismaele was a very good Stefano Lacolla, surely better in this short role more than in heavier ones such as Calaf or Alfredo Germont, as we saw and reviewed him recently.

The other singers were adequate. Orchestra Archè was efficient and of a rather good level, and expecially the Chorus (Coro della Toscana together with Società Corale Pisana) which was appreciable in Nabucco’s most famous page Va pensiero.

Abigaille – Theodossiou in Nabucco in Pisa

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. Review: Fabio Bardelli. Photo: Massimo D’Amato

Teatro Verdi was filled up with public, with very warm applause to all the artists, but expecially to Mr. Meoni and Ms. Theodossiou.

Review by Fabio Bardelli

translation from italian Bruno Tredicine

Giuseppe Verdi: Opera NABUCCO. Libretto di Temistocle Solera

Pisa, Italy, Teatro Verdi

2012 december 4th

 Nabucco, Giovanni Meoni

Ismaele, Stefano Lacolla

Zaccaria, Elia Todisco

Abigaille, Dimitra Theodossiou

Fenena, Sandra Buongrazio

Il Gran Sacerdote di Belo, Emanuele Cordaro

Abdallo, Enrico Bindocci

Anna, Serena Pasquini

 direttore, Gianluca Martinenghi

regia, scene, disegno luci e immagini, Antoine Selva

Orchestra Arché, Coro della Toscana, con la collaborazione della Società Corale Pisana.

Maestro del Coro, Marco Bargagna.

produzione del Teatro di Pisa, in collaborazione con Ramfis Production