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Lady Macbethscu

Geneva
Grand Théâtre
06/14/1999 -  and 17,20,22,25,28 June 1999
Giuseppe Verdi : Macbeth
Tiziana Fabbricini (Lady Macbeth), Valeri Alexeiev (Macbeth), Jaakko Ryhaenen (Banco), Fernando De la Mora (Macduff), Alain Gabriel (Malcom), Slobodan Stankovic (A Doctor)
Lawrence Foster (Conductor)
Robert Carsen (Director)

Something contemporary and eastern European could be felt on stage last night. We can continue the connotations that this production inspires us: autoritarian, dictator, communism... When you read the names of the decorators Radu and Miruna Boruzescu all becomes clear. They have studied at the Institute of applyed Arts of Bukarest.

People in gray marching with the picture of their deceased relatives and that are glued on the concrete wall of executions, stained with the blood of the victims of the regime. Blood is there before and is there after Macbeth, but there is more of it during the bloodthirsty couple’s reign. The end of the lord and the lady is portrayed to us when their corpse is laid bloodstained on the scene, and in front of the wall of executions, just as a certain Rumanian dictator and his wife after their execution. The three reigns (Duncan, Macbeth and Malcolm) are presented as a cyclical series of Revolution de palais’. There is no change of regime or true revolution after the death of these kings. The message of the Boruzescus’ has passed over the orchestra’s gap to the public, and it is made of their dreaded experiences and emotions from beyond the Iron Curtain. Shaking, dreadful and a bit too real. It is in fact difficult to escape the reality of the production. Verdi and Shakespeare are universal.

Verdi’s Lady Macbeth is a dreaded role, for it was new kind interpretation and still remains difficult. A new kind of mad woman, not a Lucia di Lammermoor with her gentle virtuosa coloratura’s, but woman that shouts, screams, and her voice still has to remain audible. No more legato’s that charms the ear, but harshness and a sort of "ugliness". Lucia is a victim of her madness; Lady Macbeth is the victim of her inclination to crime. It was a good first try for Tiziana Fabbricini, even if the role is not made truly for her. Valeri Alexeiev, both physically and vocally imposing excelled in his interpretation of Macbeth. Jaako Ryhaenen was impressive, he that profound bass that resonates like if he was singing from the bottom of a medieval Scottish well. The orchestra was also in the right tone of drama and tragedy. It was only the choir that lacked at some point its mission that sometimes fainted away behind the sound of the orchestra.


Zoltan Bécsi

 

 

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