Cenerentola - SOH - Jan 18, 2008

Capturing the magic of La Cenerentola by Sarah Noble

Rossini: La Cenerentola Opera Australia Sydney Opera House 18 January 2008

It's Cinderella, but not as we know it. Rossini's La Cenerentola retains the basic story - the downtrodden and virtuous cinder-girl who enchants a prince and transcends her nasty stepfamily - but excises its supernatural aspects. No transfigured rodents, no pumpkin, no glass slipper and no fairy godmother. Instead, the story is recast to better fit comic opera conventions. Cenerentola/Angelina resembles a less frivolous Rosina, a strong-willed young woman, oppressed by circumstances, but convinced that she can triumph - her opening aria, the simple canzone "Una volta c'era un rè", tells of a king in search of a wife who chose innocence and goodness over pomp and beauty. The accidentally abandoned glass slipper is replaced by a bracelet (one of a pair) which Angelina herself gives to the man she loves, thus taking control of her own destiny. Fairytales from Perrault to Disney abound in truly terrifying evil stepmothers, but Cenerentola has instead a bumbling buffo basso stepfather (ironically named Don Magnifico); her stepsisters are silly, conceited girls but never menacing. Replacing the fairy godmother as deus ex machina is the prince's wise old tutor Alidoro - whose name, literally "wings of gold", acknowledges his magical origins - who oversees a typically opera buffa series of disguises and swapped identities. The Prince (Don Ramiro) switches places with his valet (Dandini). The pure-heared Cenerentola falls for the penniless valet; while the disguised Dandini easily exposes the heartless vanity of the sisters. The fairies, spells and enchanted flora and fauna might be gone, but thanks to Rossini's ever inventive (even if in places self-plagiarised) and sprightly score, and a truly lovely rendering by Opera Australia, the magic is not. Directed by Michael Hampe, with sets and costumes by Reinhard Heinrich, the production finds other ways to bewitch - the stepsisters' preposterously lavish frocks, storybook sets and best of all, a frenzied dash through the storm by a horse and carriage in Gothic silhouette, a coup de théâtre which drew much laughter and applause from the audience. Plenty of magic, too, in the evening's performances. Dominica Matthews, a 2007 Young Artist now taking on her first lead role with the company, is a winning Cenerentola, determined but sweet. Blessed with both a full, fascinating lower register and a bright (if occasionally edgy) top - not to particular brand of agility which Rossini's operas demand - she tackles the role's vocal challenges with verve and clear-voiced beauty, and mostly emerges triumphant. At this early stage of her career, she mightn't yet be prima donna enough to carry the whole show herself; but she certainly shows signs of blossoming into just such a talent.

Don Ramiro is sung by Kanen Breen, one of Opera Australia's more unusual artists - a lyric tenor whose greatest asset is not his voice (appealing but rarely distinctive and occasionally worryingly constricted) but his prodigious gift for physical comedy. With his matinée idol features, he could be the illegitimate operatic offspring of Buster Keaton and Ivor Novello. He certainly makes a wonderfully funny Prince; but the fact remains that it's Prince Charming whom Cinderella falls for, not Prince Great Sense of Humour, and his characterisation, both physical and vocal, could have done with a touch more suavity. If there's a show-stealer in this Cenerentola, it's Joshua Bloom's Dandini. Bloom has already won a Green Room Award for his portrayal of the role, and it's hardly surprising - he's irresistibly, outrageously hilarious, especially when camping it up in Act II to disconcert Don Magnifico. He matches comic brilliance with vocal splendour, an opulent and flexible baritone. David Thelander is disappointingly underpowered as Alidoro; he has some attractive passages but lacks the commanding vocal and physical presence which his role as puppeteer requires. Richard Alexander fares somewhat better as Don Magnifico, but is ultimately too generic, missing the role's abundant opportunities for hilarity. The two stepsisters - one hesitates to call them "ugly" as both look and sound rather pretty - make no such mistake. Taryn Fiebig is a deliciously bright-toned Clorinda, showcasing her none-too-shabby ballet skills in the opening scene, and is well matched by Jacqueline Dark's ebullient mezzo as Tisbe. The men of the Opera Australia chorus are superb as the royal entourage, their singing crisp and precise and their synchronised fawning highly amusing. Maestro Brad Cohen draws a mostly cohesive, idiomatic performance from the AOBO, skilfully balancing overbubbling wit with a strong sense of line and elegance and deftly supporting the singers. Rossini's La Cenerentola mightn't be a fairytale in the strictest sense, but there's little doubt of its power to enchant, and with this smart production and a generally impressive cast, Opera Australia goes a long way toward capturing that magic.

Text © Sarah Noble Photos © Branco Gaica