Comments on: Opera Boston’s Tancredi Gives Beautiful Bel Canto but Little Drama http://classical-scene.com/2009/10/25/opera-bostons-tancredi-gives-beautiful-bel-canto-but-little-drama/ a virtual journal and blog of the classical music scene in Boston Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:31:25 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Opera Boston’s Tancredi « Nine Dots Boston: Boston Arts Outside The Box http://classical-scene.com/2009/10/25/opera-bostons-tancredi-gives-beautiful-bel-canto-but-little-drama/comment-page-1/#comment-897 Opera Boston’s Tancredi « Nine Dots Boston: Boston Arts Outside The Box Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:29:24 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=1697#comment-897 [...] much, which was directed by Kristine McIntyre and featured a mostly bare set. I agree with Mark Kroll at the The Boston Musical Intelligencer, that the direction was too static and there was too much “park and bark” staging. [...] [...] much, which was directed by Kristine McIntyre and featured a mostly bare set. I agree with Mark Kroll at the The Boston Musical Intelligencer, that the direction was too static and there was too much “park and bark” staging. [...]

]]> By: Settantenne amante di Musica http://classical-scene.com/2009/10/25/opera-bostons-tancredi-gives-beautiful-bel-canto-but-little-drama/comment-page-1/#comment-865 Settantenne amante di Musica Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:31:54 +0000 http://classical-scene.com/?p=1697#comment-865 This is a wonderful review, but I fear I am more critical. I thought the singing was superb (with one exception, although two roles seemed miscast), the orchestra plodding (especially the lovely Rossini-skewering light grace notes, starting in the overture), the scenery abysmal, the costumes also, the last-act laments hugely overextended (Rossini's score to blame) and the whole idea of setting a story about the Crusades in the 1930s in Europe (Sicily's major city) -- where NO MAN would arrange a marriage for his daughter, where you do not have trumpets announce a battle, ... was not only meaningless but made the plot even less plausible. I thought adding the pregnancy to the stage directions inexcusable. (I was reminded of Sharon Baker, about eight months pregnant, singing and delightfully acting Zerlina for Boston Baroque. The interpretation of that situation was rightly left up solely to the audience.) And Manucharyan's lovely voice seemed wrong for the part. But again, was that more Rossini's fault, perhaps, setting it as a tenor? Nonetheless, it is always good to hear a few obsolete operas, albeit deservedly. This is a wonderful review, but I fear I am more critical. I thought the singing was superb (with one exception, although two roles seemed miscast), the orchestra plodding (especially the lovely Rossini-skewering light grace notes, starting in the overture), the scenery abysmal, the costumes also, the last-act laments hugely overextended (Rossini’s score to blame) and the whole idea of setting a story about the Crusades in the 1930s in Europe (Sicily’s major city) — where NO MAN would arrange a marriage for his daughter, where you do not have trumpets announce a battle, … was not only meaningless but made the plot even less plausible. I thought adding the pregnancy to the stage directions inexcusable. (I was reminded of Sharon Baker, about eight months pregnant, singing and delightfully acting Zerlina for Boston Baroque. The interpretation of that situation was rightly left up solely to the audience.) And Manucharyan’s lovely voice seemed wrong for the part. But again, was that more Rossini’s fault, perhaps, setting it as a tenor?

Nonetheless, it is always good to hear a few obsolete operas, albeit deservedly.

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