Le Maschere - CD Review
by Yonel Buldrini, Forum Opéra, 2004
© 2004 Yonel Buldrini
Translation from the original French text © 2004 Erik Bruchez. See also the French version and the original publication
at Forum
Opéra  . Thanks to Yonel Buldrini and Forum Opéra for the kind authorization to
publish this piece in original French and English translation.
Translation version: 1.1 (2004-10-11)
Pietro MASCAGNI (1863-1945)
Le Maschere
"Commedia lirica e giocosa"
in one "Parabasi" and three Acts by Luigi Illica
Simultaneous premieres in six Italian theaters on January 17, 1901
Recorded in November 2001 on the occasion of the centenary of the opera,
at the Teatro La Gran Guardia of Livorno
Liner notes in Italian and English, Italian libretto
Durations: CD 1: 67:07; CD 2: 62:22.
Kicco Classic KC082.2CD
(DVD announced)
The premiere of Le Maschere remains almost certainly unique in the history of
opera: not only did it take place in Pietro Mascagni's personal fief and under his
direction, at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome, but at the same time Arturo Toscanini
was conducting the work at the Teatro alla Scala with Enrico Caruso... and, an
even more surprising feat, the premiere was taking place simultaneously at the Gran
Teatro La Fenice of Venice, the Carlo Felice of Genova, the Teatro Regio of Turin,
and the Teatro Filarmonico of Verona! A seventh premiere almost took place at the
Teatro San Carlo of Naples, but had to be postponed for two days because of an
indisposed tenor. During this unique adventure, Mascagni was kept informed at the
intermissions by telegrams coming from all over Italy.
In order to understand the title of the opera, one has to consider the older meaning
of the term "mask", which refers by synecdoche to characters wearing masks, or even
just to characters in costumes. The Italian meaning refers to a character, with or
without a mask, but always wearing the typical costume representing a region in the
tradition of the Commedia dell'Arte.
It is to this very art form that Mascagni wanted to render homage, saluting at the
same time the grand tradition of Italian opera, which had acquired immense prestige
at the end of the century. The day of the premiere, the composer explained his
conception to L'Alba: "I wrote Le Maschere by going against all the
current trends of the public. While everybody is asking for polyphony with
hyperbolic lines, I have unambiguously decided, when composing this cheerful Italian
comedy, to go back to the simple, square, and balanced orchestra of our fathers,
with less than fifty musicians. However, with so small an orchestra, I have not
given up any of the stylistic constraints imposed by the modern techniques of
composition. I have decided to control and conduct them towards an objective that is
different from the current trends: that is all. So I have gone back to the duets,
tercets, and ensembles concertants of the old theater; and without hesitation, I
have drawn and cut the pieces with the greatest accuracy and with the most rigorous
sense of eurhythmy. And above all, I wanted to let loose the vein of the melodist:
free, always; and with the voices being master of the stage, in the fluid and
continuous abundance which, in its days, was our pride and our strength."
Mascagni manages to render his homage while remaining himself, with his bright,
overwhelming phrases, often nuancing them with mischievous tenderness, with joy
veined with a delicate nostalgia. For example, at the turn of ensembles or duets,
some manners a la Cavalleria Rusticana appear! This is a little bit as if
Mascagni tried to make a parody of himself, but ended up enjoying the game so much
as to be fully himself in his parody. This is not unlike Donizetti who, in his
irresistible La Romanziera e l'uomo nero, wants to make a parody of the
clichés of Romanticism, but falls, maybe deliberately, in the trap of pulling a
typical Donizetti.
In order to clarify the contemporaneity of his homage, the libretto notes that "The
action takes place in Venice in current times". The orchestra starts the overture,
soon interrupted by Giocadio who enters and, like the Greek coryphée, presents the
subject and invites the actors to explain their characters. Once this "parabasi"
over, the curtain falls and the happy overture starts for real! Later, one notes the
finale I, a nice ensemble concertant in the great Italian tradition... which evokes,
not by chance, the finale III of La Gioconda by Mascagni's teacher,
Ponchielli. Similarly, the confusion-ensemble of the finale II reminds of the finale
of Falstaff or those of Rossini. Romances and duets bloom with a freshness, a
poetry, a delicate sentimentality truly faithful to the composer's concept of
"letting loose the vein of the melodist".
The cast of Livorno is very homogeneous, starting with the traditional couple of
lovers: the Rosaura of Antionia Cifrone and the Florindo of Danilo Formaggia. The
second couple of lovers unites the malicious Colombina, "ambassador of love", of
Susanne Bungaard, and the mischievous Arlecchino of Marcello Pedoni. The female
voices are agile but expressive, and the male voices are clear but with warm
timbres.
One must also appreciate the veteran Graziano Polidori as Pantalone, the plaintive
and anxious old father, as well as Capitan Spavento, the bragging Capitaine
Fracasse of Alessandro Paliaga. The other "masks" turn out to be very efficient as
well: Dario Giorgelè, as the sententious Dottor Graziano or Prudenzio, the typical
doctor/lawyer, condescending and full of his own knowledge; Alessandro Battiato, as
a moderately stammering Tartaglia (the verb "tartagliare" means to stammer!);
finally, Antonio De Angelis as Brighella, an always deceptive but good-mannered
character.
The orchestra and chorus "CittàLirica" are part of a project of regrouping three
lyric centers of Tuscany: Livorno, Lucca and Pisa. The chorus prepared by Marco
Bargana only deserves praise, and the conductor, Bruno Aprea, is marvelous! What
brio, flame and at the same time what poetry he is able to inspire to his orchestra:
ah!, the delicious phrases of the violins that come to caress the beautiful serenade
of Florindo in Act III. And this nuance of melancholy that colors the tranquil,
old-fashioned pavana... Let's salute in him the master of this total success,
which goes far beyond the previous recording conducted by G. Gelmetti (Teatro Comunale di Bologna, 1988,
Fonit-Cetra/Ricordi), sometimes curiously boring in spite of singers of value,
and handicapped by a dry, boxy sound. With hindsight, even the more sentimental
reading of Bruno Bartoletti (Teatro Verdi di Trieste,
1961, Gala) brings more pleasure and emotion.
The listener can only share the enthusiasm of the audience, which literally
overflows when, after the finale, it is offered a reprise of the furlana, a
popular venetian dance, quick and animated, and punctuated like the Marche de
Radetzky that concludes the New Year concert in Vienna!
Yonel BULDRINI
|
