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Music Performance Reviews
Carnegie Hall, NY
www.CarnegieHall.org
LA FANCIULLA DEL WEST
Music: Giacomo Puccini
Libretto: Guelfo Civinini and Carlos Zangarini
Conductor: Eve Queler
Cast
Minnie: Aprile Millo
Jack Rance: Marco Chingari
Dick Johnson: Carl Tanner
Jake Wallace: Daniel Mobbs
Wowkle: Mary Ann Stewart
Ashby: Rubin Casas
The New York Gay Men’s Chorus
Chandak Ghosh
November 22, 2004 In a time and place where Puccini’s La Fanciulla del West (The Girl of the Golden West) only appears rarely, amazingly two productions are scheduled this season in New York. The first was performed in concert at Carnegie Hall by the Opera Orchestra of New York (OONY), with Aprile Millo triumphing as Minnie. The second will be a fully-staged account by the New York City Opera in April, 2005.
La Fanciulla deservedly remains the black sheep of the Puccini opera family. Although much of the music is dramatic and melodious, overall it lacks distinct character. Sometimes it reflects the Orientalisms found in Turandot and Madama Butterfly. Other moments remind the listener of the harmonies in Tosca. Many “bad movie music” measures flash throughout the score. One of Puccini’s greatest tenor arias, “Ch’ella mi creda,” appears in the last act, but it feels as if the composer just dropped it in because he realized that he hadn’t composed any “hit “arias for this opera. Strangely, the lead soprano actually doesn’t even get to sing a single great aria—rather unusual for Puccini. Interestingly, it is from this score that Andrew Lloyd Webber chose to lift the main theme from Phantom of the Opera’s “Music of the Night.”
The silly libretto of the opera also prevents it from entering the standard operatic canon—at least in the United States. The plot revolves around the California Gold Rush in 1849. Jack Rance, the sheriff, loves Minnie, the proprietress of the Polka Saloon. She, in turn, loves a mysterious man, Dick Johnson, who just arrived in town. Dick turns out to be the wanted Mexican bandit Ramerrez! (Along with Mexicans, the libretto insults the Chinese and Native Americans.) In a conclusion that could lead the nominations for the “Stupid Operatic Endings” Hall of Fame, all the rough-tough men of the town decide to let Minnie and Ramerrez leave together because Minnie had done so much for them.
With its corny plot, La Fanciulla seems to be a perfect opera for concert staging—something that OONY has done successfully for neglected operas for decades. Conductor Eve Queler is rarely imaginative with the scores, but the orchestra always plays competently. The great expectation for this concert, however, was the first undertaking of the role of Minnie by Soprano Aprile Millo. Millo has been titled “The Last of the Great Divas,” by opera fans because of her regal bearing and her seemingly innate Italianate singing and phrasing. After some vocal problems in the last decade, many had assumed her career was over. Instead, recent appearances with OONY and at the MET reveal a woman in full control of a stunning spinto. After warming up during the first act, a river of golden tone poured from her. The high B’s and C’s rang out as though from an artist at her peak. How wonderful it is to hear Puccini sung by someone who has such command of portamento—a rarity today.
Carl Tanner’s Dick Johnson had wonderfully blazing high notes, but no real squillo. His middle voice got lost in the orchestration, however. In “Ch’ella mi creda” he unleashed a voice that he kept hidden the rest of the night—beautiful and bold, if fleeting. Marco Chingari’s Jack Rance could have used a bit more snarl, but otherwise, he acquitted himself well. The supporting men, all up-and-coming singers, showed great promise. It’s tough to comment on Mary Ann Stewart performance as Wonkle, the American Indian woman, as her lines consist mainly of “Ugh!”—not particularly culturally competent on the part of the librettists.
The OONY season at Carnegie Hall continues with performances of Mignon with Stephanie Blythe on April 7 and Der Freischutz with Sandra Moon on June 6.
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