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Apologies to the rest of the splendid cast members, and they really were all excellent, but this revival of Il trittico belonged to Natalya Romaniw.
Forget the nonsense, psychobable productions and zany, distracting stagings we keep being dished up for some reason, this is what opera is all about.
It was the promise of our most exciting singer that tempted me back to review the triple bill just weeks after the last outing of this David McVicar, no-nonsense production with WNO.
There were other recastings and they too brought great mastery to their roles and, with the show firmly embedded with the rest of the cast and chorus, particularly the wonderful women, this was all as fine an evening (well Sunday afternoon) as you could expect if not better.
Andrés Presno and Natalya Romaniw
Romaniw is not only beautifully and elegantly voiced when singing Giorgetta in Il Tabarro ,but she has everything required of the dramatic soprano in an earthy down with the people Puccini opera. There are no show stopping huge arias but the duets in particular are heartfelt and deftly handled. This goes for both her long-suffering husband Michele from Dario Solari and the very Italianate tenor from Andrés Presno as a Luigi full of passion and angst.
The highlight of the evening was a simply sensational Angelica from Puccini’s gut wrenching Suor Angelica. There is fine singing and acting from the principles and engaging acting from non-singing roles, such as the poor mothers who have lost their children to the care of the nuns in this unforgiving workhouse convent. By the end of the final aria as Romaniw begs the Virgin to save her so she can be with her dead little son I was in tears. It sounds odd to say she looked the part of a young woman in what she calls a state of grace but others might call out of her head, but she did. Likewise, that warm and mellow voice, able to command the high notes when necessary with complete control, was out of this world.
The cast of Gianni Schicci
I was not really looking forward to the one aria, one joke, final opera, Gianni Schicchi. But it really was a laugh out loud romp. Maybe the 40 minute interval and glass or two of wine helped.
Dario Solari was a splendid down to earth but also sharp and cheeky Gianni Schicchi and as Lauretta the delicately voiced Haegee Lee brought a much-needed manipulative streak to the sweet “O mio babbino caro.” The other mention is Anne Mason who sang a nicely vile and dismissive aunt to Suor Angelica and then a sharp as a razor Zita in Gianni Schicchi.
I do not remember enjoying the score of Il tabarro quite so much as here conducted by Alexander Joel, bringing out the Puccini colour and atmosphere in particular. The orchestra was sympathetic to the singers in Suor Angelica although at times in Gianni Schicchi the balance between stage and pit left me struggling to make out the words. And, yes, I know there are surtitles but I do my very best to keep my eyes off them and on the stage.
Main image: Dario Solari and Natalya Romaniw
Wales MIllennium Centre October 3 and 5.
For further performances visit: https://wno.org.uk/
Images: Craig Fuller