A
Personal Opinion
Dear
Readers,
Today
we shall talk about latest Opera performance. Giuseppe Verdi's
"Rigoletto" was on stage in Ankara Opera House six times in
last season. Ankara Opera house was established in early new republic
years of 1930s. In our local opera environment, a critic/ writer is
expected to be graduate of conservatory with education on classical
music, in order to write an essay on an opera performance, and s/he
has to be constructive at all times since opera performances are hard
to play. I feel that this conception is not true. We do not have only
music, but we have decor, costumes, roles, characters, and
environment on the stage. If you are an opera fan, you should write
and comment on what you feel.
Money
does not buy everything for you, but money can buy you opera tickets.
Enjoyment is up to you. Before writing this article, I saw
"Rigoletto" opera in all six separate nights.
Rigoletto
is a character of 16th century, a Clown. Opera is based on a story
written by Viktor Hugo in year 1832. Libretto (lyrics) is written by
Francesco Maria Piave in accordance with the censorship of the time
so that time, place and names were changed. First performance took
place in Venice in 1851. In Ankara opera house, first performance was
in year 1950. I remember classic opera performance of Rigoletto at
16th century in Mantua when I was a kid. At that time, "La
Donna Mobile" in 3rd act was translated and sung in Turkish as
"Women are fickle," now it is played in original Italian,
and up- screen digital translation is "Women are variable",
surely it is more accurate.
In
year 2010, I watched Rigoletto in Hamburg opera house in classic 16th
century Mantua environment. I was played non-stop without any brake,
started at
17:00
completed
at
19:00
hours.
We were too tired to watch, singers should have spent great effort at
that time to complete. My seat was at the last row of parter.
Singers
were mostly foreigners, with a few German nationals in leading roles
and in choir.
In
the opera, womanizer Duca di Montova seduces daughter of Earl of
Montereno. Rigoletto makes fun of Earl, the father then curses him.
Later Rigoletto's daughter Gilda is abducted, and raped by Duca.
Rigoletto, to take revenge for his daughter's shame, hires a contract
killer- Sparafucile to kill Duca. Final ends very painful.
Before
watching Opera performance, I listened to the CD at home and at work
many times. More or less, I was able to follow the tunes, after my
listen count multiplied, I could follow more easily. I loved the
melodic tune of Verdi's opera from start to finish.
The
most beautiful full version as in YouTube video was one that was made
for the movie in real Italian Mantua environment. "Placido
Domingo", was playing the character of Rigoletto. I watched for
more than two hours without breathing.
"Luciano
Pavarotti" playing in the role of "Duca di Mantova" in
Vienna State Opera was also extravagant, sumptuous, and
extraordinary.
New
York Metropolitan Opera, performance was adapted into "LasVegas
1960" environment for year 2012 staging. Duca plays "Frank
Sinatra" like character, and "Marilyn Monreo" emerges
as the Countess. Rigoletto, is now a nightclub bartender.
National
Opera in London in year 1982, they played as adapted into "New
York Mafia" which was a modern staging environment.
Wales
Opera, American President's office (The Oval Office) have been used
for the new adaptation. Duke was too flirtatious, and he was
President John F. Kennedy.
In
modern staging, hunchback clown Rigoletto is now a normal human
being.
Directed
by Mrs. Yekta Kara in Ankara Opera House, we are now in 1924 Mafia
environment in Naples, Italy. There are many beautiful women on the
stage.
We
have more than 40 hit men of local Mafia organization whose boss is
Duca. We wonder why we have more than 40 male voices in Mafia choir,
where other performances do not have more than 20 members. Mafia
choir sound is so high - so great that front seats of audience should
have been abused with high volume.
Bariton
Eralp Kiyici plays Rigoletto character, with a great- perfect sound
as usual, however we have the impression that he is in 16th century
Mantua character but not in year 1924 of Naples. Maybe he could not
escape his classic role as he played many times earlier.
On
the other hand, Bariton Çetin Kıranbay plays the same role, clad in
a more modern character of Rigoletto, with a great "Al Pacino"
look added.
Three
beautiful soprano voices alternately starring in Ankara Opera with
gorgeous appearance. In the role of Gilda, Çiğdem Önol, Görkem
Ezgi Yıldırım, and Esra Çetiner.
I
felt that I need to watch each one of the three nights, and I bought
tickets to all three performances. We do not have any other similar
new Opera staging this year in Ankara.
The
role of "Duca di Mantova" is played by tenors Ihsan Ekbar,
Şenol Talınlı and Murat Karahan, all strong, lyrical male sounds.
But they should avoid physical contacts with the girls to explain how
charming- how flirtatious they are. Tenor Ihsan Ekbar, lost his voice
in the last act, however recovered later.
I
will make certain distinction between our sopranos. Çiğdem Önal is
an experienced great voice, but I wonder if she did heat up her
voice properly earlier, so in the first act, her sound was too weak.
We heard director's- angry, sad, desperate, frantic reaction from her
soundproofed cubicle. Anyhow our soprano has reached to her melodic
tone later.
On
May 22, our lead Gilda character was played by young newcomer
extraordinary Görkem Ezgi Yıldırım. She played the role of
innocent young girl, Gilda, her age, her physical structure with her
melodic soft sound were all very appropriate.
Last
soprano, Esra Çetiner in the role of Gilda is another new talent,
she performed an excellent character.
Esra
and Görkem are still young, and in this role in particular are very
convenient. We hope that soon we shall see them on great opera stages
around the world.
Duke
(Duca di Mantova) role is played by tenors Ihsan Akbar, Senol Talınlı
and Murat Karahan. My personal feling is that Murat Karahan was the
best, with appearance, voice and young flirtatious manners.
Singing
aria"La Donna Mobile" song is not correct while sitting on
a chair with legs on the table. The body could not produce sound
properly. Voice choking. In New York Metropolitan Opera, the same
song inspired by "Frank Sinatra", Duca, is standing on the
stage as if he is singing rock music.
In
the 2nd and 3rd acts, the engine voice of the platforms were mixed
with orchestra's music. It should be avoided. It is also too
difficult for leading roles to climb third floor of scaffolding, and
then they start to sing. It is too tiring.
We
have a new interpretation in the last act. Rigoletto commits suicide
with a gun, upon agony of loosing her daughter, then opera fills with
last mighty sad music of orchestra. This is new. Is it true? I do not
know. Rigoletto is staging a suicide for the first time.
Although
in our traditional environment, I would expect Rigoletto to take his
revenge. Rigoletto should live with his suffering. This is an easy
and politically incorrect solution for Rigoletto's fate. Anyhow final
was very dramatic.
Duca
and Sparafucile live at the end, and we feel that justice is not
fulfilled.
Short
roles in "Contessa di Ceprano", Güzin Yildiz, Meltem
Gençtürk, Sinem Mustafaoğlu, enticing the role of Maddalena,
-Yetişer Ferda, Oylun Erda, Sebnem- especially in the role of the
bad guy assassin Sparafucile- Tuncay Kurtoğlu, Sabri Karabudak, Can
Kocaay- were so good. I love the opera villains. It is too difficult
to play the role of the bad guy right. I congratulate each one of
them separately.
"Rigoletto"
in Ankara Opera house was the work of exceptional world- class
staging. Opera house was full in all three nights with many audiences
at standing at sides. Mafia choir was perfect and strong from start
to finish. Conductors, Rengin Gökmen (1st-2nd nights) and Alessandro
Cedrano (in all the rest) accomplished extraordinary work.
Rigoletto
opera was later repeated on stage in Aspendos Opera festival in
Antalya, also in Istanbul Opera Festival in last summer. We hope to
see in the next season in Ankara Opera house stage again.
With
deepest regards.
Ankara,
March-20, 2014
@energyanalyst_
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