Second in the line-up of three powerful productions in the San Francisco Opera's summer season, Verdi's epic Don Carlo opened last Sunday in a superb performance, cast from strength and played with passion.
The crowd filling the War Memorial Opera House was still processing early reports from Orlando before the matinee began, and the Company quickly assembled a supertitle requesting a moment of silence. It allowed some reflection before conductor Nicola Luisotti took the podium to guide us back to another time, of love, loyalty, intolerance and betrayal.
Presented in a five-act Italian edition, director Emilio Sagi's production is receiving its third and most likely final SFO revival. It remains a marathon for performers and audience alike, but there are improvements, notably in a brighter lighting design (thank you, Gary Marder), and the cast is perfect this time.
The long afternoon unfolded with Wagnerian gravitas and the spectacle, political intrigue and humanity of a Shakespeare play. Short breaks between acts were minor mood-breakers; two intermissions supplied necessary breathers for the audience. This is what people mean by "grand opera," and Luisotti shows an elegant grasp of the long form. He already has us missing him, even before he makes his departure as Music Director after the 2017-18 season.
Complaints about Zach Brown's original production design (too dark and monochromatic) were mostly fixed by the director's latest tweaking, and the view from the sight lines on the right side of the house showed the pageantry of the striking stage pictures to full effect. Glossy black walls appear simple rather than anachronistic, and the remarkably rich costuming pops against the sleek background. For an opera that demands uniformly excellent musical values, Sagi's unfussy direction gets sensibly out of the way.
The conductor and his wonderfully responsive orchestra and the virtually flawless cast seized the day and proved Verdi's psychological saga (after the dramatic poem by Friedrich von Schiller) contains some of his loveliest music.
Bass Andrea Silvestrelli's Grand Inquisitor was not only well-sung, but also really creepy. His confrontation with the King revealed the complicated problems facing the ruler with such chilling detail, we could almost sympathize with his despicable complicity.
As Elizabeth (Elisabetta), soprano Ana Maria Martinez made her role debut as the title character's first betrothed, then later wed to his father, love interest. This situation alone should give some idea of the story's intricacy. Martinez started with caution and remained hesitant through much of the first act, but blossomed as her voice warmed. Some four hours later, she triumphed with remarkable freshness.
Bulgarian mezzo-soprano Nadia Krasteva was making her SFO debut as the scorned Princess Eboli, and she convincingly portrayed her character's fury. The richness and power of her singing was strong throughout.
The performance ultimately belonged to the trio of male leads. The thrilled crowd repeatedly endorsed them with spontaneous and prolonged ovations. Polish baritone Marius Kwiecien has made great successes with the SFO (notably his sophisticated Don Giovanni), and he brilliantly reminded us of his ability playing Don Carlo's loyal-unto-death best friend Rodrigo. Kwiecien magnetically commands attention with confident singing and moving intensity.
We won't be calling American tenor Michael Fabiano a rising star anymore. He is there now, and his appearance as Don Carlo proved it. His wonderfully full tone stays essentially sweet from top to bottom, and he is always heroically audible. There is an appealing vulnerability in his acting, and his duets with Kwiecien were equally heart-breaking and exciting.
German bass Rene Pape returned to enact the tortured and deeply conflicted King Philip II. To say he has an immediate stage presence is understatement, but the international star still manages to disappear within the role. Another favorite, Ferruccio Furlanetto, assumes the part for the final performance. That's enough for me to go again.
Don Carlo continues in repertory through June 29.