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Verism describes a realistic style with often everyday content, in which it is quite solid and at times brutal. In the fourth and last installment of the series Placido Domingo – My Greatest Roles, one of the greatest tenors of our time proves that he is also a perfect master of this field. Three of the most important works of verismo opera round off the great work show about Plácido Domingo, they will be released on May 27 in a luxuriously designed 4-CD box set. Already in the years 1894 / 1895 Umberto Giordano wrote the opera Andrea Chénier about the legendary poet figure, who got into the turmoil of the reign of terror of the French Revolution. In the leading role, Plácido Domingo embodies the idealistic poet of noble birth who sides with the revolutionaries but soon finds himself in the crosshairs of the radicals. Especially his adversary Carlo Gerard (Giorgio Zancanaro) has it in for him, especially since a love affair is brewing between Andrea and the noblewoman Maddalena di Coigny (Anna Tomowa-Sintow). Too late, Carlo realizes Andrea’s noble motivation, and although he and Maddalena defend him, Andrea is sentenced to the guillotine. Maddalena, in self-sacrificing love, goes to her death with Andrea. The successful production is accompanied by the chorus and orchestra of the famous Royal Opera Covent Garden, conducted by Julius Rudel. The stage version is by Michael Hampe, the running time of the play is 112 minutes and can be subtitled in five languages. El Gato Montés (“The Wild Cat”) is the name of the opera presented by Manuell Penella in 1916. The story is set in 20th century Andalusia, which was notorious for its bandits, especially in the south. In this piece Plácido Domingo plays the heroic matador Rafael Ruiz, whose greatest adversary is the bandit Juanillo (Justino Díaz). Both are fighting for the love of the peasant girl Soleá (Verónica Villarroel) and so a dramatic story of jealousy, misunderstood honor and noble revenge unfolds. Mabel Perelstein can also be seen and heard in the role of Frasquita. In a short introduction, Plácido Domingo also tells how much he loved this opera as a child, when he attended it with his parents and sister. The piece was recorded at the Los Angeles Music Center Opera with the resident chorus and orchestra under the direction of conductor Miguel Roa and staged by Emilio Sagi. Running time approx. 112 minutes, subtitles in five languages. A confusion of love and jealousy is the short opera Pagliacci by Ruggero Leoncavallo , popular mainly because it is a play within a play. The story revolves around the clown Canio (Plácido Domingo), who is cuckolded by his young wife Nedda (Verónica Villarroel). His fate is cruel, because for all his pain, he has to make people laugh. His jealousy is related to Tonio (Gregory Yurisich), but his real rival is Silvio (Manuel Lanza). A not unimportant role is also played by the harlequin Beppe (David Cangelosi), who cheerfully drives the intrigue. It comes as it must come: In the course of a stage play, Canio murders both his wife and her lover, ending the play with a heartbreaking aria. The role of the desperate clown, which includes the famous aria Veti la giubba, has hardly been played by any other tenor as brilliantly and stirringly as Plácido Domingo. The piece was recorded at the Washington National Opera, the orchestra played under the direction of Leonard Slatkin, the stage design was by Franco Zeffirelli. The total length of the opera with interview is 78 minutes, the opera was recorded in Dolby 5.0 surround sound and can be subtitled in five languages. Finally, an approximately 35-minute interview with Plácido Domingo rounds out My Greatest Roles – Volume 4: Verismo Opera. |
