(Originally posted on April 30, 2007 - 12:59)
On the stage of the National Opera tonight (April, 29th) was Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, my favorite opera.
I have seen two performances of this opera last year at the ONB and they were both terrible. The singers were making very silly mistakes like stepping out of tempo and missing the entrances of the songs. They recovered in the fourth act but then it was way too late.
I have seen two performances of this opera last year at the ONB and they were both terrible. The singers were making very silly mistakes like stepping out of tempo and missing the entrances of the songs. They recovered in the fourth act but then it was way too late.
Because of those bad performances I was apprehensive about tonight, even though the singers (with the exception of Vicetiu Taranu and Paul Basacopol) were different. But I had a very good reason to see it tonight for on the role of the Countess was a friend of mine. I haven't had the opportunity to see her singing before because she had just debuted.
So I went with no big expectation for the production but to see my friend sing. I was anxious because the Countess doesn't sing until the second act. But in this production of the National Opera, she makes a kind of silent cameo appearance in the first act. In the moment that she appeared at the door of the set she struck me with her presence, her elegant and imponent figure.
The second act starts with Porgi Amor, one of the most beautiful Mozart arias. On this production, in a silly attempt of modernism, the countess is portrayed as a maniac-depressive, Prozac addicted woman. But even this and the fact that she had to sing laying down on a couch detracted from the sheer beauty of her interpretation. Her voice is steady and strong but also soft and poetically lyrical, all in the right places. Her pronunciation is clear and intelligible and has no accents. Her theatrical performance is natural and captivating.
In the trio "Susanna, or via, sortite" even though she was flanked by two more experienced singers, her voice soared above them, so high that it hit me up there in the balcony, making my chest resonate. Acoustically and emotionally.
And then there was the two connected pieces E Susanna Non Vien/Dove Sono. In the first part, the anxiousness of the Countess wondering about the success of their plans against the unfaithful and jealous Count is evident in her facial expression and in how well she builds up the tension to an unbearable level... Until she releases it in the second part, so sweet, so warmly shared in a delicate duet with the clarinet.
Then the astounding fourth act and the climax of the whole opera: "Contessa, perdono". The Countess hears her husband offering her tender words for the first time in years just because he thinks she's someone else. And in a voice of pure forgiveness that wraps the theater in a warm blanket, she sings "Più docile io sono, e dico di sì." conferring on the Count and on everybody else in there, perfect absolution. That was the voice of Mozart on Earth, singing through this young lady.
The entire cast and the whole performance was perfect tonight but she
received the most thunderous applause I've ever seen in the National Opera.
Tonight I went to see a friend sing. But instead I saw something else.
Tonight I witnessed the birth of a star.
And this star is called Elisabeta Marin.
Make sure you remember this name because you will hear it many times, associated with the name of great composers, great operas and great conductors in the future. And I do hope this future is near. And I really hope that the direction (I'm trying to avoid the use of any reference related to southern Italian families here) of the National Opera doesn't spoil her career, because I heard that they are reluctant to cast Elisabeta under the excuse that she is "too young".
Helloooo? What's going on here? What is more important to the arts? Talent or age? I take talent anytime. And she has talent way beyond her years. How can you refuse to cast Elisabeta under such a lame excuse as age and yet you cast untalented uninspired insipid veterans that I refuse to name here but I'll give you a hint: His name starts with "Ga" and ends with "briel Nastase".
And there are obvious cases where a young age is an advantage: I am tired of seeing sopranos in their late 40s portraying Madama Butterfly. She's supposed to be in "L'età dei giuochii e dei confetti"!!
Did you get my hint? No? Then let me make it clear: I want Elisabeta Marin singing Madama Butterfly in the next season!! And I am sure I am not the only one!! Get it?
You claim that she's too young and has no experience. How is she going to get experience if you don't give her a chance?
Didn't you hear the glorious applause that she got tonight? Doesn't that mean anything to you? It means that we the public love her and we want more!
You hold the future of this young lady in your hands. It's a valuable future.
Don't destroy it.
Encourage it!
If your aim is to make the National Opera more popular and frequented then please, give this young lady a chance, let her shine and I promise you that she will not disappoint you. She will make us all proud. The National Opera will have the public that it needs and we, the public will have the star that we love. It's a win/win scenario. No one looses, everybody wins.
You are the brightest star in the Romanian musical firmament.
Thank you for this wonderful evening. You made me proud of being your friend and you made everybody else happy just by being there.
I can't wait to see you on stage again. And I'll go anywhere you sing. I mean... When you start singing at La Scala and the Metropolitan it will be difficult for me, but I’ll do my best.
And I am very happy that we've found each other again.
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