The subtitle of Rossini's opera "La Cenerentola" is "La Bontà in Trionfo", and "goodness" triumphed in every way last week at La Monnaie in Brussels in a wonderful performance with JL in the title role. It was a real fairy tale! I saw her in Paris and Zurich in this role and found her as charming and touching as ever - perhaps even more so as only now she has the perfect physique du rôle: a poor thing and mere slip of a girl in rags among the cinders with only some friendly mice as companions! "L'innocenza e la bontà" are the keywords for this part, and JL conveys these qualities with simplicity and perfect naturalness. There is nothing artificial or contrived in her impersonation, and she has this radiance, this sunshine in her voice and person which transcend drabness and misery. The reason why this is my favourite Rossini opera and why I prefer it over "Barbiere" and "Italiana" is that it is not only funny but has something for heart & soul as well. So, I found JL most moving in the more elegiac passages like the wonderful ballad "Una volta c'era un re" or the duet "Un soave non so che - una grazia, un certo incanto" - one of the most charming love duets of all opera! - or "Ah, sempre fra la cenere, sempre dovrò restar" or "compatite, perdonate". There would be much more to single out, but this would go beyond the scope of this blog and beyond my very limited eloquence (English being a foreign language for me after all!)! Let me only add that the quick not to say breakneck passages and the coloratura were as neat as you would expect from a seasoned belcantist, and the final rondo "Nacqui all'affanno - non più mesta" got the deserved ovation! To sum this up: I don't think I'll see & hear a better Cenerentola/Cinderella/Cendrillon/Aschenputtel in my lifetime. I certainly don't know ANYONE who is fit to hold a candle to our diva, and I envy those who shall see her in Atlanta. I am sure this will be a triumphant homecoming for her and say: "Ritorna Vincitor!"
(or rather: "Vincitrice"! in her case!)
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
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