User reviews

Il Corsaro is along with I Masnadieri, Alzira and I Lombardi one of Verdi's weakest operas, again a personal view- though a general consensus one too- rather than objective. The music is beautiful but not among Verdi's most memorable, but the story is silly and doesn't have much momentum. The 2004 production and this one are still very good performances and do what they can making the drama more interesting than the story allows it to be. In terms of quality and ratings, the two performances are about the same. Visually, this production is very well done. It is kept simple by basically having one set, that doesn't matter because the set looks good and we at least have an idea of where it's set and its time period. The costumes are rich and colourful, and more flattering than those of the 2004 production, where Gulnara's costume especially was too revealing. Lighting and video directing are also excellent. While it doesn't have the best of stories to work from the stage direction manages to be rousing and moving, as well as keeping one's attention, Parma's stage is tiny but allows the drama to be somewhat intimate to the audience. Standing out was the battle scene between the pirates and the Turks. Musically, it is equally very impressive. The orchestra play beautifully, and the chorus- apart from occasions where the women sounded underpowered- are animated and sing and blend just as much. The conducting keeps things alive, and also controlled. The cast are relatively young but all of them are of a high standard and a very pleasant surprise. Best of the lot was Silvia Dalla Benetta's Gulnara, Adriana Damato in the earlier production was less abrasive(though both are the very meaning of Prima Donna Absoluta, but in a thrilling way) but Benetta sings and acts with so much passion and just goes for it, particularly in her Act 2 aria and cabaletta. Luca Salsi is dignified and commanding as Seid, and sings with a voice that is not large but quite opulent and with great musicianship too, as an actor he is not quite on Renato Bruson's level but his voice is fresher and much more controlled. Irina Lungu copes very well with the high and low registers of Medora's role, with her high(clear and remarkably even) notes coming off a little better than her lower register, and she characterises beautifully and touchingly in a role that doesn't have that much substance. Bruno Ribiero does have a heroic sound to his voice, if at times a little heavy, the tessitura for Corrado is treacherous but is executed very well by Ribiero, Zvetan Michailov is a tad more involved dramatically but Ribiero does have evidence of passion and heroism. In conclusion, a very good production of one of Verdi's weakest and one of the better ones of the Tutto Verdi series. 8/10 Bethany Cox