Giacomo Puccini died 100 years ago, and it is proper to remember that. This season of Live in HD from the New York Met therefor ends with two of his titles: the rock solid tragedy Madama Butterfly, and the much less known La Rondine from 1917. The latter is a bit of a hybrid: a Viennese order for a Italian operetta. A genre that was rather a rarity in Italy, and asking Puccini to write it was something like asking a whisky distillery to produce liquor chocolates. The whisky will be excellent, but it won’t fit very well in the precious candy.
Evidently, Puccini was a consummate pro, and he didn’t avoid the challenge. We know from scene one of Turandot where his true calling was, and that meant he had to find another hue. Did he succeed entirely? That is up for discussion, but whoever expects the intensity of, say, Tosca will be disappointed. To make a long story short: as a drama, La Rondine doesn’t really stick. That has everything to do with the somewhat tepid story of a well to do courtesan in Paris who can’t, in spite of a fiery young lover, bring herself to chuck her familiar life, an therefor jilts him, in tears, since he wants her all for himself.
Meanwhile, the music is worth discovering. Apart from the aria “Chi il bel sogno di Doretta poté indovinar”, nothing much has become established repertoire; unjustly so. Puccini did try more than fill the required chocolate with his whisky. He clearly scrutinised the prevailing customs of operetta writing, and he spliced that into his familiar orchestral palette and in the vocal lines he entrusted to the singers. A shred of spoken text here and there – no real dialogue. On the other hand, the harmonic colouring displays cunningly camouflaged modernities: they’re not supposed to spoil the party
Practically none of Puccini’s familiar vocal drama. Rather some elegant, jaunty babbling; until gravity kicks in in the third act. Too late to change cap just like that.
In any case, the vocal writing is demanding; you need professionals for that. That’s largely what we heard in New York. The courtesan Magda was sung by Angel Blue: an excellent choice. There is enough weight in her interpretation to make us believe in the experienced woman of the world, and at the same time her facial expression is sufficiently genial to let her tragic final decision rise above flippancy. Emily Pogorelc demonstrates her vis comica as the maid Lisette; she clearly enjoys the part: its somewhat soubrette like nature fits her like a glove. I was pleasantly surprised by Uzbekistani tenor Bekhod Davronov singing Prunier. The voice has its qualities in colour, top notes and agility. I would have welcomed a trifle more energy, and the bottom notes are a bit of an issue. But he clearly enjoys the part, as a comedian and all. Not so enthusiastic about Jonathan Tetelman. I happened to hear him before in more familiar repertoire, and already then he struck me as somewhat clamorous. Let’s not overemphasise it, but a more flexible and natural emission would have provided a more graceful Ruggero. As an actor, he pulls his skein.
The production by Nicolas Joel is a fine one. His use of interior styles of the early inter war period is eye-catching, and it permits a more frivolous play acting than the original mid-19th century.
Conclusion: in all an enjoyable Rondine, enhanced by Speranza Scappucci’s firm and yet dancing conducting.