La Force du destin

...otherwise, this Forza could've been worse than it actually was. I do not mind productions that do things differently, but I do when they include touches that are either offensive or add absolutely nothing to the drama. The latter was the case with this 2008 Vienna Forza. The opera is not one of Verdi's very best plot-wise, having a rather sprawling nature, but the music is magnificent, almost as melodically rich as Traviata, Trovatore and Rigoletto. Of the productions I've seen, the best is between the 1958 San Carlo and 1978 La Scala performances. I also loved the 1984 Met performance(though I know a fair few don't), and the 1996 Met, 1981 Anna Tomowa-Sintow(as Leonora) and 1997 Gergiev-conducted performances are also worth seeing.

La Forza Del Destino(2008) isn't a complete waste though. The orchestra are sprightly, and play with power and poignancy throughout such as in Invanno Alvaro and La Vergine Degli Angeli. The chorus, although they are not given much to do dramatically, sing splendidly, and Zubin Mehta's conducting is involved and alert on the whole. There are two performances that I was taken by. Nina Stemme does lack warmth vocally and has a rather intrusive wobble now, but her Leonora is nonetheless thrilling and moving especially in Pace Pace Mio Dio. Carrying the production was the Carlo of Carlos Alvarez, his dark burnished baritone is perfect for his big aria Morrir Tremenda Cosa..Urna Fatale and he is very commanding throughout.

I just wish I could say the same for the rest of the cast however. Salvatore Licitra has/had(having died in a motor accident recently) a wonderful tenor voice, but spends most of the production very stolid, for such an intense role such as Alvaro this didn't work for me. Then again, as ringing and powerful his voice was, Licitra I don't think ever was a great actor on stage. Alistair Miles sounds rather dry for Padre Guardinio, and like with his King Phillip and Fiesco his acting mechanical rather than noble and sympathetic. Nadia Krasteva as Preziosilla has a fine voice but looks sadly ill at ease. The Melitone of Tiziano Bracci tries to be characterful but ends up over-compensating.

But the production values and staging were the biggest let downs. The ghostly projections are interesting at first but after the first couple of times they make their point, and after Act 2 it all feels too much. I understand that the production was trying to emphasise coincidence and a sense of grimness, but surely there could've been a more subtle way of doing it. The sets are also rather barren and never seem to come to life, for an opera as sprawling and dramatic as Forza that was disappointing, and the costumes especially the cowboy costumes seem very out of place. The lighting is rather dark and the make-up over-exaggerated, that you can't really see the performers' faces or expressions no matter how good(and come to think of it it was very good) the video directing was.

The technical values are quite good though. The video directing(if occasionally lacking a little focus for the projections), picture and sound quality are fine. But sadly, despite the musical values(Mehta, chorus are orchestra combined) and the splendid performances of Stemme and Alvarez, this Forza failed to deliver. 4/10 Bethany Cox