Orchestral
Stravinsky
The Firebird, Petrushka,
TheRiteofSpring
Sydney SO/David Robertson
ABC CLASSICS 4814954 (2CD)
★★★✩SSOandRobertsonflourisha
little of their exotic plumageIwasbemusedtoread,when
perusing the publicity, that
thethreeworksherehadbeen
“c u r at e d ”. I t ho ug ht “c u r at e ”
describedanexhibitionofobjects
(usually art works) which had
been lent or borrowed from
various sources. It’s stretching
things to say three mainstream
works performed in rapid
succession in a loosely structured
series have been curated! That
said,thesetwoCDsshowcasethe
level David Robertson has brought
theSydneySymphonytoduring
his tenure as Chief Conductor.
Theonlyproblemwiththe
completeFirebirdballet is that the
firsthalf,withitsshimmering(and
theSSOcertainlyknowshowto
shimmer – beautifully) textures
seemstolastforever:Ifound
myself longing for something to
happen amid all the colour and
movement of the more familiar
suites,which,whentheyfinally
arrived, were worth waiting for.
Petrushkais probably the
best prospect for “tunes”. Here,
Robertson went for loud primary
Kandinsky-like colours and
textures, but also captured the
sinister overtones of the sadistic
Moor.TheRiteofSpringwas a
realsavage,nota“pet”one,to
coin Stravinsky’s own rebarbative
description of Karajan’s version
ofthework.(Healsodescribed
hisDance of the Adolescentsas
tempodehoochikoochi).For
all its qualities, I don’t think
thissetispreferabletoanyof
theexistingbestrecordingsby
Bernstein, Mackerras etc.GKOvertures & Intermezzi
MusicbyVerdi,Puccini,Boito,
Ponchielli, Leoncavallo et al
Filarmonica della Scala/Riccardo
Chailly
DECCA 4831148
★★★★✩It’sunusualtofindanA-listconductorlike
Riccardo Chailly recording such (generally)
obscuremusiconanequallyA-listlabel.
Goodforhim!Afewyearsagoherecorded
aCDofsomeofVerdi’snon-operatic
obscuritiesandthisreleaseco-incideswith
hisarrivalatLaScala,where11ofthese
workswerepremiered.Ididn’tfind
anyneglectedgems,butthere
arenodudseitherandtheLa
Scala orchestra is wonderfully
idiomaticinthisfare.
The programme is well
arranged,withplentyofcontrast
betweensucceedingtracks
andservestodemonstratethe
developmentoftheoverturethroughout
the19thcenturyandonintothe20th.The
earliest work here is Rossini’s Overture to
La Pietra del Paragone(1812) (aka the overture
toTancredi)whichillustratesthethentypical
slow introduction followed by a rowdyallegro,
which was succeeded by examples like
Verdi’sOverturetoIl Finto Stanislao(1840)
–stillarealromp–andBellini’smorefamous
Norma(1831),bothofwhichcouldbetermed
typical“medley”overtures,offeringsnatches
of themes from the operas ahead.
Chailly and his orchestra are especially
impressive in theNorma.(They’realsoalive
toeverynuanceintheMadama ButterflyAct
III Prelude). The Prelude to the finale of Act
III to Verdi’sILombardiallaPrimaCrociatais
like a miniature violin concerto.
ThelinernotesemphasisethatItalian
opera composers were increasingly inspired
by Germanic influences (especially Wagner)
inthelatterdecadesofthe19thcentury.The
writercitesexamplesofthePreludetothe
Prologue of Boito’sMefistofelewith its echoes
ofLohengrinand shades ofTr istan and
Isoldein Leoncavallo’sIMedici
andPagliacci,afairpoint,but
Idoubtwhethertheaverage
listener would notice. True,
there are touches ofParsifal
in Giordano’s rather bleak
PreludetoActIIofSiberia(not
to mention the first four notes to
TheSongoftheVolgaBoatmen).
Forme,thebestpieceisthe
best known:The Dance of the Hoursfrom
Ponchielli’sLa Giaconda,perhapsthe
lastexampleoftheballetdivertissement.
The title means “The Happy Woman” in
Italian,despiteherbeingprobablythemost
wretched person in all opera. The ballet,
which depicts times of the day, occurs in
aballroomnexttothetorturechamberof
the local branch of the Spanish Inquisition.
Thefinallineoftheoperaisacracker:the
villainsaystothenowdeadGiaconda:”Your
mother upset me, so I drowned her.”
This collection is a fine calling card for one
of the most versatile of the world’s greatest
conductors, who happily remains at the
zenith of his powers after three decades, in
yet another leading role.Greg KeaneOPERATIC OPENING GAMBIT
Chailly flourishes a calling card of preludes at La Scala
Chailly is one of
the most versatile of
the great conductors,
at the zenith of his
powers74 LIMELIGHT MAY 2017 http://www.limelightmagazine.com.au
OREVIEWS