When Puccini set out to write his \u201cManon Lescaut,\u201d the composer drew attention to his \u201cfeeling it like an Italian, with a desperate passion.\u201d Though the comment came in the context of his comparing it with Massenet\u2019s own interpretation of the work, that idea of desperation has certainly played into numerous readings of the work. A look at the catalogue of recordings throughout history certainly points to some gems that bring out the intense yearning and desire that works its way throughout the opera.<\/p>\n
Deutsche Grammophon’s latest recording<\/a>, featuring superstar Anna Netrebko, tenor Yusif Eyvazov and the Munchner Rundfunkorchester conducted by Marco Armiliato, certainly moves from tender yearning to full-blow \u201cdesperate passion.\u201d<\/p>\n Netrebko Gives Nuanced Rendition<\/strong><\/p>\n Netrebko is undeniably the big selling point of this recording, as the Russian soprano has been practically owning the role since 2014 when she sang it under Riccardo Muti\u2019s baton alongside Eyvazov. Her recent run at the Metropolitan Opera is reportedly her farewell to the role, coinciding quite splendidly with the release of this album.<\/p>\n This recording is, of course, a compilation of a series of live concert performances in Salzburg this past summer and it finds Netrebko in truly fine and insightful form. The lush soprano is at its most flexible with Netrebko\u2019s finding truly mesmerizing shady throughout the work. Her singing in the glorious \u201cIn quelle trine morbide\u201d features Netrebko\u2019s finest legato phrasing, the voice elastic and the warm colors blooming into pained mourning as she contemplates the loss of her true love. On the final phrase, Netrebko\u2019s voice fades into a silky quality expressing the loss of her fantastical love; the vocalization of innocence lost. She quickly moves into a more coquettish quality during the famed minuet, her voice more pointed and the consonants stinging as Manon toys with her public.<\/p>\n One of the most unique factors in Netrebko\u2019s singing is her vibrato which can go from a more pointed oscillation to a far wider and more unwieldy one. She uses it to fine effect here, Manon\u2019s more passionate outbursts showcasing the latter while her more restrained moments enhanced by the more direct oscillation.<\/p>\n Eyvazov Delivers Passionate Des Grieux<\/strong><\/p>\n While the opera is given the title of the heroine of the piece, it is impossible to ignore the fact that the success of this work relies on a solid Manon and an equal potent Des Grieux. As is the case with the Abbe Prevost novel, the audience sees and feels the story through the male protagonist. While Manon is fickle, unstable and at times frustrating, Des Grieux stands by her side, his undying dedication his fatal weakness.<\/p>\n Eyvazov\u2019s reading of the character lines up quite well with the novel\u2019s first representation of the character \u2013 broken. His opening aria, \u201cTra voi, belle,\u201d often performed with a flirtatious ping is given here with more melancholy, Des Grieux\u2019s previous comment that \u201cLove? Of that Tragedy, or rather comedy I know nothing,\u201d added poignancy. In what is to be a motif of Eyvazov\u2019s overall performance, the high notes (and longer notes in general) are expanded, emphasizing Des Grieux\u2019s intense longing. We hear this again, with brutally powerful intensity, during the Act 3 aria \u201cNon, pazzo son! Guardate\u2026\u201d in which Des Grieux pleads with guards to allow him to be exiled with his beloved. On three different occasions, Eyvazov pushes the highest to his vocal limits, the suspense truly palpable. One wonders whether he would have been allowed the same freedom in a recording and if these moments of dramatic brilliance showcase the beauty of capturing the live performance.<\/p>\n Another great aspect of his performance throughout is the fantastic diction, every word clear to the listener.<\/p>\n A Fully Fleshed Love Affair<\/strong><\/p>\n Manon and Des Grieux\u2019s relationship is at the core of the drama and one would be remiss in not speaking to Netrebko and Eyvazov\u2019s well-developed chemistry. Their initial interactions are far more muted, a sense of timidness emanating from lighter vocal tones and hesitation. But by the climax of \u201cVedete? Io son Fedele\u201d the two sing as one, every syllable, accent, breathe and portamento perfectly synchronized between the two singers.<\/p>\n The famed Act 2 duet \u201cTu, tu amore? Tu\u201d is a fantastic battle of wills until they come together at the apex of the section. Of particular note is the central section where Manon is working her seductive magic on Des Grieux and has won him over. The voices slowly but surely give way to frenzied singing, Netrebko\u2019s emphatic and heavily oscillated \u201cAh! Vien\u2019s\u201d over Eyvazov\u2019s equally potent repetitions of \u201cT\u2019amo\u201d (both in the upper range for the singers) has an erotic appeal rarely heard. There is nothing \u201cpolite\u201d about this passion or love.<\/p>\n Now onto Act 4, which is single-handedly the one reason, this is a must buy. Incidentally, Netrebko and Eyvazov do have a recording of the fourth act in Netrebko\u2019s recent \u201cVerismo<\/a>\u201d CD release, but this performance puts that one, as good as it is, to shame. The difference really comes down to the spontaneity and dramatic truth that comes from a live performance. While there is no denying that the studio recording has dramatic weight, this one is full of the \u201cdesperate passion.\u201d<\/p>\n No detail is overlooked in how these two dramatize this gorgeous passage of music, a symphonic work in its own right. From Eyvazov\u2019s insanity as he implodes with \u201cUn soccorso! Un soccoroso!\u201d to the dead silences that Netrebko litters throughout her closing phrases, this is dramatic genius. Netrebko rips the audience\u2019s heart out with her interpretation of \u201cSola, Perduta, abbandonata,\u201d particularly with her ability to stretch every phrase and then let it die out in the most subtle of manners. This allows her to build the climaxes economically and throw the gut-punch with ample buildup. But then there are quieter moments that might be even more searing, particularly the phrase \u201cTutto e finito,\u201d which is delivered so quietly and with such a thin voice, that you might miss it. It is the vocal embodiment of defeat in every possible way. Another particularly striking passage in this act comes after that aria, \u201cFra le tue bracci,\u201d Eyvazov\u2019s voice growing stronger as Netrebko\u2019s softens and weakens, death come to one while madness takes over the other. Netrebko\u2019s continues its downward spiral, the vibrato fading, the volume losing its strength and the phrasing growing more detached and paused; Eyvazov\u2019s eventually starts to lose its energy and his final line, \u201cMio Dio,\u201d lacks any of the potency that had so characterized the rest of his performance.<\/p>\n Mixed Supporting Team<\/strong><\/p>\n Armiliato and the Munchner Rundfunkorchester are perfect partners with the two leads, the rich layers and sounds captured beautifully throughout the recording. All the climaxes feel like tidal waves of sound that, despite their lush and full sounds, never drown out the singers. More quiet moments also resonate powerfully. The ostinato winds during the Act 3 concertato are particularly striking in their ominous nature. The chamber music at the start of the intermezzo draws the listener in with its intimate quality and lush string sounds.<\/p>\n In supporting roles are baritone Armando Pina as Manon\u2019s brother Lescaut and Carlos Chausson as Geronte, a rich man obsessed with possessing Manon. The choice of the two men presents a unique quandary for the listener as their two voices share a similar gravely quality. On one level, Pina\u2019s coarse sound offers a nice contrast to Netrebko\u2019s more velvety sound, but the fact that he sounds so much like Chausson makes it difficult to differentiate the two men during their Act 1 exchange. This is undoubtedly not an issue for an audience experiencing the live performance, but for the listener, particularly one that is not familiar with the libretto, it makes for some confusing listening.<\/p>\n Technical Concerns<\/strong><\/p>\n It is essential to note that for all the beautiful spontaneity and dramatic truth that comes from listening to a live performance, this option is not without some annoyances, minor as they might be. The first track of Disc one starts with applause, an awkward and possibly unnecessary choice given that starting with the first notes of the score are what the listener expects. There are also a few moments where sound dips unexpectedly from the singers, creating an uneven soundscape that makes the listener question the detail given to the post-production of the recording. At the 2:20 mark of track 15 on Disc 1 Netrebko hits a climactic high note during the duet with Pina. In the middle of the note, the volume suddenly drops on Netrebko\u2019s note. There are not many such incidences, other dips likely from performers turning away from the microphones. That said, none of these issues were present in any of Netrebko\u2019s other live performance releases (\u201cIolanta<\/a>\u201d and \u201cGiovanna d\u2019Arco<\/a>\u201d) and these kinds of \u201cmistakes\u201d are not the quality one expects from such a highly respected company as Deutsche Grammophon.<\/p>\n Those issues, however, cannot take away from the nuance that Netrebko and Eyvazov bring to the lead roles in performances that will certainly leave the listener emotionally drained but fulfilled.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When Puccini set out to write his \u201cManon Lescaut,\u201d the composer drew attention to his \u201cfeeling it like an Italian, with a desperate passion.\u201d Though the comment came in the context of his comparing it with Massenet\u2019s own interpretation of the work, that idea of desperation has certainly played into numerous readings of the work. A look at the catalogue {…}<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":192,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[72,8],"tags":[13,77,83,81,86,85,84,82],"class_list":["post-182","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-dvd-and-cd-reviews","category-in-review","tag-anna-netrebko","tag-manon-lescaut","tag-marco-armiliato","tag-puccini","tag-russian-singers","tag-russian-sopranos","tag-salzburg","tag-yusif-eyvazov"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n