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Marking a transitional year financially, Berkshire Opera offered a scaled-down but engaging Rigoletto (June 24) at Pittsfield's Koussevitzky Arts Center. Gina Lapinski's production had to be mobile, as the final two performances (of six) were slated for Williamstown; so the action transpired in front of an onstage orchestra with no sets, only minimal scenery units (a door, a few chairs, black boxes). The chorus wore rehearsal black, though the principals' (uncredited) costumes were suitably ornate. The company had gamely engaged an internationally known principal trio; unfortunately, opening night found Maureen O'Flynn (Gilda) and Michael Myers (Duke) beset by indisposition. In his first U.S. attempt at the jester, Gregg Baker showed himself well on the way to a commanding portrayal. He faces the problem once posed by Sherrill Milnes in the role: what happens when Rigoletto is the tallest, sexiest figure at court? Baker's powerful Rigoletto easily could have flattened the short, willowy courtiers repulsing his efforts to find Gilda during "Cortigiani." Nevertheless, he won deserved ovations for this scene. Though at times his actual textual articulation could have been sharper, Baker proved uncommonly expressive onstage, with each moment "motivated," as by a skilled Method actor. Certainly few Rigolettos limn deep paternal feeling so convincingly. High passages requiring legato sometimes tested him, but the bass-baritone shirked nothing and commanded wonderful lower- and middle-register resonance. Only some coughs (and an omitted E natural in the cadenza to an expert "Caro nome") betrayed O'Flynn's sinus infection. Gilda's portion of "Si, vendetta" challenged her formidable technique and emerged with too much vibrato. Otherwise, her tone remained limpid, her appearance disarming and her interpretation direct and affecting. Myers's singing suffered more from his allergies, though professionalism got him through the testing "Parmi veder le lagrime" creditably. He recuperated from one misfiring B-flat in "La donna mobile" with an impressive diminuendo from the final one offstage. Bradley Garvin (Sparafucile) displayed an elegant basso cantante, drawing a fine line and matching Baker in vividness in their scenes together. Jean Stilwell tended to raucousness as Maddalena. The fine bass Derrick Parker seemed too young (and deficient in decibels) for Monterone. Conductor Joel Revzen wisely kept things swift (indisposed singers don't care to sustain notes and phrases) and the reduced orchestra played quite presentably. Of the company's young artists, Cristina McFadden (Countess Ceprano/Page) and Carolyn Kahl (Giovanna) showed most vocal promise, though Evan Jones (Marullo/Herald) mustered notably good Italian diction. |