Search - Massenet - Le Roi de Lahore / Gipali, Sanchez, Stoyanov, Zanellato, Montiel, Vatchkov, Viotti, Venice Opera on DVD

Impoverished Theater?

Mark E. Herriott | North Bend, WA | 06/04/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is the second opera production from the Teatro La Fenice di Venezia I've purchased, the other one being Thais. Both operas should have a lavish treatment in both sets and costumes,as the subject matter and historical periods in which these operas are set call for that. Unfortunately, the Teatro La Fenice does not share this vision. The sets in both operas are modern and stylized, i.e. not much eye candy in these productions. Apparently everyone in Lahore buys their clothes from the same tailor, as there is little variation in the costumes and one would think that the main characters of Alim and Sita would get at least more than two costume changes in this five act production. It seems that the Teatro and I also don't share the same vision of Indra's paradise. I always pictured it as in a natural setting, with fountains and a few people painted blue here and there. The Teatro gives us a Victorian garden party in the Crystal Palace, which somehow seems historically out of context for a story which takes place way before Queen Victoria was even born. I found myself more interested in trying to see what the movie was that Indra was showing to his guests in Paradise than in the action of the opera. It seems that another reviewer had the same criticism of the Teatro's production of The Pearl Fishers. Its unfortunate that if a company is going to go through the cost and effort to record for posterity a production on DVD, that they can't put the same effort into mounting an opulent and unforgettable production. There is nothing memorable about this production. The singers are acceptable, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of chemistry between Alim and Sita. Poor Ana Maria Sanchez (Sita), perhaps if she were a tad lighter there might have been more closeness between Sita and Alim and my friend wouldn't have asked me if I were watching a new production of Die Walkure in French from the Bayreuth festival. Its unfortunate that this is the only version of Le Roi de Lahore available (the same case for Thais). If anyone wants to see French orientalism at its best, check out the production of Samson et Dalila with Placido Domingo and Shirley Verrett done by the San Franciso Opera. The Teatro La Fenice should follow their example and perhaps put a little more money into their productions or get a new artistic director."