The Ukrainian National Opera hosted Puccini’s opera Turandot, June 14-15, played to packed houses. The premiere was broadcast live by UT-1 channel to Italy.
The international project became a reality thanks to the Italian Embassy in Kyiv, with which the national company maintains close and fruitful contact. Stage director: Mario Corradi; conductor: Volodymyr Kozhukhar; choirmaster: Lev Venedyktov; production designer: Mariya Levytska. Starring Lidiya Zabiliasta, Svitlana Dobronravova, Serhiy Mahera, Tetiana Anisimova, and costarring Ukrainian vocalists currently living and working abroad. For example, Volodymyr Kuzmenko, soloist with the Stuttgart Opera, had to change his plans to sing as Calaf in Kyiv. Volodymyr Pyvovarov (Timur), also managed to find room in his tight schedule to fly from Switzerland to appear on the Ukrainian stage.
“The idea of Turandot in Kyiv (a cherished dream of our company) belongs to Italian Ambassador Iolanda Brunetti-Hetz,” says the National Opera’s director general Petro Chupryna, “and Signor Mario Corradi was recommended by Italian diplomats. He teaches modern philosophy at the Catholic University of Milan and has staged productions at various European drama companies. His debut as a stage director took place in 1982, with Cimarosa’s Il matrimonio segreto (The Secret Marriage) in Palermo. He assisted Ken Russell with Puccini’s Madama Butterfly and has presently staged a dozen other operas. We did the casting of Turandot using leading performers and for the first time faced the problem of choosing from among the best. We formed ensembles, taking into account physical and vocal characteristics, also who made the best duet or trio with whom.”
Capital music lovers were thrilled by the premiere, which was only natural, considering that the opera had been staged in Kyiv only once, in 1928. Despite the fairy-tale plot and Chinese setting, it is anything but simple in vocal, music, and dramatic terms. It requires very strong, Wagnerian voices and few singers can endure the stress without fearing to damage their vocal chords. The complex score is complimented by the dramatic aspect, and much also depends on the choir and orchestra. Many years ago, the famous Ukrainian conductor Stefan Turchak dreamed of staging Turandot. He even started preparations for it but stopped for want of vocal potential.
Although directed by an Italian maestro, the Kyiv version of Turandot turned out to be typically Ukrainian, with everything done at a quality level but without any discoveries. One does not appreciate the director’s decision to have Calaf sing with his back to the audience or the Great Minister Ping doing his stunts. While Calaf’s posture muffles his voice, Ping’s acrobatics are bad for his breathing. The first and second acts could be described as a duel between the cast and the orchestra. The music was so loud the singers had to boost their voices. Perhaps this was because the opera had to be staged according to a very tight schedule — two months of intensive rehearsing alongside regular performances, so the cast and musicians must have failed to achieve the required balance.
Vocally, both nights demonstrated good ensembles and an excellent choir. Venedyktov’s team once again showed true class. Turandot, played by Tetiana Anisimova and Lidia Zabiliasta, was different, and each actress had her advantages. Anisimova had stage presence and showed dramatic talent, but Zabiliasta proved a stronger vocalist with very clear intonations. This role could be described as the veteran singer’s second wind, considering that she had not often appeared in National Opera premieres recently. Anisimova’s partner was Volodymyr Kuzmenko who coped with Calaf’s part with a beautiful ease. Marian Talaba did not have his Stuttgart colleague’s stage experience, and he was a bit tight in the highest register, forcing his voice. Otherwise the young tenor’s Calaf was an undeniable success, promising a spectacular operatic career.
Volodymyr Pyvovarov’s Tatar king in exile turned out very colorful. His bass has a distinct metallic touch and the blind Timur’s first appearance onstage is that of a very strong man fearlessly enduring the heavy blow of fate. Yet after losing his faithful Liu, who dies a torturous death, never betraying her beloved Calaf, the man instantly loses his strength. Serhiy Mahera’s voice is softer, velvety. His Timur is a king suffering his exile, and the singer is very convincing.
Svitlana Dobronravova and Liliya Hrevtsova as the slave Liu is incomparable. Svitlana’s performance was excellent in every respect; every phrase, movement, and vocal overtone. She has flawless voice command and strong dramatic talent. She conveys every nuance, which says a great deal, considering that Liu is for a great soprano. Liliya did her best, of course, but she was not convincing.
After the premiere I spoke with the Italian stage director. I asked how well his concept was implemented on the Kyiv stage.
“The result is the main thing. Judging by the applause, the audience liked what they saw and heard,” said Maestro Corradi, “you see, the concept was good, but as we worked on it certain things had to be changed or even discarded. There are all kinds of ideas, but translating them into life is a different story. I would like to note the high professional level of the entire cast. There is much experimentation in the operatic world, but I thought that Turandot was an opera one should not try to modernize.”
Svitlana Dobronravova told about how they worked on the opera. “The stage director worked with everyone on an individual basis and we all tried to follow his instructions as best we could professionally. Working with Signor Corradi was interesting. It’s too bad we couldn’t carry out everything we’d planned. Puccini is difficult to perform both vocally and dramatically. You must perceive his music with your very heart, otherwise you’ll never convey his images. This opera has a certain magnetism; the deeper you penetrate, the greater the number of aspects you discover.”
