Opera 5’s Toronto Opera Festival opened with the double billing of Puccini’s heartbreaking Suor Angelica and his ever-popular comedic romp, Gianni Schicci. To successfully present two such diametrically opposed plots, it takes versatility and talent, two things apparent in the seasoned cast members as well as the emerging artists from Opera 5’s Portfolio Artist Internship Program.
Suor Angelica is about a young noblewoman banished to a convent as punishment for having an illegitimate child. After seven years of heartbreak and longing, her vindictive aunt visits, demanding she sign away her inheritance. Angelica is devastated by the news that her child has died and drinks poison. She prays for forgiveness and is reconciled with her child in heaven.
Rachel Krehm is a skilled actress, and her portrayal of the broken and doomed Angelica was poignant. Her “Senza mamma” was a heart-wrenching lament, with Krehm’s strong upper register ringing through at the end of the aria. The audience broke into applause, acknowledging Krehm’s impassioned performance. Krisztina Szabó’s magnificent portrayal of the aunt, La Zia Principessa, was chillingly detached. “Nel silenzio di quei raccoglimenti” stopped the show, her commanding resonance embracing the darker tonalities of this role. The conflict between Angelica and her aunt was dramatic gold.
Whether singing from the rafters, the back of the theatre or onstage, the chorus of nuns sounded gorgeous. Although their habits repressed individuality, each chorus member invested deeply in their character and their individual voices and portrayals shone through. In particular, brava to Patricia Wrigglesworth for her graceful and fine-voiced portrayal of Suor Genovieffa and to Angélique Brown as the dramatically voiced La Zelatrice. During the emotional last moments of the opera, Keira Beasley was an angelic bambino whose presence made even the driest eyes tear up.
Photo Credit: Emily Ding Photography
Rachel Krehm as Suor Angelica and Krisztina Szabó as La Zia Principessa at Opera 5
Gianni Schicchi is about a wealthy patriarch, Buoso Donati, who dies and leaves his entire fortune to a monastery. His avaricious family and a clever commoner, Gianni Schicchi, plot to make a new will which is accomplished by Schicchi impersonating the dead man while he outwits the relatives and gains the riches of the estate himself.
As the title character, Gregory Dahl was a powerfully voiced scoundrel whose onstage energy was magnetic. Whether plotting with the family, stripping down to jump into a bed as a corpse, dancing around the stage, or looking on as a loving father, Dahl was an enthralling actor who gave us a multi-dimensional peek into Schicchi’s motives. As his daughter Lauretta, Kate Fogg sang “O mio babbino caro” with a sweet-sounding voice supported by strong breath control. This is the only set piece in the through-composed opera, and Fogg clearly showed why this three-minute aria has become a “best of” opera piece.
Jeremy Scinocca was charming as Lauretta’s lover, Rinuccio, and his “Avete torto” was energetic, lyrical, and strong. Scinocca started the opera by singing from a ladder, and despite the athleticism needed for the role, his Italianate voice was strong throughout, culminating in a lovely and sensitively sung “Lauretta mia” with Fogg. Krisztina Szabó was an acerbic Zita, surrounded by a stellar cast demonstrating how powerful a talented ensemble is. I particularly enjoyed Ryan Nauta’s over-the-top portrayal of Gherardo, accompanied by the equally hilarious Daniela Agostino as his obnoxious wife. Liam Dooley was brilliant in his double-role as doctor and notary, while Aaron Dimoff’s Simone showcased a rich bass tone.
Under the direction of Evan Mitchell, the seven-player ensemble caught the essence of Puccini’s lush orchestration and dynamic storytelling. There were some beautiful pizzicato passages from the strings, as well as lush playing from Rebecca Morton on cello and Lori Gemmell on harp. I had a good view of Mitchell from where I was sitting, and it was a pleasure to watch him skilfully lead the singers (despite being on the stage right), as well as channel Puccini’s emotional score through sensitive conducting.
Jessica Derventzis is a dynamic director; her multi-level placements of singers, her attention to detail, her awareness of sight lines and her ability to make each singer’s character shine filled this double bill with vitality. The production also highlighted her ability to expertly handle both comedy and tragedy. Derventzis even used her experience as a funeral director to stage absolutely hilarious scenes with the corpse in Schicci. Watching two characters try to get Donati’s body (a wonderfully lugubrious life-sized puppet) off stage was pure Weekend at Bernie’s magic and indicative of Derventzis’s sharp sense of humour.
The scenery and props were elegantly simple, and the art deco costumes added a sumptuous look to the entire evening. The lighting in Suor Angelica was particularly effective in adding moodiness that was evocative of a convent.
Opera 5 is blessed with their own Fab Four – Krehm as General Director, Derventzis as Artistic Director, Mitchell as Music Director, and Jaclyn Grossman as Programs Manager. As a critic, I was impressed with their informative communication before the show. As an audience member, I was excited by Opera 5’s overall production, featuring veteran singers and up-and-coming artists. Unlike the unfortunate corpse in Schicchi, these operas were full of vitality, breathing new life into Puccini’s early 20th-century works.
Photo Credit: Emily Ding Photography
Rinuccio (Jeremy Scinocca) watches as Lauretta (Kate Fogg) pleads with her father, Gianni Schicchi (Gregory Dahl)
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