The Opera Tattler

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Luisotti Conducts Verdi’s Requiem

Luisotti-baton* Notes * 
Last night Nicola Luisotti conducted Verdi's Messa da Requiem at the War Memorial Opera House with the combined orchestras and choruses of Real Teatro di San Carlo and San Francisco Opera. The volume was occasionally deafening, especially the repeated part when the chorus sings "Dies irae" and the trumpets play. The piece felt a bit chaotic, but there were lovely moments, as with the bassoons.

The soloists had to sing with a lot of power to be heard. Vitalij Kowaljow sounded grave and authoritative. Michael Fabiano was strong and bright. Margaret Mezzacappa's voice could have been richer, she sounds rather soprano-like in this work. Leah Crocetto sounded celestial and well-supported, and sang beautifully with the chorus in the "Libera me."

* Tattling * 
The War Memorial was completely full; the stage, seats, and standing room areas seemed at capacity. The mayor of San Francisco, Edwin Lee, gave a halting speech before the performance, while Naples mayor Luigi de Magistris gave a more fluid one, translated by the Consul General of Italy, San Francisco, Mauro Battocchi. Someone in one of the choruses took a flash photograph of the scene.

The audience on the orchestra level was rather silent and still. The ushers, who had no place to sit, felt it was appropriate to talk to each other during the music.

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13 responses to “Luisotti Conducts Verdi’s Requiem”

  1. Pam Avatar
    Pam

    Dear Gentle Tattler, a technical question. What alternate venue could you recommend for this performance? I was completely distracted by the seemingly dangerous small space that was pressed to accommodate 325 musicians and singers. Did you think the back drop lighting changes were gratuitous and distracting? Thank you, as always, for your erudite missives. Your fan, -Pam

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  2. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    I wonder if this would have worked better in Davies. There are fewer seats but the chorus could have been in the Center Terrace so not on the stage. Perhaps it would have made more sense to combine forces more sensibly so that both chorus and orchestra could have been more normal-sized.
    Thank you for reminding me about the lights! It was hard for me to understand why they used the different colors and I just tried to not pay attention to that aspect of the performance. I can see how these lights could be distracting.

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  3. James Avatar
    James

    I saw the dress rehearsal and I couldn’t tell who was taking more pictures, the audience of the performers, or the performers of the audience and house. It was an amazing performance I bet the actual performance was even better.

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  4. Paul Avatar
    Paul

    I had heard this piece a couple of times before, but last nights performance was memorable for me. Far from being “chaotic”, the 325+people, who have not played together before, created a moving experience for me. The dynamic range was astounding. Of course, you expect the sound from such an ensemble to be impressive. But to have 40+ violins play tremolo at a level that was barely audible, was hair raising.
    I was especially impressed with the tenor, Mr. Fabiano. He sang the whole piece as if he was actually expressing his personal feelings…completely from memory. His presentation actually brought tears to my eyes…a rare thing.
    I will not soon forget this evening. It is what music is about, for me.

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  5. Axel Feldheim Avatar
    Axel Feldheim

    The evening sounds like it was quite a to-do. Throw in a laser light show, & then you’d really have something.
    From now on I will refer to all your posts as “erudite missives.”

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  6. amelia Avatar
    amelia

    Dera Paul,
    I think that you caught the spirit of this perfomance that was more an encounter of two cities and two great Theaters. Sometimes the tecnhicism and the perfection has to leave space to symbols and love and this Requiem was an act of love of Nicola Luisotti for two cities. Bravo, Nicola!

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  7. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    It certainly was not dull!

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  8. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    Definitely find Fabiano exceedingly talented.
    I find Luisotti’s style on the chaotic side, and I don’t think this is by accident at all. His conducting gets a lush, vibrant sound out of the orchestra, and he is never boring.

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  9. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    The lighting might have been more amusing if it were a laser light show, to be sure.

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  10. michael Avatar
    michael

    Heard it last year in Davies with the San Francisco Symphony. The performance in the opera house was vastly superior, such a major work needs much more room to breathe and for the notes to linger. The soft sections were a wonderful surprise and contrast to the might thunderous Dies Irae. Would like to hear it in Grace Cathedral to understand what an even larger space would add to the sound.

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  11. rootitoot@comcast.net Avatar
    rootitoot@comcast.net

    I also saw this performance and make it a point to see it whenever it is presented for a specific reason: When I attended SF State, I was in the a capella chorus, and we presented this piece with soloists Jan Pierce and Robert Merrill (so that gives you an idea how long ago it was. At the dress rehearsal just as we were singing the “Dies Irae”, the assistant to the conductor, Dr. Tegnell, whispered in his ear, to which Dr. Tegnell replied in a shocked tone, “You’re kidding!” to which the asistant shook his head “no”. Dr. Tegnell put his baton down and said, “Ladies and gentlemen: It is my sad duty to inform you that President Kennedy has been killed!”. He excused the rest of the rehearsal and we wandered around the campus in a state of shock. The next evening, the perforance was dedicated to President Kennedy’s honor. Everytime I hear the “Dies Irae”, I think of this and how approbriate it was that we would be singing that very piece when we got the news!

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  12. rootitoot@comcast.net Avatar
    rootitoot@comcast.net

    On another note, I attended the Merola’s free opera that it is presenting at the SF Library in the Koret Auditorium. The entire time, a couple behind me were both asleep, loudly snoring through the entire perforance of “Otello” (the Zefferelli firm with Pavorotti from 1985 I believe). I finally turned around to “shush” the man who was making the noise and he didn’t wake up so I grabbed his knee and pinched it until he did! It was quiet behind me for all of about five minutes before the snoring started again. I gave up trying to keep him awake as a lost cause and was thwarted in my plans to give him a good piece of my mind when they left early. Probably to go home and finish their nap! Guess it is true that you (don”t) get what you pay for.

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  13. Leo99 Avatar
    Leo99

    I would agree with those who praise this performance. I also think the stage @ Davies Hall might be a bit too small for 325 performers (160 orchestra + 160 chorus + 4 soloists + conductor). I was lucky to buy tickets so late that could only get separate seats in the Dress Circle. I submit that it was an ideal place for that evening; I’ve heard every tune and overtone exactly as I’ve expected them to sound. I was truly surprised and excited with the quality of performance by the double chorus and orchestra, not to mention outstanding performances by a rising star Leah Crocetto and a famous bass Vitaly Kovalyov (who also sang in Verdi’s Nabucco at La Scala this year). The level of performance shouldn’t be too surprising though, considering that Maestro Luisotti happens to be a Music Director of both opera houses and perhaps had a chance to hand pick every single performer.
    Overall, I think that the unique genre of Verdi’s Requiem, which I personally call “a concert for the opera” and which could have been written by only two composers of the 19th century (or any other century), Verdi and Wagner, was greatly expressed by this performance.

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