Search - Rossini - L'Italiana in Algeri on DVD

A Lackluster Italian Girl

David D. Dollinger | Pasadena, CA | 05/09/2009

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This turned out to be a very disappointing L,Italiana considering that it comes from Pesaro. My first gripe is with Dario Fo,the director, who allegedly has some reputation in Europe. He is content to fill the stage with supernumeraries, excess baggage and special effects that simply don't work. In short he doesn't trust his singers. Not content with the opera proper, all this nonsense starts during the overture. Rossini wrote a brilliant overture and needs no additional help.

The lighting is kept quite dim, keeping the audience from the kind of physical contact that involves the audience. Vinco who is an excellent Mustapha wears a turban of such immense proportion that it casts shadow on his face, not to mention how is the damn thing kept in place! Miranov, the Lindoro, is a young Russian who can give Juan Diego a run for his money. Both Vinco and Miranov appear to better advantage in the newest Girl from Aix where simplicity rules the day.

And the girl, Isabella? She lacks the fire of Doris Sofel, the "glam" of Larimore and the fire of Horne. She can sing the music, and agility is not given short schrift. But the whole effect is so dispiriting that even the addition of a tenor aria, usually cut, makes no effect. The opera which usually flies by seems very long. Surely Pesaro can do better."