Roberto Alagna

REVIEW | CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA & PAGLIACCI (12/10/2016) by John Mueller for Der neue Merker | "Genuine feelings, safe top notes, great expressiveness, unrivalled artistic mastery "

Full review > http://der-neue-merker.eu/zuerich-opernhaus-cavalleria-rust

EXCERPT (from German): "As stated in Pagliacci's prologue, here there is no feigned theatrical tears, but genuine feelings. And indeed, it was well the case during this performance of the two famous operas. Roberto Alagna who was once again singing both tenor roles, has reached a mastery level in his art that no one else but himself can excel. We can only praise his voice of lyric-spinto tenor where in the top range the lyrical accents are mingling around his noble, powerful and homogeneous core-tone.

And these top notes are issued with much safety and moreover sung with a great expressiveness as well as easily sustained. His medium that sounds beautifully baritonal, benefits as well the role of Turiddu as that of Canio. There, he is not the son bemoaning to his mother, but rather a man aware of his guilt who goes to death almost fatalistic by facing Alfio to a duel. Here it also shows us what is described in the original novel: Turiddu would have won if Alfio did not throw sand in his eyes. Turiddu thus blinded, Alfio can deliver the death blow. Also surprising are Alagna's "stunts" . Fatally stabbed in "Cavalleria" , he rolls over the balustrade and in "Pagliacci" he does a cart wheel like at the circus.

The tragedy of the sideshows' entertainer betrayed by her young wife, has a particularly heartbreaking touch in Alagna's characterization. This time, he smeared Pagliacci's face with dark makeup in the way of Otello and let appear the connection between Canio and Otello. As Otello does, Canio must constantly contain and control. As Desdemona who constantly pokes his anger with her protestations, in the same way acts Aleksandra Kurzak as Nedda, pushing him to his limits when playing the frolicking and flirting Columbine. Only when Canio sees dead Nedda he wakes up from his almost trance and realizes what he did. Then a sentence escapes from a sob: "La commedia è finita!" - Aleksandra Kurzak sang excellently - she performed her aria beautifully with her coloraturas and dramatic accents up to her top notes. [...] The enthusiasm was widespread and unanimous - and that's precisely what makes the great opera nights!"

REVIEW | CAVALLERIA-PAGLIACCI (28/09/2016) -"Magnificent singers, regal mastery, safe technique, a total artwork" by John H. Mueller for "Der neue Merker" (30/09/2016)

EXCERPT (from German): "Roberto Alagna was performing the tenoral part of both opera, demonstrating he is one of the greatest opera personalities of today. His singing career has been going on for more than 30 years, but what has gone in lightness and brilliance in Alagna's voice has been regained in confidence, in regal mastery, in power and homogeneity. Not a single uncertainty darkens his vocal performance, well-toned top notes are emitted safely and without any loosening. The safe and lengthy sustained note he has sung in "A ventitre ore" in Pagliacci spread the excitement in the large and young audience.

Alagna's Turiddu is portrayed as a "pretty guy of the village" and as Pagliacci, he plays his character as a broken sideshows' entertainer who loves his wife madly, then throws the death blow in a fit of rage. He is only stammering his "La commedia è finita" while moving forward to the lying body of her Nedda: very emotional. The reply was in the best hands with Alagna's wife, Aleksandra Kurzak. The singer, who already seduced us as Gilda a few years ago, has matured, moving towards a lyric soprano with dramatic attack. As well as her husband, she can rely on a safe technique, and then - as one says - just let it go. In addition, with her as with Alagna, the art of singing and the art of acting are mingling and blending to form a whole, a total artwork. Dramatically, both are wholeheartedly and uncompromising committed in their acting and, in the case of a pure drama, a night like last night deserves to be enjoyed."