Photos by Khalid al Busaidi
Back in the main Royal Opera House Muscat, the auditorium was prepared for one of the biggest collaborations of the season. Set Designer, Rudy Sabounghi transformed the stage into a huge cinematic frame for Opéra de Monte-Carlo’s 2024 production, “La Fille du Régiment”. It was Donizetti’s last opera, commissioned by Opéra-Comique, Paris and premiered in 1840.
The projection of a sepia film like the early days of cinema during the orchestral ‘Overture’ gave the audience the life story of the Marquise of Berkenfeld, and how her daughter came to be adopted as the “daughter” of the 21st Régiment aged 10; a clever touch to open the performance. La Corelli Orchestra was conducted with precision by Maestro Antonello Allemandi.
The screen opened wider to reveal a cast of colourful peasants waving silver branches as weapons against an impending French invasion. The Marquise, played superbly throughout by Veronica Simeoni, appeared among them in a check dress, a veritable drama queen with exaggerated theatrics in, “Pour une femme de mon nom”, her vocal timbre rich and warm. The whole chorus rejoice at the coming of peace and freedom from the French in a burlesque pageant.
The frame shifted back to reveal more depth in Scene 2 as Marie - La Fille herself - and Sergeant Sulpice sing, “La Voilà! Mordieu qu’elle gentille!”, extolling the joys of a soldier’s life and military victory. Here was Australian soprano, Jessica Pratt,
whose versatile and agile lyrical coloratura would increasingly beguile and amaze the audience for the next two hours. She mimicked the flow of her song while cooking, she pattered with Sulpice, she imitated the soldiers’ marching as the 21st emerged in startling blue and red costumes. Marie confessed to being in love as her “fathers” dragged their prisoner in - it was Tonio, her lover who had saved her life. She stood on a table to sing, “Chacun le Sait, Chacun le dit”. The role of Marie is demanding for its sustained high register and Ms Pratt proved equal to the challenge and stunning in her delivery.
The Tyrolean, Tonio was performed superbly by Italian tenor, Antonino Siragusa. Shorter than Marie and sometimes playing a buffoon caricature, he was a more than convincing suitor in the duet, “Quoi! Vous m’aimez?”. His declaration of love was sincere, his diction and light tenor voice clear and compelling. In the duet sections their voices blended beautifully, and then it was Marie’s turn to declare her love in the same song, while a golden Cupid parody crept on from behind, much to everyone’s amusement.
Sulpice – sung by the brilliant baritone, Omar Montanari returning to ROHM, and whose warm depth of experience never fails - catches them as the Marquise enters to request safe passage to Berkenfeld Castle. Ecstatic with joy in love, Siragusa performed the famous, “Ah! Mes amis, quel jour de fête” in his fine, strong voice, hitting 9 top Cs without falter. Having joined the Régiment to gain his sweetheart, the soldiers - mimicking a spoof dance behind - agree he can marry Marie as she loves him too. But her ‘aunt’, the Marquise demands to take Marie back to her castle to educate and refine her.
Marie’s Aria, “Il faut partir!” was accompanied by a mournful Cor Anglais melody from Fabiana Evangelista in the pit,
echoing her sadness at leaving her fathers who cared for her since childhood. Jessica Pratt’s delivery was impossibly tender, a restrained lyrical line, quiet at the top of her register with vocal control beyond imagination. The curtain fell as they departed, leaving Tonio in despair.
Act 2 moves into a lighter, more humorous vein under Jean-Louis Grinda’s comical direction as the portly stature of the Duchess enters, the scenery now a giant picture gallery. Two male bodybuilders in lederhosen - to emphasise the Bavarian location - and two female dancers as maids dance a satirical waltz as a grand piano is wheeled on for the anticipated singing lesson. The Duchess of Crankentorp is a cameo role, performed hilariously by singer-actor, Jean-François Vinciguerra.
The Marquise commences her parody singing lesson, “Le jour naissant dans le bocage”, with Marie’s ingenious out of tune and exasperated efforts, and Sulpice’s military interjections leaving the public in stitches. The 21st Régiment Refrain, however lifts Marie’s spirits enough to conclude in her high register – beautifully executed and in tune!
Left alone she laments that status or fortune will not make her happy as she has lost Tonio in, “Par le range et par l’opulence”, with Vanessa Sinigaglia’s sad Cello countermelody enhancing Ms Pratt’s soft control in the top range. The French Régiment appear at the central picture, now a window, and the chorus sing the recurring refrain, “Salut à la France!” with Marie’s extended coloratura passage, before she faints.
Scene 2 introduces the now Officer Tonio in the happy patter-song trio, “Tous Les Trois réunis”, with Marie and Sulpice as they plot how to get out of the arranged engagement, while the 6 servants fake a rugby scrum from behind.
Tonio’s Aria to persuade the Marquise that he truly loves Marie, “Pour me rapprocher de Marie”, was plaintive and tender yet powerful from Siragusa, beautifully placed and controlled in his sustained upper register.
The colourful crowd of nobility arrive to sign the contract for Scipion, nephew to the Duchess, but just in time Tonio leads the 21st Régiment to save her from a horrible marriage, letting the cat out of the bag that Marie was a barmaid, a vivandière!
The nobles are horrified, the Marquise realises she is sacrificing Marie for her own pride and allows her to marry the husband of her choice - Tonio. The dancers try to dance a revealing Can-Can and all burst into a Finale of “Salut a la France” - which sends the audience gaily singing their way home.
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
