"Pag and Cav" opera double feature directed and staged 2019 by Robert Carson at the Dutch National Opera:
First plays the Ruggero Leoncavallo Pagliacci to a libretto by the composer. Stars Roman Burdenko (Tonio), Ailyn Pérez (Nedda), Brandon Jovanovich (Canio), Marco Ciaponi (Peppe), and Mattia Olivieri (Silvio).
Then plays the Pietro Mascagni Cavalleria rusticana to libretto by Giovanni Targioni-Tozzeti and Guido Menasci. Stars Anita Rachvelishvili (Santuzza), Rihab Chaieb (Lola), Brian Jagde (Turiddu), Roman Burdenko (Alfio), and Elena Zilio (Mamma Lucia).
Lorenzo Viotti conducts the Netherlands Philharmonica Orchestra, the Chorus of the Dutch National Opera (Chorus Master Ching-Lien Wu), and the Nieuw Amsterdams Kinderkoor (Chorus Master Anaïs De La Morandais). Set design by Rudu Boruzescu; costume design by Annemaria Woods; lighting design by Robert Carson and Peter von Praet; choreography by Marco Berriel; dramaturge was Ian Burton. Directed for TV by François Roussillon. Sung in Italian. Released 2021, disc has 5.1 dts-HD Master Audio sound. Grade: NA
We already have 5 HDVDs of the traditional “Cav and Pag” with their of slice-of-life “verismo” stories set in small towns in Italy. But director Carsen switches the customary order making this a “Pag and Cav” in a setting stripped of local color. Jenny Camilleri, writing in Bachtrack, gives this 5 stars and goes all out in praising Carsen for providing “plenty to mull over for these who like challenging productions.” Clive Paget also recommends this in the September 2021 Opera News (pages 56-57) for those interested in an “original take” in a “show within a show within a show within a show.”
Another who enjoyed Carsen’s twists and turns was our own woke Wonk Lewis Chang, who reports this as a winner. On the other hand, this might not be the best choice for introducing a newbie to the glories of opera.
Below are two videos from the Dutch National Opera about this show. We can’t tell if any of this comes from the François Roussillon video file:
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