Return of the Troubadour

Jonas Kaufmann and Elena Manistina with Azucena’s mom-ghost in Il trovatore at Bavarian State Opera

By ANDREW POWELL
Published: November 13, 2013

MUNICH — Olivier Py’s neon-lit vaudeville vision of Il trovatore is back, with cast adjustments. At the performance on Nov. 9, Krassimira Stoyanova introduced a cool-timbred Leonora of a certain age, her versatile and expressive top reflecting keen musicianship. Vitaliy Bilyy lurched about in hammy fits as di Luna but sounded potent. If his Il balen wanted more suavity, at least the baritone mustered heft in important places and, with Stoyanova, brought excitement to Mira, di acerbe lagrime … Vivrà! contende il giubilo. Goran Jurić, the so-so Ferrando, managed to swallow more words than he projected.

Looking less engaged than at the June 27 premiere, conductor Paolo Carignani bounced along the top layer of the music. His Miserere again lacked tension. Elena Manistina and Jonas Kaufmann replicated their contributions of five months ago, complete with a now slicker intermission box-sawing.

Photo © Wilfried Hösl

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