Hao Jiang Tin was a sturdy Ramfis, and it was luxury casting to have the superb Christian Van Horn as a dignified King of Egypt.ĭirector Jo Davies largely moved the chaotic traffic efficiently, apart from some odd conceits like the toy-soldier-like marching about in the Trimphal Scene. Marco Vratogna made a terrific Amonasro, embittered in his raging and consistently enlivening the stage action with his presence and vocalism. The popular singer brought her ample mezzo and fiery intensity to the role of the King’s jealous daughter, and her confrontation scene with Giordani’s Radames was the high point of the evening. No such reservations about Dolora Zajick’s Amneris. The fact that Carosi has sung this role at the Met and Covent Garden demonstrates the continuing paucity of true Verdi sopranos. Carosi’s vocalism was blandly non-expressive and dynamically straightened at too many key moments-as with her loud and insensitive O terra addio-and technically inconsistent, with fitfully wayward pitch. But apart from some lovely soft singing at the end of O patria mia, she brought little else to the role. The Italian soprano possesses a bright clear voice with sufficient power on top, and is a solid actress. The Sicilian tenor is also one of our finest actors and his ease on stage and natural reactions made a believable tragic figure in an opera that can have a stiff, pageant-like quality.ĭolora Zajick as Amneris and Micaela Carosi in the title role of Verdi's 'Aida.'Photo: Cory Weaver.Īs with Rhodes’ production, Micaela Carosi was a mixed blessing in the title role of the Ethiopian princess. His clarion tone cut through the massed ensembles of Act 2, and he sang with dramatic frisson and consistently rich, heroic tone. Once past that hurdle, Giordani vocally went from strength to strength. Giordani’s Celeste Aida was less than earth-shaking top notes were resonant and with the requisite Italianate ping, yet decidedly short-breathed in expression with phrase ends curtailed. Musically, San Francisco Opera’s Aida proved more consistent, though it took a while Friday night to gain traction. The audience clearly loved the Lion King-esque billowing blue elephant on which Radames makes his entrance. Whatever the intent or historical justification, the brightly colored columns in Act 1 resembled bad Mexican folk-art souvenirs, and the huge hieroglyph-like symbols and consciously crude painted sets merely looked amateurish, as if created by children for a grade-school play and ungifted children at that.Īs is the case in our economically down-sized times the Triumphal March was less elaborate than in days of yore, but undeniably lively and colorful with some acrobatic dancers. Her idea seemed to be to get away from the traditional polished gold and jeweled elegance to a more rough-edged, folkish style. Unfortunately, Rhodes’ striking costumes were allied to some of the most cosmically ugly set designs I’ve ever experienced.

Only the arboreal Star Wars getups for the priests in Act 3 seemed a mistake. Without being revisionist, the outfits are traditional with modern flair, her designs for the principals, chorus and dancers were colorful, imaginative and often eye-popping. Hopefully, the reception was better than AT&T provides for its similarly entombed iPhone users.įor this production, first unveiled at Houston Grand Opera, the pink-haired designer Rhodes has provided mostly stunning costumes with turquoise as the leitmotif.

The company’s general director was there to note that the night’s performance was being simulcast live to AT&T Field, the home of the playoff-contending Giants, where an estimated 32,000 watched. When David Gockley walked onstage Friday night, some in the audience groaned, anticipating an announcement that one of the principals was indisposed for the evening’s performance. There are two main points of interest in the company’s current production of Verdi’s Egyptian fable of love, jealousy, betrayal, big animals and involuntary entombment: Marcello Giordani in his role debut as Radames, and the scenic design by the once-outre punk fashion stylist Zandra Rhodes. debut as Radames here in 1950, and in 1957 Leontyne Price first sang her most celebrated role in San Francisco. Claudia Muzio was the company’s first Ethiopian princess in 1925, Mario del Monaco made his U.S. San Francisco Opera has had a long and distinguished history with Verdi’s Aida. Radames (Marcello Giordani) makes a triumphant entrance in San Francisco Opera's production of 'Aida.' Photo: Cory Weaver

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