VIEWPOINTS – TEATRO NUOVO tastefully mounts a pair of rarely-performed bel canto operas, delivering inspired music-making and unforced theater

This past week on two consecutive nights at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the upstart opera company Teatro Nuovo – which specializes in resuscitating the bel canto repertoire – presented a pair of rarely-performed works, Donizetti’s Poliuto and Federico and Luigi Ricci’s Crispino e la Comare. These showings were welcome occurrences during these hot summer days, especially for those missing the cultural oases previously provided by the now defunct Lincoln Center Festival and the full programming of the Mostly Mozart Festival yore. Read on for my thoughts.

Chelsea Lehnea in Teatro Nuova’s production of “Poliuto” at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center (photo by Steve Pisano).

Respectively conducted by Jakob Lehmann (who also played first violin, vividly) and Jonathan Brandon, these operas were first and foremost thoughtful and inspired reconstructions of historical bel canto stylings. From the nuanced playing of the Teatru Nuovo Orchestra – which was raised and in full view of the audience, emphasizing its centrality to both productions – to the carefully wrought period singing (standouts were the sparkling vocal performances by Chelsea Lehnea in Poliuto and Teresa Castillo in Crispino e la Comare), these experiences reminded audiences that opera needn’t be a maximalist experience. Indeed, musicality flowed naturally from the stage and “pit”, warmly inviting audiences into the drama rather than blitzing them to surrender. Providing spirited vocal support throughout was the Teatro Nuovo Chorus, which carved out an integral niche for itself in the unfolding proceedings.

Mattia Venni and Teresa Castillo in Teatro Nuovo’s production of “Crispino e la Comare” at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center (photo by Steve Pisano).

In addition to providing rich musical experiences, Teatro Nuovo’s dual productions also delivered delightful theater. Indeed, both were grounded in humanity tastefully acted in an unforced manner that did away with the histrionics one typically associates with the genre. Efficiently and cleanly staged using only a single projected backdrop for both visually setting each scene and furnishing English titles, both Poliuto and Crispino e la Comare exuded the kind of artistic generosity and general goodwill that could have only arisen from such like-minded, communally-oriented endeavors.

BOTH RECOMMENDED

POLIUTO / CRISPINO E LA COMARE
Opera
Teatro Nuovo at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Approximately 3 hours
Closed

Categories: Opera

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