Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)It should come as no surprise that Einojuhani Rautavaara is without the shadow of a doubt the best living opera composer of
our times.After being an enfant terrible with his first two operas he consolidated his particular style with his fifth opera called THOMAS in 1985.RASPUTIN has been written in the grand opera style,perhaps a triffle different to the extremely
personal universes that he evoked in his previous two operas,his
capolavoro ALEKSIS KIVI and the "tragedia buffa" THE HOUSE OF THE SUN.In spite of this though the musical style follows the much more melodic vein which characterizes his operas from VINCENT on,permeating the score with a distinguishable russian flavor.
There are great ensembles and monologues for the protagonist(a sweet and soaring description of his native Siberia)for Tsar Nicholas,for the Tsarina Alix and for the conspirator prince Felix Yussupov.A magnificent danced religious
orgy in the first act and a wonderful tavern scene with russian
gypsy melodies inserted in the score,which gives way to an ensemble where the composer makes use of melodic continuos which approximate this opera to the conclusion of ALEKSI KIVI.
Perhaps the only flaw of the score is the lack of dramaticism of
the murder scene in act III,which can be forgiven given the greatness of the rest of the opera.
The mammothical title role has been tailormade for the voice of bass Matti Salminen,one of the best singers of the finnish nation,together with other artists of renowned quality who also
take part in this event.
Of particular interest are baritone Jorma Hynninen as Tsar Nicolai III,mezzosoprano Lili Paasikivi as the troubled Tsarina,
and tenor Jyrki Anttila and baritone Gabriel Suovanen as the conspirators Felix Yussupov and Dmitri Pavlovich.
Mikko Franck conducts the orchetra of the Finnish National Opera.Five stars for this oeuvre d'art which deserves even more.
[...]
Click Here to see more reviews about: Rautavaara - Rasputin / Salminen, Hynninen, Paasikivi, Franck, Finnish National Opera
0 comments:
Post a Comment