Puccini - La Fanciulla del West / Santi, Domingo, Neblett, Royal Opera Covent Garden

Rating:
Summary: Eh.....
Review: This production, to me, fails to fire like the metropolitan broadcast with Domingo and Milnes 9 years later. It seemed as if none of the leads of the leads could match the level of Domingo in a marginally effective staging.
As i said Domingo is excellent. As an actor, no one can touch him. He looks youthful and sounds wondeful as Dick johnson. Chella mi Creda is a treasure, I can only wish that the Covent Garden audience would clap for anything. ( I love going to the opera because of the spontaneous atmosphere, with clapping and bravi ect... I cant stand it when an aria finished and, after a tense silence, the music goes on. The same is true for the 1975 ballo in Maschera with Domingo. This is a minor complaint, yet something I cant understand about English opera houses.)
Carol Neblett is a poor Minnie. the role tazes her terribly and she fails to be a convincing actress, due to her struggle with the role. My biggest complaint is that her high note climaxes are often at a slighter volume than her low notes. this does not suggest she has no voice, because she does have a beautiful voice. Minnie, however, is beyond her instrument.
I disagree with the Amazon reviewer who said Carolli makes a wonderful villain. His performance is very one dimensional. He wears an absurd, spotless tuxedo with a mink coat (surrounded by men in filthy rags.) It is true that Carolli makes an evil Rance, but there is no pathos or pain in the performance. Milnes makes you feel Rance's pain and desperation, his lust and emptyness. Carolli is just a bully. his voice is passable, but is smaller than domingo's often covered by the orchestra.
The rest of the production iis very good, the sets are picturesque ect... But go with the Met production with Domingo, it is much more convincing.