La Cenerentola
Opera Maine
PORTLAND, ME
Jack Swanson, Hongni Wu and Patrick Carfizzi in Opera Maine’s production of La Cenerentola
Photo by Martha Mickles
ON JULY 27, Opera Maine’s Cinderella delivered an evening of boisterous laughs and thrilling vocalism. The OM production of Rossini’s classic comedy La Cenerentola (billed in English but sung in Italian) transported the audience to a whimsical land filled with the vibrant colors and the over-the-top characters we have come to expect from fairy tales. Opera Maine’s production wove in touches of magic and engaging moments of slapstick humor that made this performance a standout.
OM artistic director Dona D. Vaughn guided the Cenerentola creative team. Vaughn’s dreamlike vision for the opera was enhanced by Millie Hiibel’s costumes, designed in bright hues to accent each character’s personality and individuality. Christopher Akerlind filled the stage with a simple but inviting set, matching the vivid costumes with flamboyant backdrops of pinks and greens, and creating lighting that contributed an air of mystery when needed. Amanda Clark shared inspiration with her hair and makeup design, alluding to Disney’s well-known portrayals of the beloved Cinderella characters.
As Angelina (Cinderella), Hongni Wu met all the coloratura challenges set by Rossini and sang with an elegance and emotive beauty that transformed even simple phrases into meaningful sentiments. At the beginning of the opera, Wu’s Angelina was seen as the sheepish daughter of an abusive father; Wu effectively developed her character into the self-assured Princess she was destined to be. Angelina’s final aria was particularly moving: Wu effortlessly displayed the entirety of her range, moving through explosive rapid-fire passages with silky smoothness.
Her Prince Ramiro, tenor Jack Swanson, was a delight. Swanson gripped the audience with his vocal fireworks and command of dynamic details, exemplified by his delivery of “Si ritrovarla io giuro,” Ramiro’s well-known Act II aria, in which Swanson’s supple phrasing, rich tone and facile high notes demonstrated why he is sought after for Rossini’s most difficult roles.
Robert Mellon continued his string of exemplary performances with Opera Maine as Dandini, the fanciful valet to Prince Ramiro. Dandini impersonates Prince Ramiro in order to test potential royal wives, and Mellon’s valet was all too delighted to play with each and every character, generating an exuberance and humor that energized the rest of the cast. Mellon’s quick wit was matched by his beautiful, blooming baritone that filled the house with ease. As the Prince’s tutor, Alidoro—the character who serves the function of the Fairy Godmother in more familiar versions of the Cinderella story—bass William Guanbo Su was a crafty puppet master whose characterization was marked by confidence and vocal prowess. His singing was consistently warm and supple despite the mayhem Alidoro’s magic created on stage.
The chief sources of hilarity were the wicked trio of Angelina’s relatives—Patrick Carfizzi as the overconfident stepfather, Don Magnifico, and soprano Katherine Henly and mezzo-soprano Rachel Barg, who perfectly executed Angelina’s mocking, self-obsessed stepsisters. Carfizzi brought vocal flair and lively physicality to Magnifico. Henly threw herself around the stage yet sang with clarity and beauty as Clorinda, while Barg carried herself with amusing overconfidence and sang with wondrous depth of sound as Tisbe.
Israel Gursky conducted the show with charm and refinement: under his baton, the orchestra played Rossini’s challenging score with jaunty wit that supported the cast completely. Chorus master Virgil Bozeman piloted the men’s chorus to success as they moved with clear diction and spirited resonance through the fantastical world of La Cenerentola. —Aaren Rivard