The Stage

Il trovatore

Published Wednesday 15 April 2009 at 16:40 by George Hall

Russian bass Mikhail Petrenko gets Elijah Moshinsky’s production of Verdi’s fiery masterpiece off to a flying start with his boldly deliberate account of the story’s complex prehistory, and the evening rarely lets up. Although Dante Ferretti’s sets, with their references to Visconti’s films (set at the period of the Risorgimento), have a certain relevance, an air of medieval mayhem is missing - Leonora’s abduction from a railway station somehow lacks the resonance of being snatched away from a convent. But what happens within the sets is a good deal more apposite than the sets themselves.

Barnstorming his way through the piece to tremendous effect is Dmitri Hvorostovsky as the Count of Luna, a dark-hearted villain finely realised physically and stunningly sung - it’s hard to imagine anyone who could touch him in this role today. Roberto Alagna’s Manrico provides a more than presentable opponent, despite an often cavalier attitude to Verdi’s rhythms, which conductor Carlo Rizzi nevertheless purveys with considerable panache.

Less certain of their mark are the two women. Sondra Radvanovsky has the full vocal measure of Leonora and stays the course in what is a long and demanding evening. Yet her singing lacks momentum and a strong sense of character. In another star role, Polish mezzo Malgorzata Walewska offers solid vocal material, but her Azucena rarely seizes the centre of attention. Not quite the full pack of cards, then, but enough of the piece hits home to make it memorable.