Verdi and new technology
Don Carlos premieres at the National Opera House of Ukraine
The older generation of spectators may remember the 1985 production of Giuseppe Verdi’s Don Carlos by Oleh Riabov, Dmytro Smolych, and Fedir Nirod, starring Valentyn Pyvovarov, Viacheslav Lupalov, Volodymyr Fedotov, Svitlana Dobronravova, and Valentyna Kochur. Now a new team is working on the production: conductor Mykola Diadiura, stage director Anatolii Solovianenko, designers Maria Levytska and Natalia Kucheria, and choirmaster Bohdan Plish. Managing director Anatolii SOLOVIANENKO shared the details of the new production with The Day:
“It has been nearly 15 years since the last performance of Smolych’s production. Now we have a new generation of singers, prepared to perform this complicated piece. So the managers of the opera house decided to make a new production of Don Carlos, which will enable singers with various voices to show their talents to advantage.
“In my view, the current trend for modernization of productions is perhaps allowed as one of the means to bring classical music pieces close to the audience. But Don Carlos is a play with a distinct historic background, time, and place, so any tampering with time and place would be improper and incorrect. We treated this classical piece with all due respect.”
What prompts did you follow as you worked on the production?
“We thoroughly read the literary source, as well as other historical studies, in particular, those of the historical period in question (the action is set in Spain, 1560) and of particular historical persons appearing in Don Carlos. We saw a number of films on similar topics, and a great lot of works of fine art, associated with that period. Production designer Maria Levytska made a special trip to Spain, where she visited the places where the action is set, and studied artistic and architectural aspect of the piece.
“Practically the entire choir is involved in our production, more than one hundred persons, since in various episodes numerous groups appear which represent the populace, the Inquisition, the Spanish grandees, the clerics, and the king’s guards. A huge number of costumes, nearly 400, have been specially made for this production. All the supers are involved, and the larger part of the opera company. I think this will be one of the theater’s largest productions over the recent years. Specially for this the house has bought state-of-the-art computerized projection equipment, such as is used by the world’s leading theaters. Now we are working hard to familiarize with it. The computer projection system will be partly tried in the set design for the ballet Caprices, and afterwards it will be extensively used in both new productions and those which are already in our repertoire, but need to be modernized. Don Carlos is a true step forwards in the implementation of new technology in theatrical practice.”
There exist various editions of Don Carlos: Paris, Milan, Leipzig (which was shown in the 1980s in Kyiv). Which version are you working with?
“Our production is based on the Italian four-act revision. Together with composer Mykola Diadiura we made certain abridgements. According to the composer’s score, the piece will be produced in seven scenes, but acts three and four will be merged.”
Which soloists will be starring, and who will appear in the premiere?
“There are three casts working rehearsing Don Carlos. Soloists Serhii Pashchuk and Andrii Romanenko turn out good in the main part, and I hope that eventually Oleksandr Hurets will join them later. Philip II’s part is being rehearsed by Serhii Mahera, Serhii Kovnir, and Andrii Honiukov, and each of them has a distinct, individual appeal. The part of Rodrigue di Posa is prepared by Mykhailo Kyryshev, Hennadii Vashchenko, and Oleksandr Boiko. Anzhelina Shvachka and Tetiana Pymynova are both fascinating as Eboli. Three experienced sopranos, favorites of the public, are to appear as Elizabeth (Tetiana Anisimova, Viktoria Chenska, and Kateryna Strashchenko). Bass Taras Shtonda will play the Grand Inquisitor – despite being engaged in a Wagner production in Germany. He has already appeared as the Grand Inquisitor more than once abroad, and has secured a prestigious contract to play the role in 2013, when Verdi’s anniversary is marked.
“Today the repertoire of our house includes several plays based on Verdi’s music: A Masked Ball, La traviata, and Macbeth. I think next year we will be able to hold a large-scale Verdi festival.”
How is the National Opera going to celebrate the anniversary of Ukrainian classical composer Mykola Lysenko?
“We are going to close the season with a new version of his Natalka Poltavka (edited by Myroslav Skoryk), which I am going to produce. The two-act piece will be quite brisk. We have involved outstanding set designers, Mykhailo and Tadei Ryndzak. The premiere is scheduled for July 4.”
What other new productions are to appear on the playbills?
“By the end of this season, the spectators will have seen two ballet premieres: modern one-act ballets (in April, Radio&Juliett and Class Concert), initiated by our ballet director Denys Matviienko; in May choreographer Radu Poklitaru is going to present a project based on Skoryk’s music. Early in June we are bringing back Manon Lescaut. The season is closing on July 8 with a gala concert.”
