A busted straight: La Scala's La fanciulla del West

By Kevin Wells, 06 May 2016

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

“Claudio Sgura's Rance was no one-dimensional Scarpia clone”

Reviewed at Teatro alla Scala, Milan on 3 May 2016

Puccini, La fanciulla del West

Teatro alla Scala

Riccardo Chailly, Conductor

Robert Carsen, Director

Luis F Carvalho, Set Designer

Petra Reinhardt, Costume Designer

Barbara Haveman, Minnie

Claudio Sgura, Jack Rance

Roberto Aronica, Dick Johnson

Carlo Bosi, Nick

Gabriele Sagona, Ashby

Alessandra Visentin, Wowkle

Emanuele Giannino, Harry

Krystian Adam, Joe

Francesco Castoro, The Pony Express Rider

Marco Ciaponi, Trin

Costantino Finucci, Bello

Francesco Verna, Happy

Gianluca Breda, Sid

Alessandro Luongo, Sonora

Alessandro Spina, Billy Jackrabbit

Davide Fersini, Jake Wallace

Romano Dal Zovo, Jim Larkens

Leonardo Galeazzi, José Castro

Coro del Teatro alla Scala

Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala

Diamonds and steel: Anna Pirozzi rules in La Scala’s Turandot revival

Laura Servidei, 12th April

Visually enchanting and meticulously staged, this centenary revival confirms Livermore's production as a modern classic.

****1

The Ring returns to the Rhine: Götterdämmerung at La Scala

Laura Servidei, 1st February

Under Alexander Soddy’s powerful conducting and Sir David McVicar’s dark, evocative staging, the Ring finds a searing conclusion, anchored by a powerful Brünnhilde from Camilla Nylund, as the world burns.

*****

Shostakovitch’s Lady Macbeth conquers La Scala on opening night

Laura Servidei, 7th December

Shostakovich's brutal tale of sex, murder and madness storms La Scala's opening night, with Riccardo Chailly leading his final season premiere as Music Director.

****1

The game of love: Robert Carsen’s new Così fan tutte at La Scala

Laura Servidei, 8th November

Alexander Soddy leads a great cast in a clever, supremely entertaining new production in Milan.

****1

Pelly’s iconic Fille du régiment retains its charm at La Scala

Laura Servidei, 17th October

Julie Fuchs and Juan Diego Flórez give life to the refreshing and funny take of Laurent Pelly’s classic production, under the baton of Evelino Pidò.

****1

Martone's modern Rigoletto returns with power and flaws to La Scala

Laura Servidei, 10th October

A Rigoletto revival in Milan is elevated by a stellar vocal performance from Amartuvshin Enkhbat, despite a finale that divides opinion and some uneven orchestral pacing.

***11

More reviews...

Kevin Wells

Kevin Wells was bitten by the opera bug at 10, having heard a 1936 recording of Jussi Björling singing “Che gelida manina”. He has never been the same since. A student of voice, performance practice, the history of singing and opera, he holds advanced degrees in Italian and has lived and worked in Italy off and on since the 70s. La Scala became a second home as the Met had been during college daze. Now in his native Boston, he works as translator, tutor, and language coach, haunts Symphony Hall, and would haunt the Opera House had it not been demolished in 1958!