Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria is the second of only three surviving operas by Claudio Monteverdi with a nearly complete score, missing just a few choruses and ballets. Composed in 1640 for Venice’s Teatro Santi Giovanni e Paolo, it was written when Monteverdi was 73 – a very advanced age for the time. This year, the Monteverdi Festival in Cremona presents a new production by director Davide Livermore, who began his musical career as a singer of Monteverdi’s works. Returning to his roots, he also performs as the gluttonous Iro.
Livermore sets the action in a post-World War 2 Mediterranean country – likely Italy – drawing visual inspiration from the neorealist cinema of the 1950s, with clear nods to Roberto Rossellini and Luchino Visconti. The staging evokes a world where time stands still in anticipation of Ulysses’ return, with daily rituals unfolding at a slow pace. D-WOK’s video projections amplify the atmosphere, depicting an ominous sea, its dark waves embodying Neptune’s wrath as an invincible deity determined to thwart Ulysses’ return.
Ithaca resembles any Mediterranean island, complete with Catholic processions carrying looming Madonna statues. Penelope, clad in black like a Sicilian widow, faces suitors dressed as mafia thugs in gaudy suits. A double bed remains ever-present onstage, underscoring the story’s status as the greatest ode to marital love in Western culture.
The musical direction was entrusted to Michele Pasotti, who led La Fonte Musica with elegance and a deep grasp of Monteverdi’s style. While the original score requires just five strings and a modest continuo, Pasotti expanded the ensemble with cornettos, flutes, dulciana, lirone, harp and three keyboards (cembalo, organ and regale). Purists may frown at these additions, but they enriched the texture – even if they occasionally overpowered the singers. The musicians, clearly versed in this repertoire, performed with impeccable intonation and stylistic insight. Their interpretation was meticulous and refined, though at times it could have benefited from more liveliness and passion to fully ignite the drama. Still, the result was both impressive and satisfying.
Mauro Borgioni, a seasoned interpreter of the role, delivered a commanding Ulisse. His rich baritone carried effortlessly, smooth in lyrical passages, precise in recitatives and adorned with elegant ornamentation. His stage presence was equally compelling.
Margherita Sala’s smoky, potent mezzo revealed every nuance of Penelope’s psyche. In her opening aria, she conveyed the queen’s exhausted longing, steadfast devotion and simmering resentment toward Ulysses’ absence. Through vocal shading alone, she shifted between regal dignity, grieving widowhood, defiant fury and maternal tenderness, all while performing with her arm in a sling from a rehearsal injury!
Jacob Lawrence, one of the few non-Italian singers, portrayed Telemaco with perfect diction and a luminous high tenor ideal for the youthful role. His recognition scene with Ulisse (Borgioni) overflowed with tender emotion, both voices blending in sudden, joyful reunion. As the shepherd Eumete, Francisco Fernandez Rueda delivered one of the evening's standout performances. His bright, robust tenor captured both the character's earthy simplicity and intuitive wisdom, balancing innocence with profound gravitas.
Livermore relished his comic turn as Iro, singing with style and acting with gusto. While generally over-the-top, his brief appearance prevented it from becoming distracting. Chiara Brunello brought rich, velvety mezzo tones to Eraclea, Penelope's maid and Ulysses' former nurse.
Alberto Allegrezza (Eurimaco) and Alena Dantcheva (Melanto) delivered charming portrayals of the foolish lovers, though occasionally struggled with projection. The suitors – countertenor Arnauld Gluck (somewhat weak), tenor Roberto Rilievi and bass Matteo Bellotto – completed the cast of the human characters.
The divine roles were powerfully cast: Luigi De Donato brought authoritative elegance to Time/Neptune with his resonant bass. Giulia Bolcato doubled as Amore/Juno, while Arianna Vendittelli stole scenes as Minerva – her bright, agile mezzo and vivacious stage presence perfectly capturing the goddess’s scheming charm. Valentino Buzza’s mannered portrayal suited Jove’s regal stature, though his tenor occasionally struggled against the orchestra.
Cristina Fanelli’s brilliant soprano and dynamic acting made Fortuna truly luminous. Chiara Osella offered a poignant Human Frailty while serving as assistant director, her portrayal demonstrated remarkable dedication.