Attila at Seattle Opera - review
By Audrey Gervasi
Verdi's Attila made its Seattle Opera premier Saturday night to a very appreciative audience. SO's general director Speight Jenkins discovered this opera "by chance" as he searched for a production to showcase the considerable talents of bass John Relyea. A happy accident indeed.
Attila is an early Verdi work (first performed in 1846) done in bel canto style and as such features a melodious score that takes the listener through the gamut of emotions--ominous and dramatic to sweet and soulful. This is an opera of contrasts, both in terms of rising and falling scales, and (sometimes) discord between the melody and lyrics.
The libretto relates the 5th century barbarian invasion of Italy by Attila (bass John Relyea) and his band of Huns and includes a love triangle around Odabella (soprano Ana Lucrecia Garcia), as her beloved Foresto (tenor Antonello Palombi) believes she has forsaken him for Attila. The opera contains a famous line that stirred its original Italian audience: "Avrai tu l'universo, Resti l'Italia a me" ("You may have the universe, but let Italy remain mine"). The line is sung by the Roman ambassador and Attila's friend Ezio (baritone Marco Vatrogna), who asks Attila to spare Italy, and in return he will join forces with Attila to conquer the rest of the world.
An interesting facet of this production is its semi-modern (for lack of a better term) setting. The barbarians are dressed in fatigues and carry automatic rifles. Attila has his own logo, an "A" that appears to be scrawled in blood, with the cross of the "A" formed by an assault weapon. Attila himself comes across like a rock star. He too is dressed in fatigues but wears long white furs over them, and there is a large portrait of him displayed in the barbarian encampment. His followers idolize him. Relyea is magnificent in this role, which gives the singer the opportunity to display his rich, deep tones and regal stature to their fullest advantage. Relyea gives Attila a charisma that makes the audience admire him despite the fact that he is a heartless, brutal, power-hungry warrior.
Garcia's Odabella is no less admirable. Garcia does not shy away from the challenge of this role, and in fact embraces it. Her opening aria was stunning as she covered the scale from high to low and back again, seemingly effortlessly. Through her, the audience feels the fiery passion of a patriot and the despair of a woman who has lost everything.
If there were anything to be re-thought, it would be dressing Palombi's Foresto (tenor) in a long leather coat. Between that and his slicked back hair he came across as an Italian gangster, yet his vocal performance was superb, and his duets with Garcia especially poignant. In addition to the arias, the score features several choral pieces that add depth and drama. All in all a most enjoyable evening of accessible musical entertainment, easily appreciated by both opera aficionados and newcomers.
Attila is being performed through January 28, 2012. Tickets and information: www.seattleopera.org.
