Argentina Strauss, Die Fledermaus: Soloists and Chorus of Juventus Lyrica, Orquesta Académica de Buenos Aires, Carlos Calleja (conductor), Teatro Avenida, Buenos Aires. 28.10.2011. (JSJ)
Production:
Director: Ana D’Anna
Sets/lighting: Daniel Feijóo
Lighting: Ana D’Anna and Fernando Micucci
Costumes: María Jaunarena
Chorus: Miguel Pesce
Cast:
Rosalinde: Macarena Valenzuela
Adele: Laura Penchi / Laura Polverini
Gabriel von Eisenstein: Mariano Spagnolo
Prínce Orlofsky: Griselda Adano
Alfred: Sebastián Russo / Santiago Ballerini
Doctor Falke: Ernesto Bauer / Santiago Tiscornia
Frank: Fernando Álvar Nuñez
Doctor Blind: Norberto Lara / Hernán Sánchez Arteaga
Ida: Claudia Montagna
Frosch: Carlos Kaspar
With a(nother) successful year behind it, what better way to bring it to an end than with the fizz and frivolity of a work such as Die Fledermaus, the waltz king Strauss’s best known operetta, otherwise known as “The Bat.”
As Ana D’Anna with her years of experience demonstrated once again, a little can go a long way when it comes to staging in creating the right atmosphere. Here minimal props and lighting combined, with appropriate dress, to creating the sense of opulence and style of a past time.
Of course too, it is helped along by the music, which never flagged – the Orquesta Académica playing with precision and style under their director Carlos Calleja.
The cast too is all important and all gave of their best. Macarena Valenzuela as Rosalinde and the always exuberant Laura Penchi as the cheeky maid Adele well complemented each other, their voices of quite different timbres. Mario Spagnolo handled the role of Eisenstein with aplomb, while Ernesto Bauer was an especially energetic Falke. Sebastián Russo was appropriately cast as Alfredo and Griselda Adano played a camp Orlofsky.
The chorus trained by Miguel Pesce was on good form. And in the second act during the entertainment, there was surprise appearances from special guests Gui Gallardo, Dario Schmunck and Soledad de la Rosa, the latter for her other love (besides opera) of tango, with Susana Cardonet on the piano.
It was clear that the cast got as much pleasure from the performance as they gave and surely ultimately that is what it’s all about.
Jonathan Spencer Jones