An hilarious preview as ROHM showcases highlights from La Fille du Régiment

One thing was certain about the forthcoming production of La Fille du Régiment, judging by Saturday’s Lunchtime Recital in the Opera Galleria: it will be hilarious.

Not simply an opéra-comique in the traditional French style, it was a dramatic synopsis of the taste of things to come at the Royal Opera House Muscat on 5th and 7th December, presented by the understudies of the Opera di Monte-Carlo in what promises to be an extremely amusing theatrical presentation of Donizetti’s opera buffa.

Annunziata Vestri as La Marquise broke the ice, portraying the ‘Grande Dame’ to perfection. Her comic facial expressions complemented her rich, warm mezzo timbre in the brilliantly haughty opening solo from Act 1, “Pour une femme de mon nom.”

Baritone Georgii Sinarevskii and soprano Nicole Wacker formed a conspiratorial pair, appearing from behind pillars in “La Voilà. Mordieu qu’elle gentille!” Wacker’s agile, acrobatic, and capricious frivolity as Marie contrasted beautifully with the deep sincerity and gravity of Sinarevskii’s Sulpice. The chemistry between them developed into humorous banter, contrasting with the bossy Marquise, and descended into parody by the end, in true Donizetti fashion.

La Marquise marched poor Marie to the back of the Galleria for her “Chacun le Sait, Chacun le dit,” a more lyrical coloratura aria in waltz time, swinging along and reaching her very high tessitura in conclusion.

True romance is about to be unveiled as the dapper yet serious Pierluigi D’Aloia appears as soldier Tonio, only to be mocked by an unkind Marie in the duet “Quoi! Vous m’aimez...?”. D’Aloia’s passionate declarations of love evoke comparisons to the vocal demands placed on Don José from Bizet's Carmen, showcasing his remarkable control in the sustained high register. Their voices blend well, leading to a convincing mutual declaration of love by the end.

“Ah! Mes amis, quel jour de fête” is powerful in true tenor-hero style as he addresses his friends, joyful and in love, in a charming ¾ aria. D’Aloia directs his joyful song to the pianist – a formidable Francesco Barbagelata, who has played continuously throughout – as he hits top octave leaps with clean precision, and finally disappears into the audience.

In response, Marie’s doleful aria, “Il faut partir! - Suis-moi!” opens with a plaintive lament in 6/8, giving Wacker the opportunity to demonstrate the pathos in her tonal palette, including her impossibly high sustained coloratura at the end.

Moving on to Act 2, an extended trio featuring the baritone and two women had the audience roaring with laughter. Vestri resumes her dramatic dame persona, organising the others as if she were a singing teacher in a Gounod pastiche. Sulpice interjects with some patter nonsense, colluding with Marie and further annoying La Marquise in an utter spoof. The musical battle between the women anticipates the singing lesson between Phantom and Christine, though with facial expressions and theatrical slapstick like no other.

The subsequent aria only serves to illustrate the sheer stamina required – and demonstrated – by Ms Wacker in a complete change of mood with the lyrical, passionate “C’en est donc fait.” Her agility and accuracy, combined with unfaltering intonation in sustained passages within her high tessitura, are even more incredible given the demands of the trio. If the understudies are this good, the full-scale production next weekend will be excellent beyond imagination.

It may be said that the acoustics in the Galleria are almost too sympathetic and generous; the singers, trained to project in opera houses, become quite loud and overpowering at times.

Finally, the well-known and cheerful quartet “Suivez noi! Ils viennent la sauver - Salut à la France” was so good that they performed it twice – as an encore for the audience to sing and to clap along!