The young Puccini’s ‘Edgar’ given fine version by Giordani, Moore, Larmore

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This article was published 14/04/2008 (6481 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

NEW YORK – Even in an era when many obscure operas are staged somewhere, Puccini’s “Edgar” remains relatively unseen.

Marcello Giordani, Latonia Moore and Jennifer Larmore made a compelling case when they sang a concert version Sunday night at Carnegie Hall with Eve Queler’s Opera Orchestra of New York. They combined for some thrilling moments in a work that shows glimpses of the composing genius that would shine through in “La Boheme,” “Tosca” and “Madama Butterfly.”

It lacks a popular signature aria and has a hokey libretto by Ferdinando Fontana, but “Edgar” has tuneful music and a dramatic conclusion. The tenor role is heroic, the soprano (Fidelia) is sweet, and the mezzo (Tigrana) must be as conniving as the Wicked Witch of the West.

Even with the singers reading from sheet music, they were able to convey the tensions and the emotions. Larmore, especially, acted her role just with facial expressions.

“Edgar,” the only one of Puccini’s 12 operas never staged at the Metropolitan, was composed for Milan’s Teatro alla Scala after the Italian music publisher Giulio Ricordi was impressed by the score of Puccini’s first opera, “Le Villi.” It has long been a Queler favourite – the’77 concert at Carnegie Hall starring Carlo Bergonzi and Renata Scotto became the world premiere recording.

Set in Flanders in-02 and based on Alfred de Musset’s play “La Coupe et les levres,” “Edgar” is a classic operatic love triangle. When everyone thinks Edgar has died in battle, he disguises himself as a monk, draws the temptress Tigrana out as materialistic, then reveals his identify and spurns her in favour of Fidelia. Tigrana stabs Fidelia to gain revenge.

Among a handful of top-level spinto tenors, Giordani is well suited to Edgar, a role he was singing for the first time. An Italianate voice with ping is needed to soar through the thick orchestrations, and Giordani had power to spare. He earned a big ovation for his second-act aria “Orgia, chimera dall’occhio vitreo.”

Looking as thin as a fashion model, Larmore was stunning in her low-cut red gown and bright red lipstick, playing up the vamp role. (She switched to a black dress for the third-act funeral.) She had some of the most difficult orchestral passages to sing through and still managed to cut through.

Moore sounded a bit steely at the start but settled down. When it was time for her third-act arias, “Addio, mio dolce amor” and “D’ogni dolor . . . Nel villaggio d’Edgar,” her upper register had warmed and the audience responded with some of the biggest ovations of the night.

A fine supporting cast joined them. Stephen Gaertner, an up-and-coming baritone, was suave and dark as Frank, showing quality throughout a moving “Questo armor.” Giovanni Guagliardo sang the small bass role of Gualtiero, Fidelia and Frank’s father.

Queler gave one of her best performances on the podium, bringing out the score’s lushness. The orchestra was joined by The New York Choral Society and the La Scuola d’Italia Guglielmo Marconi Children’s Chorus, which includes Giordani’s sons Michele Francesco, 10, and Gerard-Andre, 9.

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On the Net: Opera Orchestra of New York: http://www.oony.org