Wherefore Art Thou: Roméo et Juliette

By Victoria Looseleaf

Love conquers all – especially where bad sets and plebian direction are concerned. Such is the case with Los Angeles Opera’s current revival of its 2005 production, Roméo et Juliette, now at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion through November 26. And though we’re going for the French pronunciation of Charles Gounod’s neo-clunky opera, directed by Ian Judge, it’s a multi-cultural affair, particularly with the young, hotshot Italian tenor, Vittorio Grigolo, making his LA Opera debut. (Having just returned from a quick trip to Parma, Italy, to cover some of the Verdi festival – and having eaten more ham than one should ever be allowed to – we know a thing or two about Italian tenors.)

But we digress: Nino Machaidze’s Juliette is not chopped liver herself (or ham, as it were), though during the second performance of this run, the slim, 34-year old tenor seemed to sing circles around his leading lady. Grigolo also cavorted, bounded about the stage with manic energy and did a series of serviceable pirouettes that would please Dancing With the StarsBruno Tonioli.

Seriously, Machaidze, from the Republic of Georgia, has a rich, creamy voice and an intoxicating presence. No stranger to the City of Angels, the soprano made her LA Opera debut in 2009, in Donizetti’s L’Elisir d’Amore, and was seen earlier this year in the delicious Rossini farce, Il Turco in Italia (click here for our coverage of that). But in their many love duets – five, to be precise – she wasn’t always as sizzly as Grigolo. (Judge’s idea of a bedroom scene, with Juliette on the bottom and mostly out of sight, whereupon we ultimately discover that Roméo has been – gasp – naked, doesn’t help.)

Happily, Machaidze’s first act aria, Juliette’s Waltz Song, did register on the thrill-o-meter, her trills and embellishments requisitely shimmering. But comparisons are in order: In 2005, when the star-crossed couple was none other than Anna Netrebko and famed Mexican tenor, Rolando Villazón, sparks flew, though mainly from the then coveted throat of Villazón. (Alas, he blew out his voice and isn’t really singing any more – a real tragedy – but has appeared as a mentor on the European TV show, PopStar to OperaStar, where he was even seen dancing.)

However, even the above-mentioned couple had to contend with Mr. Judge’s problematic production. Beginning with John Gunter’s industrial-like set – movable cages with staircases that resemble a cross between downtown LA’s Twin Towers’ jail and Stomp! – are unattractive and clang when moved around. And while decked out for the ballroom scene with chandeliers and mirrors – choreography by Kitty McNamee – the set offers little room for any sort of minuet or pavane, though one could see the reflection of superstar Plácido Domingo, general director of LA Opera, conducting. That the maestro kept things moving at a crisp, steady pace is somewhat of a miracle, as the mega-tenor recently returned from a gaggle of engagements, including warbling in a pair of Covent Garden galas and opening a new opera house in Oman (somewhere in the Middle East, this reminds us of our coverage of a music and arts festival in Abu Dhabi; click here for that story). As for maestro Domingo, at the after-party for LA Opera’s season opener, Eugene Oneginclick here for our coverage of that – the tenor left at the stroke of midnight to catch a plane for China. How, we wanna know, does he do it?

But back to the Shakespearean opus at hand: Some feral fight choreography (credit Ed Douglas), and fabulous singing from the chorus (Grant Gershon, associate conductor/chorus master, never fails to deliver; and since we wrote the program notes for four seasons for Gershon’s Los Angeles Master Chorale, we have first-hand knowledge of his many skills), helped things gel. As for the famous balcony scene – oy: Humongous bare branches hang from the rafters creating an Edward Scissorhands-like tableau, nearly eclipsing the pair before their sweet-sorrow parting. In the tomb finale, the business of dying – never easy – gives Grigolo and Machaidze ample time to stretch their golden cords one last time before expiring.

Other able cast members included: veteran Vladimir Chernov as a genial Lord Capulet; Ronnita Nicole Miller’s resonant nurse; and mezzo-soprano Renée Rapier, in an assured LA Opera debut as the invented-for-the-opera-character, Stephano, a Montague defender. No R & J can be complete without Friar Laurence, here sung by Vitalij Kowaljow, Tybalt (Alexey Sayapin) or Mercutio (Mueop Kim). Nigel Levings’ lighting design proved durable; Tim Goodchild’s costumes, for the most part, lush but not particularly inspired. (Call us crazy, but we still remember Gianni Versace’s luxe garb for a San Francisco Opera mounting of Strauss’ Capriccio with Kiri Te Kanawa. The year? 1990!)

That said, LA Opera’s Roméo et Juliette is still a fine way to spend three plus hours, as it did deliver the musical goods, especially with Grigolo, the youngest tenor ever to perform at La Scala (he was 23). First seen in our fair city warbling at the Miss Universe pageant in 2006, the tenor also released a single that year, with – of all peeps – the Pussycat Dolls’ Nicole Scherzinger. (Dubbed, You Are My Miracle, that’s a number we’re not sorry we missed). And not having heard Grigolo’s take on West Side Story, we can’t comment on his crossover prowess. We just know that he absolutely rocked the Pavilion as Roméo. And though we’re partial to Prokofiev’s 1935 ballet score (and dancers such as Rudolf Nureyev in photo above, with Dame Margot Fonteyn), but not Baz Luhrmann’s 1996 Romeo + Juliet, Claire Danes, who is fabulous in Showtime’s Homeland, notwithstanding), this opera, is still worth a listen/look.

About Victoria Looseleaf

Victoria Looseleaf is an award winning arts journalist and regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times, KUSC-FM radio, Dance Magazine, Performances Magazine and other outlets. She roams the world covering dance, music, theater, film, food and architecture. Have pen - and iPad - will travel! Her latest book, "Isn't It Rich? A Novella In Verse" is now available on Amazon. Thank you for reading! Cheers...
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