Filianoti Tries To Upstage Juan Diego Florez, Encores L'Arlesiana. Critics, Audiences Swoon.

The sweet lamb of a man that is Giuseppe "You Look Normally!" Filianoti is getting AAA+++AnAssetToOpera!!!AAA+++ reviews in the American press for his role -- and his Juan Diego style encore -- in OONY's L'Arlesiana, and this warms Opera Chic's fangirl heart.

Because Filianoti's a good tenor and a good man, and because Francesco Cilea can't get the respect he deserves -- especially among way too many misguided opera snobs. Truly a major composer, he's most often either  dismissed as the "Umile Ancella" one-aria-wondah dude (like the truly lame Catalani) or, even worse, dissed as some sort of lightweight hack with delusions of grandeur.

Whenever people asked the great, late, Carlos Kleiber which opera he would have liked to conduct next, he used to stun his audience answering "Adriana Lecouvreur, of course: a most elegant opera".

Now, L'Arlesiana may not be as perfect, but we're talking about a giant among opera composers here -- in all Cilea-related issues, Opera Chic blindly follows Carlito's Way. Of course poor Kleiber, paralyzed-by-fear and terribly haunted by the ghost of his father, a much lesser conductor than himself, never managed to conduct his Adriana. But we're grateful for Cilea's increasing presence in major opera houses programs -- soon at la Scala, too -- and we're grateful for young (he's just 33) Filianoti's -- Cilea's fellow Calabrese -- talent.

Also, as you see in the photo above, he can sport as mean a mustache as necessary, and OC likes that in a man.

And yo, let's hear it from Alex Ross, here it's his 2005 Lucia di Lammermoor review:

The young Italian tenor Giuseppe Filianoti made a dashing début as Edgardo in “Lucia di Lammermoor,” and acquired a fan club in the upper balconies by the fifth performance. An old-school, from-the-heart singer in the mode of Giuseppe di Stefano, Filianoti plucked off high notes with a clear, pinging tone, maintained a generous long line, and threw himself into the role with infectious, almost loony enthusiasm.

Comments

[Crew Mantle]

Thats a moustache?? Who does this Boi's make up??? He looks like he would rather enjoy being bi%^& slapped in this pic...

OC perhaps I can direct you to something a little more muscular and Daddyish?

Been a long time fan of Eve Queler; she sort of is a modern day Sarah Caldwell... Crazy lady, but puts on performances U would never otherwise here.

I'll have to look into this new Florez usurper.....since U have seen fit to give him publicity.