Last weekend while you were hand washing your panties, flossing your teeth, and stocking-up on beef jerky at Costco, Giuseppe Filianoti discreetly sang in his first Italy performance since that ugly and perplexing December 2008 la Scala debacle, where he was yanked out last minute of the Daniele Gatti-conducted Don Carlo by Scala GM Stéphane Lissner during La Scala's prestigious opening night -- the dismissal so unceremonious that even Placidone publicly spoke out in defense of the snubbed tenor.
The Italian tenor, who was plagued by vocal difficulties these past few years, miraculously seem to be a shadow of the past. He's rebounded from the la prima drama, finding great success outside of Italy this past year. In 2009 he's sailed through performances of L'elisir's lead at London's ROH, Chicago's LOC, and Paris's Opera Bastille; In New York he was called-in as Rolando Villazón's Edgardo sub in Lucia di Lammermoor) while the Los Angeles Opera called him in as a Rolando sub for L'elisir. Most recently we posted about him in Berlin Munich, where the toned tenor sang Nemorino in a pair of white boxers and a matching wifebeater in a NSFW David Bösch L'elisir at the Bayerische Staatsoper.
His intelligent, lyric tenor was trained under legendary Alfredo Kraus (ours & Juan Diego Florez's unabashed idol), later deigned and tutored by Riccardone Muti, and although he's based in Northern Italy, he returned last week to Ancona's Teatro delle Muse to sing in a concert version of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia. Mariella Devia, one of the best Lucrezia of our time, sung the lead, accompanying Filianoti. He added the rarely heard aria, “Anch’io provai le tenere smanie” (scribbled by Donizetti for a recital at Paris's Théâtre des Italiens in 1840. Back with a bang, we're happy to see him back in the saddle so soon.
Commandopera posted a few videos from the performance, and you can go here for more.
Act 1 aria - Di pescatore ignobile
Major turnaround, as O.C. notes. Hopefully, he'll stick with leggiero and lyric roles, for which he is best suited, and stay away spinto and dramatic repertory.
Do Italian men know how to groom or what!
Posted by: el cajon | March 01, 2010 at 01:27 AM
Well, if he sticks to the right repertoire he could pick up SOME lost ground. This is his stuff...
Posted by: nick | March 01, 2010 at 07:45 AM
Well I've only listened to the "Mario" aria and it feels horribly pressured (as did the one act of the London Elisir - pace the lovely Ms Damrau - I survived...)
Posted by: Lauren | March 01, 2010 at 02:10 PM
I think it is a lovely performance, and enjoyed the duet with Mariella Devia too (also on Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRZ9nffHbm0&feature=related).
And yes, he is beautifully groomed! :)
Posted by: Opera Maryanne | March 01, 2010 at 05:03 PM
He sounds great. And honestly, he looks even better! He looks great in these videos.
Posted by: Marta Osa | March 01, 2010 at 06:02 PM
I saw him at the Chicago Lyric Elixir production, and he pretty much brought down the house.
Posted by: Molly | March 01, 2010 at 06:05 PM
He's a natural and Devia is my hero. His voice sounds in good form.
Posted by: Osiris | March 01, 2010 at 06:24 PM
His voice is so lovely...
Posted by: Coloratura Tempura | March 01, 2010 at 07:30 PM
I relly enjoyed this performance.
Posted by: beat maker bloke | March 01, 2010 at 08:31 PM
News should be Devia's Lucrezia (miraculous, perfect, a bel canto lesson) and not Filianoti's Gennaro. On friday he cracked a few notes, on sunday his aria was cut and remained silent during his final scene with Mariella Devia.
Posted by: Otto Silenus | March 01, 2010 at 08:32 PM
Well, while you were, "washing your panties, flossing your teeth, and stocking-up on beef jerky at Costco" I was in Ancona and attended both concert performances of Lucrezia Borgia in Ancona. Filianoti is a great artist, there is no doubt, however, for my money Mariella was the star of the show. Her performance was detailed, thoughtful, and so very beautiful. The reading of "ear desso" was astonishing! One could hardly breath as she sailed over the chorus and orchestra with total control and perfectly placed high notes.
Posted by: coloraturafan | March 01, 2010 at 10:34 PM
honestly, who cares about filianoti while devia is singing?
we're all waiting the diva in naples for maria stuarda
Posted by: francesco | March 02, 2010 at 01:58 PM
OMG!
"Last weekend while you were hand washing your panties, flossing your teeth, and stocking-up on beef jerky at Costco..."
It's reasons like this why I <3 you OC.
Truly, truly <3 you.
;-)
PS) Fillianoti was in great vocal shape and a total hottie when I had my pic taken w/ him in SF for Lucia back in 08.
Posted by: Joey | March 11, 2010 at 08:54 PM