Something Like a Phenomenon: Fenomenale Juan Diego!

 

Third time's a charm for Juan Diego Flórez (check out Opera Chic's exclusive interview with him here): After two* performances of Il Barbiere di Siviglia at La Scala (*#1 was obliterated due to a union strike and #2 was sung by most of the second cast), Flórez's opening night came on July 12 where he took the opera theater by storm with a triumphant Count Almaviva. Like we were expecting anything less?

Milan's newspaper, Corriere della Sera called Flórez "Fenomenale", opening the review: "Flórez is probably the only contemporary singer in the world where it's worth it to buy a ticket to his performances even if the conducting, company, or direction isn't worth the time."

La Scala used a forty-one-year old revival of Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's sets, directions, and costumes to welcome the Peruvian tenor who hadn't been back on the Scala stage since a 2008 recital. Phenomenally phenomenal!

Comments

[y2k]

Wish I were there! *sigh*

[soubrettino]

JDF! JdD!

[Les Mitchell]

That "Juandi" sang like a god is hardly a surprise. Who else sings Rossini like this? Or Bellini or Donizetti? This guy is surely the greatest exponent of this repertoire since the dawn of recordings over a hundred years ago. How lucky we are to be living during the age of Florez. Yes --- I'm a bona fide Florezido!

[Gino]

Thanks for the photo of the whole article. Even with my terrible grasp of Italian I can make out some of the words. I got "e eccellente"! :>

[Xalira]

For those who couldn't come, some pictures from Monday night: http://www.flickr.com/photos/xalira/sets/72157624483327890/

Thanks OC for posting the review. They were honest about the conductor, even if they didn't mention enough that he had only 3 days to set everything right.

[Franco]

Juan Diego Florez, out of any reach.

[Bill Philin-Ploplis]

I pray the gods are not jealous!

[nick]

Sort of...
I was totally bored.

[Eric]

I adore JDF -- he is simply the greatest -- none finer, in any era. And I like Jean-Pierre Ponnelle's production. I don't care that it's old... it's a classic! Love it.

[vale]

Hey, "NICK"! I understand where you're at.

[Ysabel]

I was there-- it was awesome! Michele Mariotti got tons of applause. I thought JDF might do an encore, the applause after Cessa went on so long, but no such luck. Didn't much like the production, pretty staid and the theme of the sets appeared to be "grime," but who cares when you've got JDF and Joyce.

@Xalira: great pics! I am so jealous. When did they sign autographs; after the show?

[Xalira]

@Ysabel: yes, a few minutes after they all came in the "portineria" on the right side of the theatre.
You can guess it from the pictures, I was quite devastated because of the loggione seats but Florez and Didonato were so kind and smiling with everyone! *faints again*
I don't think it's difficult meeting them, if you know where to wait.

[Elaine Simpson-Long]

Saw him do this at Covent Garden last year. He was quite wonderful and his final aria at the end, well cannot put into words what I felt about it. Listening or seeing perfection ishard to describe but halfway through I was so overwhelmed with what I was hearing I found I had tears trickling down my cheeks.

La Fille earlier this year - again, simply stunning. And he always looks as if he is having such a good time too!

[lorilo']

was in La Scala last night, JDF was simply stunning, in 'Cessa di piu' resistere' the theatre was falling down, people were raving, they tried to resume the show but the crowd was crazily clapping hands, never seen anything like this

[asperia]

i would visit any production of Simon Keenlyside too, if I could.
But JDF is in Rossini really great :-)