GIOVANNA D’ARCO AT GOZO’S ASTRA

Reproduction of Albert Storace’s review of Teatru Astra’s Giovanna d’Arco as published on newsbook.com.mt on 30 October 2024

Years ago, I used to tell my students never to learn history from opera, stage or screen.

The fantasy of playwrights and novelists runs amok.

In opera, a genre which necessitates suspension of credibility, the full “complicity” of librettists and composers results in the creation of dramatic situations. This defying of credibility is clothed in suitably evocative music which gives life to the finished work.

Verdi’s seventh opera Giovanna d’Arco has had a chequered history abroad of neglect and occasional revivals. Locally it was staged in Malta only in 1852, at the Theatre Royal (the Manoel). That is until last week when two performances were given at the Astra Opera House in Gozo. The first of them is under review here. The second was tinged with external drama when a bomb scare caused delay on the Gozo ferry service delaying that performance by an hour or so.

Some wondered at Astra’s “daring” to present such an obscure (to most) opera as they had done with Macbeth in 1997, even if the latter was relatively better known as an opera. The real story of Joan of Arc is also very well-known. However, the only part of it which remained popular and survived as an independent concert piece has been its very powerful overture; and perhaps,  a rare recital appearance of the soprano’s Act 1 scene 3 aria O fatidica foresta.

I am glad the plunge was taken and the opera revived in Gozo. This is another typically Verdian work with a patriotic theme running through it. The plot is the beginning of the long phase which led to the English loss of a large part of France leaving the former just with the Calais tit-bit (lost in 1558).

It is another example of the struggle against the foreign aggressor. There is also the unusually conflicting theme father /daughter (Giacomo/Giovanna) relationship created for dramatic effect. The love of country is undoubtedly authentic.

For more dramatic effect there is the supposed romantic and fraught relationship between Giovanna and  Carlo VII, when the man was already married with three children not to mention the social chasm between the two.

The martial aspect is reflected in the choruses, and this IS an opera of choruses too. Hats off to Teatru Astra Opera Chorus (Chorus mistress Mariella Spiteri Cefai) in collaboration with the Coro Lirico Siciliano (leader Francesco Costa) for their very good contribution to the opera’s success. Glad to notice how the “voci cupe”  of the male voices had a typically Verdian ring.

Very noticeable was the authentic setting.

The only time I had seen Giovanna d’Arco was the the ROH Covent Garden in 1996. I remember how very neo-Gothic and gaudy the sets looked. Not so at the Astra where Joseph Cauchi’s sets and Matteo Capobianco’s costumes, hats and headdresses looked genuine 1420s.

There are three main characters in Giovanna d’Arco: the heroine herself, her father Giacomo and the  5th Valois  king Carlo VII of France. This was a formidable trio of three acting-singers. That says everything about their singing, acting and interacting.

Georgian soprano Sophie Gordeladze has great stage presence and with a strong dose of vocal clarity and practically flawless coloratura. Full marks too to Mongolian baritone Badral Chuluunbaatar. At first, I had some reservations about Italian tenor Giulio Pelligra. It took me some time to get used to his timbre but from the first, he skilfully managed to reach his strong and clear top register where he seemed to be at his most comfortable. Italian tenor Davide Benigno was on good form in the secondary role of Delil.  Our bass Noel Galea also did well even in the smaller role of Talbot.

Stage management (Joseph Cauchi) was slick and crowd scenes were well-handled. The black  Demons which irked Giovanna and the white Spirits who consoled her darted about lithely to fine choreography by Sarah Grech.

All this was expertly put together by artistic director Enrico Stinchelli. I think this has been by far the best production he has created for the Astra. I liked his traditional stance in the matter.

The Introduction preceding the Prologue was quite terrifying depicting Giovanna’s real fate in 1431, two years after her relief of Orléans.

For this,  John Galea’s superb direction of the MPO (leader Marcelline Agius) is responsible, for the vibrantly evocative energy which created the right atmosphere. In more placid and tender moments, the orchestra scored the right points too.  In the opera’s final scene she is wounded, left for dead revives very briefly and dies, taken up to heaven by angels.

Finally may I suggest an overhaul of the subtitle system, parts of which appeared on a dark, badly lit background.

Michael Formosa, President of the Soćjetà Filarmonica La Stella said in his welcome message in the printed programme that opera at the Astra based a lot on voluntary work. He paid tribute to all who work hard backstage and not, to make a success of the Astra’s  opera productions.

This production was supported by: Gozo Cultural Support Programme, Arts Council Malta, Ministry for  Gozo and Planning, Bank of Valletta plc, Victoria Local Council and Festival Mediterranea – celebrating 7,000 years of culture on Gozo.

(Link to the review on newsbook.com.mt)