Le Villi

Year	Month	Day	*Opera*	Composer	Theater	Location	Country
2007	March	7, 9, 11	*Le villi*	Puccini	Teatro Carlo Felice	Genoa	Italy
2006	May	15, 19, 23, 26	*Le villi*	Puccini	Staatsoper	Vienna	Austria
2006	September	8, 10, 14, 18	*Le Villi*	Puccini	Staatsoper	Vienna	Austria
2005	October	23, 25, 29	*Le villi*	Puccini	Staatsoper	Vienna	Austria
2005	November	1, 3, 6	*Le villi*	Puccini	Staatsoper	Vienna	Austria
1997	July	9, 12 , 17	*Le Villi*	Puccini	Opernhaus	Zürich	Switzerland
1994	July	31	*Le villi*	Puccini	Ducal Palace	Martina Franca	Italy
1994	August	2	*Le villi*	Puccini	Ducal Palace	Martina Franca	Italy

Background to Zurich Le Villi: The director of the Zurich production decided to toss the original story of Le Villi and impose his own, in which Roberto is secured in an insane asylum where he suffers and dies. The famous final scene is reduced to Roberto somehow jerking himself from his institutional bed to the floor, writhing about for a suitable period and then succumbing to his madness. Who knew?

Note: This is a machine-based translation. We offer it only a a general guide but it should not be considered definitive.

A New Tenor Star is in the Zurich Sky

Tages-Anzeiger

Mario Gerteis

11 July 1997

Bewitching, this voice of the Argentinian José Cura, guest at the opera house

Can the king be believed? What if he finds a prince and declares him his successor? The king in the tenor realm is Placido Domingo. The prince he found is José Cura, who is from Argentina and has, within a space of three years, moved from practically nowhere into the tenoral pole position in the Italian repertoire.

Now you can experience José Cura on three evenings in the Zurich Opera House where he plays both leading roles in the double production Le Villi / Pagliacci. On Wednesday evening, in front of a not quite full house, José Cura (in the otherwise familiar premiere cast under veteran Bruno Bartoletti) earned himself fierce applause, which once even exploded into a torrent of bravo - after the ravishing Anima santa in the second act of the Puccini opera.

Elegant even on his back

José Cura can do almost anything. For example, singing the aforementioned Villi solo lying on his back without sacrificing elegance or substance. Sometimes he has a bit of trouble at the beginning of a phrase and has to get the notes far back in his throat. But then, when the legato has become stable: what intensity, what volume, what wide breathing arcs! And also, what vitality in the top notes and the desperately high "tessitura" of the Vesti la giubba aria in Leoncavallo's Pagliacci!

Inscribed in this voice is a beguiling timbre - that eroticizing curl that is part and parcel of tenor fascination. No wonder Cura doesn’t shy away from a foray into the lucrative pop area alongside Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ex-wife Sarah Brightman.

After all, he looks darn good too. Tall, black-haired, slim and muscular - and with a sincere look that is reminiscent of the young Marcello Mastroianni. That he is also a good actor is hardly the norm in the High C Fach.

Virile Powerhouse

Apparently, Cura directed in Zurich, at least for his own performances; that can only be a good thing for Cesare Lievis' warped productions. In Le Villi he [Cura] presents the madness of the unfaithful lover in detail; in Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci he is less the aging fun-maker than the vain macho, whose anger is all the more menacing as a result.

King Domingo has already played scouts into the tenoral future with Roberto Alagna; however, Alagna is more at home in the lyrical arena and offers only limited competition for the ruler (Domingo). Cura is different: a dramatic caliber on a baritonal foundation and a virile powerhouse. Indeed, he could one day inherit the legacy, the potential is there. Who knows? Tomorrow he may well be a fixed star in the vocal sky—if he does not, as many others before him, burn up prematurely as a comet.

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “José Cura provided just the right dose of emotional overdose as Roberto. His unpretentious, intense commitment to conveying a guilt-ridden character melded effectively with that sobbing tone that works well in Puccini's undoubtedly masterful cantilenas, but in Cura's case is only a useful, spicy complement to the direct and confident awakening of lines. Together with Krassimira Stoyanova (who brilliantly sang Anna), Cura comes across all the more vividly as director Karoline Gruber designed a bizarre, brightly colored world of costumes around the tragic couple in which puppet-like creatures represent a rigid social order that does not permit individuality.” Der Standard

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “Puccini's score exerts its youthful passion. The composer of immortal operas already can be heard flexing his rapturous sonic muscles, and in the exciting, if raw, tenor of José Cura (Roberto), the gleaming soprano of Krassimira Stoyanova (Anna) and the solid baritone of Franz Grundheber (Guglielmo) the music is given its full due.” Cleveland Plain Dealer

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “José Cura, with his powerful, heroic tenor, succeeds in vocal climaxes of radiant brilliance.” Die Presse

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “José Cura is the unfaithful Roberto. He throws himself completely into his role—his strong presence makes itself felt even if he does not always sing “in accordance to the school.” In his big second act aria Ecco la casa, he is simply magnificent. The applause was very strong and prolonged.” Der Neue Merker

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “Puccini could not have been better served vocally; José Cura pinged Corelli-like high notes off the ceiling.” Opera News

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: It takes more than a failed staging to completely rob [this early Puccini] of its stage effectiveness -- at least when it has such a top-class cast as in this premiere at the Vienna State Opera. José Cura was at the forefront of the audience's favor. After a slightly hoarse beginning, he performed the role of Roberto with the unmistakable color of his exceptional tenor and so much smoothness and charisma that the refrigerator and cuckoo clock were quickly forgotten. The singer and conductor were celebrated frenetically after the Villi. Das Opernglass

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “Applauded wildly by the audience, José Cura (Roberto) sang the emotion-drenched music with bloom…” Wiener Zeitung

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “After truly maddening half-hearted appearances as Chenier, Otello, Alfredo and Alvaro, my expectations were decidedly low but Cura sang all night. No faking, no crooning, no saving up for the big moments. His voice is dark and crowned by warm, and occasionally even brilliant, top tones. Where I was less enthusiastic was in his modification of the words in the passagio. In the great “Preghiera” Trio with chorus in closing Act I, rather than ascending to the top on the “e” vowel in the word “prega” we had the bizarre “pre – u – ga.” He seems to like “u” for virtually every top tone and sustained note in the passagio. [Still] I count his assumption a good success. He managed to strike all of his favorite poses—to the delight of his fans—so the “regie” was not allowed to get in the way of “his showcase.” He was the only character all night who sang virtually his entire role straight into the face of the audience [while] his stage partners were often found singing upstage and facing each other in quite naturalistic manners. But Cura was Cura. A star turn, indeed.” ARTicon

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “Krassimira Stoyanova made a suitable match with the impetuous and manly Roberto of José Cura, who demonstrated virility and sweetness. Cura has had excellent moments lately and his voice has become seamless between registers, the high notes sure; he has also become a convincing actor…” La Opera Buen Ayre

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “Add José Cura as a gloriously self-indulgent, golden-throated Roberto, Krassimira Stoyanova as a radiant, refined Anna, and the robustly direct Franz Grundheber as the father, and you are in for a great night.” Financial Times

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “Brilliant: Krassimira Stoyanova's Anna and José Cura's Roberto. With such a cast, hardly anything can go wrong.” Der Standard

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “The actual content of the work is neglected due to superfluous actionism and kitsch. That wasn’t necessary, as Krassimira Stoyanova as Anna and José Cura as Roberto are two convincing singing actors. Musically, the evening is more than successful. Cura is an exemplary partner, his dramatic voice having the melting quality necessary for Puccini. Slightly disturbing were his forcing in the high notes and his sobs. Rightly bravos...” Dreh Punkt

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “In Puccini's evocation of the undead and horror, a trio shines: […] José Cura revels in tenor radiance and smoothness.” Krone

Le Villi, Vienna, 2005: “Krassimira Stoyanova is an excellent lyrical soprano who paired well with the impetuous and macho Roberto of José Cura who showed virility and gentleness as he teaches his young wife how to cook. Cura has been going through a good period lately and his voice has managed to unite the various sections successfully, the high notes are sure and overall he is convincing in his characterization because he has reduced his mannerisms to a minimum.” Operayre