Comments on: Russian soprano luminous in Palm Beach “Rigoletto” http://southfloridaclassicalreview.com/2008/12/russian-soprano-luminous-in-palm-beach-rigoletto/ Just another WordPress weblog Sun, 05 Sep 2010 18:03:59 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Dave R. http://southfloridaclassicalreview.com/2008/12/russian-soprano-luminous-in-palm-beach-rigoletto/comment-page-1/#comment-705 Dave R. Mon, 15 Dec 2008 14:31:53 +0000 http://southfloridaclassicalreview.com/?p=859#comment-705 Love the energy of this group and the cohesiveness of their productions. This was my second visit to PBO, and each time, I was struck by how the company functions as a complete unit (as opposed to the "Here's the orchestra, here's the chorus, here are the singers" feeling I get from FGO). I thought Chen-Ye Yuan, despite that little growl, was a wonderful Rigoletto, and Shagimuratova has a beautiful voice. Valenti as the Duke was pleasant enough, but he cheated on lots of notes and basically mailed in la donne e mobile. Still, for some reason, he didn't annoy me. Overall, another fine PBO production, elegantly staged and with Aprea driving the whole thing from the pit. Oh, the audience: I'm 48, and my wife and I had to be the youngest people there by far. And they're a strange bunch. They actually seemed surprised by la donne e mobile, as if they were thinking, "Oh, that's in this opera?" Also, they seem to give the same applause no matter what (although Valenti, ridiculously, got the loudest applause Sunday afternoon; I mean, folks, he didn't write la donne e mobile; he just sang it badly!). Overall, PBO remains worth the drive from Broward County. Love the energy of this group and the cohesiveness of their productions. This was my second visit to PBO, and each time, I was struck by how the company functions as a complete unit (as opposed to the “Here’s the orchestra, here’s the chorus, here are the singers” feeling I get from FGO). I thought Chen-Ye Yuan, despite that little growl, was a wonderful Rigoletto, and Shagimuratova has a beautiful voice. Valenti as the Duke was pleasant enough, but he cheated on lots of notes and basically mailed in la donne e mobile. Still, for some reason, he didn’t annoy me.

Overall, another fine PBO production, elegantly staged and with Aprea driving the whole thing from the pit.

Oh, the audience: I’m 48, and my wife and I had to be the youngest people there by far. And they’re a strange bunch. They actually seemed surprised by la donne e mobile, as if they were thinking, “Oh, that’s in this opera?” Also, they seem to give the same applause no matter what (although Valenti, ridiculously, got the loudest applause Sunday afternoon; I mean, folks, he didn’t write la donne e mobile; he just sang it badly!).

Overall, PBO remains worth the drive from Broward County.

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