Suor Angelica used to be very much the neglected element of Puccini's Triptych. Now that it has recently gained in popularity its great qualities have at last been revealed.
This very enjoyable programme by the LSO and Sir Antonio Pappano contained not just Puccini's early Preludio Sinfonico, but also a composition by the great conductor Victor de Sabata, entitled Juventus (Youth), dating from 1919. This was an enjoyable piece for large orchestra, similar in idiom to the big orchestral showpieces of Respighi, and well worth hearing. As a conductor de Sabata is of historic importance because of his years running La Scala, Milan, and his still-classic recording of Tosca made there in 1953 with Maria Callas, Giuseppe di Stefano and Tito Gobbi.
Most of the cast members were newcomers to Scotland. However there was one notable exception. The veteran Italian mezzo Elena Zilio has, in recent years, made several appearances at Covent Garden, in such character parts as Mamma Lucia (Cavalleria rusticana) and Madelon (Andrea Chénier). However, rather earlier in her career, she came to the Edinburgh Festival as a member of the company from the Teatro Massimo, Palermo. She sang beautifully as Isoletta in Bellini's little known La straniera, the title role being taken by the great Renata Scotto. This was in 1972! The foltowing summer she sang at the Verona Arena as Musetta in La bohème, in a cast that also included Renata Scotto and Luciano Pavarotti. Her voice remained in wonderful condition.
The rest of the cast was rather more youthful, with several, including the gloriously intoned Princess, being alumni of the Royal Opera's useful Jette Parker scheme. The title role was taken by a complete newcomer, Carolina López Moreno, who gave a superb performance. The packed audience went crazy at the end.
The LSO and Pappano also performed Suor Angelica at the BBC Proms in London three days later on 19 August, (broadcast live of course), and may also be recorded by the LSO's own label. The orchestra's own chorus and Tiffin Choir took over from the Scottish residents, but the soloists were the same. The rest of the concert programme was different - it begins with the suite from Richard Strauss' gargantuan Die Frau ohne Schatten, instead of the two Italian works.
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