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Nino Machaidze showing her comic talent as Marie in Donizetti's "La Fille du Régiment." (Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)
NEW YORK—Gaetano Donizetti (1797-1848) was remarkably prolific, composing about 75 operas in his short life, including the tragic “Lucia di Lammermoor” and the comic operas “L’Elisir d’Amore” and “Don Pasquale.” “La Fille du Régiment” (“Daughter of the Regiment”) is a comic gem that returns to the repertory only when an opera house can find singers up to the task.
Luciano Pavarotti was hailed as “the king of the high Cs” based on his performance of the Act I aria “Ah, mes amis, quel jour de fete!” (“Ah, my friends, what a day for celebrating!”) with its nine high Cs; the title role of that production was the equally astonishing Joan Sutherland.
The buoyant Laurent Pelly production (which moves the action to World War I) was first performed at the Metropolitan Opera in 2008 with French soprano Natalie Dessay in the title role and the Peruvian tenor Juan Diego Flórez as Tonio, her love interest. The Met broke its usual rule against encores and allowed Flórez to sing his big aria twice in a row. He subsequently repeated the role opposite Diana Damrau.
Kiri Te Kanawa as The Duchess of Krakenthorp sings despite the role usually being spoken only. (Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera)
This season, the Pelly production returned with a new cast. The rising star, Georgian soprano Nino Machaidze (who recently released her highly praised debut recording, “Romantic Arias,” on Sony Classical; the album included an extended Act 2 excerpt from “La Fille du Régiment”) stepped into the lead role, showing off the composer’s and her own formidable skills at comedy. She was funny as the tomboy mascot of the legion and then sang effectively of her feelings for the regiment and the man she loves that she is forced to leave.
The part of Tonio was taken by American bel canto specialist Lawrence Brownlee, who nailed the high notes on “Ah! mes amis,” though he did not sing an encore.
Mezzo-soprano Ann Murray was amusing as the Marquise de Birkenfield, as was James Courtney as her butler . Maurizio Muraro, as Sulpice, Marie’s sergeant and adoptive father, used his impressive bass-baritone to comic effect.
The usually non-singing role of the Duchess of Krakenthorp was played by famous soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, who sang an aria from Puccini’s “O fior del giorno” from the opera “Edgar,” and won laughs with her physical mannerisms as well as her order to the servant not to be stingy with the Dom Perignon.
Yves Abel conducted with style and Chantal Thomas designed the impressionistic scenery. In sum, the Pelly production of “La Fille du Régiment” is still a winner.
Incidentally, Lawrence Brownlee made his Carnegie Hall debut on Feb. 5 as part of Carnegie’s “Carmina Burana” Choral Project with the Orchestra of St. Luke’s conducted by David Robertson and 200 high school and middle school singers. Brownlee’s solo Carnegie Hall recital is scheduled to take place on March 28, 2013.
For home listening, Naxos has released a CD set of “La Boheme” starring Te Kanawa as a moving Mimi and Richard Leech as Rodolfo.
Barry Bassis writes about music, theater, travel, and dining for various publications
