Word: puccini
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...opera's greatest musical surprise is thepiano accompaniment. While Musical DirectorJefferson Packer acquits himself admirably with adifficult transcription of Puccini's notoriouslytreacherous score, there are some serious losses,Important effects are lost, like the chirpywoodwind passage when Gianni dispatches Laurettato go feed the birds, or the pealing of the tocsinthat sends the Donati into a frenzy (the latter isespecially confusing since the characters refer toa bell while the audience only hear a note in thepiano's bass register...
Moreover, the effectiveness of the opera'srecurring motives is dulled. The whole score isassembled form a few thematic cells, such as themockplaintive descending second that suggests thefeigned lamentation of the Donati. The pianotranscription removes perhaps the most importantelements in this mosaic: Puccini's richorchestration...
...opera probes the lossof illusions, both the romantic aspirations ofMagda and the career ambitions of her servantLisette. By removing the third act, where thepiece's complications emerge, the Dunster Housecrew leave us with a thinly equivocal presentationof the illusions themselves, devoid of theundercutting irony that lends depth to Puccini'sconception...
...addition of the orchestra is a qualifiedboon. While the full richness of Puccini'sinstrumental color heightens the opera's dramaticeffectiveness, the playing is unforgivablyunkempt. The score's dense texture of overlappingdance rhythms is frayed by sloppy articulation.Some highly suspect intonation adds extra spice toPuccini's already piquant harmonies. Inparticular, the exuberance of the dance scene inthe second act is somewhat dampened by theconfusion...
...playing doesn't get in the way of theopera's highlight, the quartet with chorus, "Bevoal tuo fresco sorriso." Here is Puccini at hismost clever, weaving together melodic strands anddance rhythms to create a sense of luxuriantebullience. The quartet is such a climax that italmost undercuts the conclusion of the opera whichfollows a few minutes later...