The final Lyric Opera performances of the season are producing a veritable feeding frenzy at the Civic Opera House. Never mind that designer David Hockney`s ”Turandot” is a dramatically inert tableau vivant; it`s Puccini`s ”Turandot” that everyone wants to hear, and for the penultimate performance Friday night, the Lyric is obliging ticketholders with four new principal singers.
There were pluses and minuses Tuesday. Bulgarian soprano Galina Savova, making her house debut Tuesday night, is a seasoned interpreter of the Ice Princess, having made her debut in this arduous part as far back as 1971. The voice was warmer and its fast vibrato, fairly well controlled, conveyed a more womanly vulnerability than Eva Marton`s bigger, more glacial instrument.
Turandot`s final melting under Calaf`s ardent assault was convincingly accomplished and earned an ovation. Her acting was old-fashioned, but at least there was an attempt. The problems involved a disconcerting lack of line, occasional harshness at the top and an un-Italianate thickness of tone.
Kristjan Johannsson was a decided plus. In a world where qualified Calafs are as rare as survivors of Turandot`s ax, he was the real thing-clean and sturdy, with a ringing top and solid thrust down below. In the Riddle Scene, neither Johannsson nor Savova seemed to feel the need to outshout the other. He tired a bit before ”Nessun dorma,” but the audience rewarded him with a volume of applause, always a positive sign.
The Lyric has been twice blessed with its Lius this year. Singing her third sacrificial heroine of the season, Catherine Malfitano gave the slave girl her rightful place in the drama, wielding her pliant, lovely lirico-spinto soprano with intensity and security. ”Signor, ascolta” was touchingly sung.
Mark S. Doss, buried beneath a Father Christmas robe and beard, made little impression vocally or dramatically as Timur, but the ministers again were nimbly taken by James Michael McGuire, Piero de Palma and Douglas Perry. Bruno Bartoletti`s conducting and the choral work were firmer than before. The conductor still stressed sonorous weight and grandeur over dramatic urgency.
The final sold-out ”Turandot” performance (with Marton, Lando Bartolini, Lucia Mazzaria and Dimitri Kavrakos back in principal roles) closes the Lyric season Sunday afternoon.
