Model of scene from Le Villi © Stefano Poda
Le Villi, a relatively little-known work by Giacomo Puccini, is to be performed in Nice in a new coproduction by Opéra Nice Côte d’Azur, Opéra Grand Avignon, Opéra Toulon Provence Méditerranée and Opéra de Marseille.
The opera stars Spanish/American soprano Vanessa Goikoetxea as Anna, the heroine of the story, Argentinian baritone Armando Noguera as her father, Guglielmo Wulf, and French tenor Thomas Bettinger as Roberto, the anti-hero.
Valerio Galli, regarded as an exceptional Puccinian, having won the 2013 Puccini Prize for lifetime achievement, is the Musical Director. Stefano Poda – who has a reputation for dreamlike and similar worlds – is responsible for stage direction, sets, costumes, lighting and choreography. His past successes include Verdi’s Aïda (which was broadcast worldwide), Puccini’s Tosca and Dvořák’s Rusalka.
Based on the highly successful ballet Giselle, Le Villi was the result of a young Puccini’s attempt at lyric composition, a triumphal start to the beginning of one of the most successful careers in the history of Italian opera. Libretto is by Ferdinando Fontanal and the two-act work premiered at the Teatro dal Verme, Milan, on May 31st, 1884.
The story tells of Anna, daughter of a wealthy landowner, who marries Roberto and shortly thereafter he abandons her for another woman. Anna dies, and Gugliemo – determined to avenge his daughter – summons the Villis, supernatural beings who vow to punish unfaithful lovers by night.
Vanessa Goikoetxea’s recent successes include her debut at the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in the title role of Puccini’s Tosca at Nice Opera, that of Dvořák’s Rusalka at Opera de Tenerife, her participation in The Seven Deaths of Maria Callas by Marina Abramović at the Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona and Strauss’s Vier letzte Lieder at the Auditorium Manzoni in Bologna, stepping in to replace Alexandra Kurzak. Ms Goikoetxea is a frequent guest at Semperoper Dresden, where she has received critical acclaim in leading roles such as Bystrouška in Janáċek’s, The Cunning Little Vixen, the title role in Handel’s Alcina, Musetta in Puccini’s La bohème and Hanna Glawari in Johan Strauss’ The Merry Widow.
Armando Noguera takes the role of Guglielmo Wulf. He has recently appeared at Avignon Opera in the title role in Mozart’s Don Giovanni, as the Marquis de la Force in Poulenc’s Dialogues de Carmelites at Teatro La Fenice and as Ramiro in Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi at Palau des Artes Reina in Sofia. He will perform the role of DancaÏre in Bizet’s Carmen at Teatro La Fenice and as Escamillo in Carmen at Théâtre National du Capitole in Toulouse.
Thomas Bettinger is Roberto. His recent highlights include roles such as the Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s Rigoletto in Metz and Reims, the Chevalier de la Force in Poulenc’s Dialogues des Carmélites at the Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse, Tybalt in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette at the Opéra national de Bordeaux and Lenski in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin at the Opéra de Marseille. Future projects include the Chevalier de la Force in Bordeaux, Gérard in Deiibes’ Lakmé in Nice, Ruggero in Puccini’s La Rondine in Metz, Don José in Carmen in Clermont-Ferrand, Pinkerton in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly in Marseille and Verdi’s Il trovatore at Grand Théâtre de Québec.
Model of scene from Le Villi – © Stefano Poda
The production is sung in Italian, surtitled in French and English.
Valerio Galli leads the Nice Philharmonic Orchestra and the Nice Opera Chorus in four performances of Puccini’s Le Villi at the Opèra de Nice Cote d’Azur between April 24th and 30th. Further details and information on ticketing are available on the Nice Opera website.
Children aged 5 to 10 years olds are invited to accompany their parents on Sunday April 26, and while the parents are watching the show, children can learn more about the Opera by taking part in an original cultural activity for just €5. Tickets are available from the box office, subject to availability.
Information sourced from Nice Opera programme notes
Artists’ websites
This article first appeared in Riviera Buzz
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