The Turin “Aci” (2009) Liveblogging Thread

liveblog_header_n1.jpg

Welcome to the White Shirt live comment thread for Handel’s “Aci, Galatea & Polifemo” from Turin (2017), with Antonio Florio conducting and staged by Davide Livermore.

Cast List:
Sara Mingardo (Galatea)
Luisa Baldinetti (Galatea’s double)
Ruth Rosique (Aci)
Cristina Banchetti (Aci’s double)
Antonio Abete (Polifemo)
Sax Nicosia (Polifemo’s double)

Librettolibretto (1708 version): here in English and Italian, here in German and Italian.

 

260 thoughts on “The Turin “Aci” (2009) Liveblogging Thread”

    1. I brought the oxygen tanks, here I am.
      I’ll also watch on the low-fi YT because the Dropbox has been saying “temporarily not working” all week, so we should be save!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply

            6. I think I am still somewhere at ð and I like that jacket and hey, that is one version I sky bue that I don’t mind because it doesn’t come with a 31-y.o. jerk attached.

              Liked by 1 person

    1. yes the ð have me kind of overwhelmed (have we seen the dancer in something else? She seems familiar!)

      what’s with the creepy butterflies?

      (and someone already knows how this wil end, at least it sounds like that)

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

        2. I think we had a really gaudy nativity set with angels who had lametta hair like that at some point. That, or someone broke in the DonG depot at Vienna Staatsoper.

          Like

          Reply

        1. yes, you would not have gotten cast there as a dancer, except for as a moth who is currentlly going up in this candle/contralto flames.

          Like

          Reply

  9. Only now, after you’ve pointed it out, thadieu, In notice how the dress is quite limiting movements of the legs (still, this may be the only setting where this ‘mermaid’ style has some justification)

    Like

    Reply

      1. jeah, it was actually interesting to see her does that. i think it’s intentional (originally i thought she checked out…)
        those glares are also quite effective

        butterfly? hmm, i might need to sort out brain to *think*

        Like

        Reply

    1. holding back WITH ARMS.
      because cinammon roll hubby running off in a jealous fit to face a monster twice is not a smart idea. clearly Galatea got brawns and brains here.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

    2. his singing is a bit blurry . this staging requires a lot of posing and coordination.. and at times become static (when a certain singing is not flexing singing and dancing..)

      Like

      Reply

        3. (a very good starting point to discuss more “type” 🙂 . though if i’m correct you were also offering shoulder for S.Prina’s Galatea? (did she need any support?) )

          Like

          Reply

  16. oh, whining done.. OH NO, she also left the stage!! NOOOoooooo , what should i do now? (get up td, now is your chance, go help the contralto, she might need some leaning-on behind dat door.)

    Like

    Reply

          2. more a coloratura than a lyric, agreed but it probably depends on how you want to do it? The first aria has quite a bit more weight than this one and you would need a flexible voice, but it wouldn’t need to be the piercing kind of bright.

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply

    1. kind of soubrett-ish? Bright, but unicolor piercing front seat, plus a bit of vibrato that seems a styistic choice?

      Like

      Reply

        2. yup, little butterfly recorders plus something that sounds suspiciously like harp? (Dantone used a harp in the Cesare and guuuuuh…. that was lovely.)

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply

      3. No, but this is interesting, as much as I sometimes appreciate swords, I don’t see Mingardo in a character using violence, maybe has to do with what you meant by ‘feminine approach’? (only just read your comment, will reply more tomorrow)

        Like

        Reply

        3. no, i was referring more to her more “rounded” movements. I see Barcellona’s and Prina’s movements always as more “angular”, if that makes any sense.. Mingardo’s movements are always on the smoother/gentler approach to me, that’s what i mean.

          Like

          Reply

          1. and thus my usage of the word “feminine” is wrong, because it stereotyping/boxing movements instead of reacting from the core.

            further elaboration: i don’t know if we’d ever see Mingardo portraying Polinesso like SP’s in Aix or Carnegie Hall. Or the other way around, would we see SP as that gentle Polinesso in the puppet show? Take also the role Juditha we we have only heard both of them vocally: even on the vocal level their takes are different. There is of course no need for comparison, as long as both approaches make sense to our brain. But i think at the time i was not sure if Mingardo’s more gentle approach , esp. in trouser roles, were aligning with you 🙂 , given how much you enjoyed S.Prina’s movements and phrasing. (not sure if i’m making any sense here..)

            (ok, now i go get coffee for *real*, and start working on slides..)

            Like

            Reply

            1. Haha, this is all going in parallel, seems our thoughts are very similar (see other reply over at Figaro’s). But to add, I think even if we are talking about very experienced and versatile actors and we can’t conclude from role portrayals on a singers’ private life, their acting starts somewhere, and it probably does include bits of their personality which they bring into all their roles to some, if only little, extend?

              Liked by 1 person

    1. “il fjo-ho-määäh…” well. Some air on the, which flattens the sound, and, more than that, recurring spots of tightness/lack of elasticity?

      I like the very “branch yes, leaves no” take the pit shows.

      Like

      Reply

      1. i did read up the meaning of this aria. it’s about sailing boats coming to shore in peaceful time, or something like that..(?) . very very big picture.. , sort of stepping out of the person to see

        Like

        Reply

            2. which is why we just need to watch 🙂
              this is an interesting in that right out of the gate you (we, us,) have NO time to breath.. then only 1/2 way in we ponder the story..

              Like

      4. hmm…wait, the long ress is back?
        (do I care?)
        (but why did they change it temporarily? Did she need more fredome of movement for the staging).

        Like

        Reply

    4. yes, that gasp was well-timed. The whole show is very much hinging on cues – great when it works, not so great when it’s hit and miss.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

            1. no as relaxed or with as much ease, no pressure, and keeping that kind of flow.
              Galou kind of has a similar ring in range, but she does not have that effortless ‘hypnotizing’ roundness.

              Liked by 2 people

  30. something about the difference in the somber moods in their singing about making love and watching as a 3rd person is quite heart breaking.

    (though i did wonder whether it was done for gazing or artistic…)

    Like

    Reply

    1. might work both – the sadness and knowing that this won’t end well and what they’re losing and that they can’t defend themselves against intruding evil?

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

            1. (jeah, and you might see now what i mean by her in trousers or dress apparently work for me both.. well, as i said, i saw her first as Polinesso, then Galatea, then Ottone.. 🙂 )

              Like

            4. especially since the discussion has already been going on for a week…! We will just continue for another week. Or two.

              Liked by 2 people

    2. jeah, you can see the “real” Galatea is constantly fighting off, while her double at times can not, and at others managed to be more courageous than her. i like it a lot.

      Like

      Reply

        2. is this a higher concentration of contralto range than Tamerlano? serious concentration..

          who had time to see some strange butterflies flapping in the background’s stage?

          Like

          Reply

    3. and she has the edge in the voice for the fiery arias as well. that, and rhythmically how she’s coordinating with the orchestra (or how orchestra works very well with her in building the tension)

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment