13—23 September 2015 Main page   Back   Russian   Italian   Next

Ildebrando D'Arcangelo sang Don Giovanni within the Japanese Royal Opera House tour.

Conductor — Antonio Pappano Director — Kasper Holten Don Giovanni — Ildebrando D'Arcangelo Leporello — Alex Esposito Donna Anna — Albina Shagimuratova The Commendatore — Raymond Aceto Don Ottavio — Rolando Villazon Donna Elvira — Joyce DiDonato Zerlina — Julia Lezhneva Masetto — Matthew Rose There were three performances in the NHK Hall in Tokyo, a concert of Mozart's compositions (arias and Requiem) in Bunka Kaikan and one performance in Hyogo Performing Arts Center.

Photo: Neil Gillespie

It was not Ildebrando D'Arcangelo's first performance in Japan. In the interview, which he gave the Japanese correspondent in London he praises the Japanese audience, highly appreciates Japanese punctuality and says he loves Japanese cuisine, especially sushi. The inhabitants of this country have already had the opportunity of listening to his Don Bartolo, Leporello, Escamillo or Guglielmo. However, it was for the first time they could meet Don Giovanni in their homeland.

Before the tour started, the Japanese magazine “NBS News” had warned the Japanese female spectators to “avoid the voluptuous, irresistible Don – D'Arcangelo“. Judging by the numerous blog contributions by Japanese opera lovers, this warning proved not to be unfounded:     “Ildebrando D'Arcangelo was a real Don Giovanni, with his attractiveness of «a bad guy» and with his beautiful, rich voice. He was outstanding in expressing human's strengths as well as weaknesses.“.     “Ildebrando as the main character was both sexual and refinedly artistic. His Serenade was full of different tones. He was the genuine Don Giovanni“.     It is hard to say anything about Kaspar Holten's production itself. Photographs do not give a clear idea. But one is for sure: Holten is trying to show that life after the visit of Commendatore's statue is the worst punishment. Nothing can really be said against that idea, but at the press conference Ildebrando D'Arcangelo said: “It is difficult to give form to Holten's ideas. I had to break my old Don Giovanni and create a new one“. .

We have just to hope that both the singer and director have found a compromise because Ildebrando D'Arcangelo's Don Giovanni is a character extremely convincing, and to put up with his disruption is absolutely impossible.

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