I vespri siciliani refers an event from Italian history, the Sicilian rebellion against French occupation in 1282 when, on Easter Monday, the ringing of church bells calling the faithful to evening prayer in Palermo served as the signal for the Sicilians to initiate a revolt against their occupiers.
Despite reservations about the libretto's quality, Giuseppe Verdi successfully crafted an impressive French grand opéra, a genre demanding magniloquence, flamboyant singing, passionate ensembles, as well as ample room given to choruses and ballets, the latter, unfortunately, absent in this production at the Teatro San Carlo – a notable shortcoming.
Palermo-born director Emma Dante draws parallels between the Angevin rule of Eugène Scribe's original libretto, and organised crime, focusing on the prominent victims of the Sicilian Mafia, with an over-decorated hodgepodge of folklore and memory. Thus, Dante's narrative unfolds through a kaleidoscope of images, rituals and cross-references often only comprehensible to Italian middle-aged spectators.
The overflow of visual suggestions begins during the overture, when five French soldiers, costumed as twitching puppets, are tossed onto the stage and fight like marionettes. The stage then teems with characters divided into soldiers-mobsters in brightly coloured jumpsuits and locals in black folk costumes and an array of images referencing Sicily, from photos of Mafia victims to marble monuments and fountains, from street food vendors to the gilded walls of the government palace interior. Dante's theatrical concept appears insincere, disjointed and occasionally tedious, paying little attention to Verdi's great dramaturgical architecture.
The cast was all Italian, as was the libretto. The Italian version sounds quite contrived and overly dense, constrained as it is by music originally written for the shorter, more rhythmic French text. Moreover, The Four Seasons ballet was cut, so that the original, Parisian grandiloquence of Les Vêpres siciliennes is compacted into a more Italianate melodrama.
Both Piero Pretti in the role of Arrigo and Maria Agresta portraying Elena faced the demands of challenging characters. Arrigo requires a tenor with the ability to navigate a high tessitura and to execute delicate head notes with ease. On the other hand, Elena's music explores a deeper vocal register, particularly in the glittery boléro of Act 5, “Mercé dilette amiche”, featuring intricate coloratura passages and glissandos that need considerable vocal agility and skill. If Pretti’s portrayal of Arrigo lacked some finesse, Agresta's higher notes sounded somewhat strained. Nonetheless, in general, their performances showed impeccable professionalism.
Mattia Olivieri’s rendition of Guido de Montforte was not impressive, not at his best. He showed good vocal skills, but his baritone did not transmit much of the emotional energy of the character, split between the ruthless tyrant and the tender parent; even so, in his third act aria “In braccio alle dovizie”, he was able to render the joyous emotion of his newly discovered fatherhood. Bass Alex Esposito brought a commanding vocal presence to the role of Procida, the Sicilian rabble-rouser returning from exile, as he sang the aria “O tu Palermo” with stunning depth.
As for the conductor, although there were great expectations for Henrik Nánási, they were only partly fulfilled. He led the San Carlo Orchestra and Chorus with a few problems in ensemble and not always very attentive to orchestral nuances, nor that wise in the choice of dynamics.
