Review: Il Trovatore at the Sydney Opera House
Tarot, clowns, romance, and drama abound in Opera Australia’s rendition of Il Trovatore, the melodramatic tale created by famed operatic composer Guiseppe Verdi.
Set in 15th-century Spain, Il Trovatore follows Manrico (Yonghoon Lee), a rebel soldier and troubadour who is in love with lady-in-waiting Leonora (Leah Crocetto), who has also caught the attention of the Count di Luna (Maim Aniskin).
Some years before the opera is set, the Count’s father accused a Romani woman of bewitching one of his sons and had her burned at the stake, but not before her daughter, Azucena (Elena Gabouri), supposedly snatched his son and threw him into the fire as well.
It is then revealed that Azucena had mistakenly burned her own child in the fire and had taken Manrico from the count and raised him as her own son.
With Azucena urging him to exact revenge on the current Count, Manrico rescues Leonora from the Count and they plan to marry each other.
However, when Azucena is arrested and Manrico is captured attempting to rescue her, Leonora is faced with the decision to make the ultimate sacrifice to save her beloved.
Opera Australia’s rendition of this classic opera blends tradition with innovation: the setting shifts forward in time to the Spanish Civil War and traditional set pieces are replaced primarily with towering digital screens.
Though this change in setting was captured well with the costuming, with the Count’s men donned in 40s era grey overcoats and armed with a mix of swords and pistols, the digital stagecraft captured the ambience of Il Trovatore more than a sense of place and came across as shallow in some moments.
That said, the digital aspects weren’t without their positives, playing with the audience’s sense of space and highlighting important aspects of the story, with projections of a series of tarot cards (a nod to Romani culture), a rundown circus, and a disembodied clown head as notable examples.
The rotating stage of the Opera House’s Joan Sutherland Theatre and select physical props and sets were used quite effectively to capture the dilapidated circus grounds and hospital. Meanwhile, silhouetting the cast to punctuate between scenes and songs and circus folk and henchmen frozen mid-fight showed how the cast could themselves become scenery.
As for the cast themselves, Lee shone as the fierce troubadour, even when he seemed to falter and be visibly in pain on some notes. Gabouri’s casting as Azucena seemed a perfect fit, given her powerful vocals and the strength with which she played her character.
Yonghoon Lee (left) and Elena Gabouri (right) shine as Manrico and Azucena, and their chemistry as mother and son is electric.
Aniskin’s cold and menacing portrayal of the Count came through particularly in the second act, while Crocetto’s incredible range helped her shine as the leading lady Leonora.
The orchestra, led by Andrea Battistoni, were exceptional throughout in capturing the highs, lows, and intricacies of Verdi’s music.
As a first-time opera goer, the need to look at the surtitles above the stage made it difficult to stay immersed, particularly as they seemed to translate the essence of what was being sung rather than the literal lyrics.
Even so, Opera Australia’s rendition of Il Trovatore is engaging in its fusion of tradition and tech, and its stellar cast breathe life into a story that is just as relevant today as it was when it was first written.
Il Trovatore will be performed at the Sydney Opera House on select dates until July 30, with tickets available to purchase here.
Images: Keith Saunders