David Gregson

San Diego Arts

"Mary, Queen of Scots" at San Diego Opera

By David Gregson
Posted on Sun, Feb 17th, 2008
Last updated Thu, Feb 21st, 2008

Poor Angela Gilbert. Because of illness, the South African soprano had to cancel the opening night of a four-performance run of Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda. Hers was the title role, and San Diego Opera General Director Ian Campbell had hoped to boost Gilbert to greater fame and fortune by reviving this somewhat rare bel canto item for her. But when Gilbert saw February 16 looming large in her mental sky, she altruistically (or so we are led to believe) cancelled the opening – thereby allowing one of the most celebrated of all theatrical clichés to transpire: the sensational triumph of a substitute performer who takes over at the last minute.

Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho as Mary, Queen of Scots and Armenian tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan as The Earl of Leicester.

Copyright©2008 Ken Howard

It seems that this attractive and brilliantly talented stage animal, Albanian soprano Ermonela Jaho, is already an accomplished Mary Stuart, having previously sung the role at the Berlin Staatsoper where she was spotted by that ever-peripatetic talent scout, Campbell. Her single portrayal of the part at Civic Theatre last night is the proverbial act to follow! She wasn’t flawless, and she had a few strained moments, but none of that matters very much when you’ve got the basic vocal equipment, you know the role backwards, and you’re a passionate, totally committed performer like Ms. Jaho. I’ll be very curious come this Tuesday night to see if Gilbert can touch what this gal accomplished.

The oddest thing about SDO’s Maria Stuarda (named Mary, Queen of Scots in what I take to be a vain hope that people will remember the once-beloved Helen Hayes in the TV adaptation of Maxwell Anderson’s play) is that the whole show is being mounted around a relatively unknown singer – that is to say, Gilbert. Normally the role goes to someone who is a genuine opera queen already – a Beverly Sills, Montserrat Caballé or Joan Sutherland. (Well, “opera queen” is a phrase with various meanings.) Sills was an American megastar by the time she did Maria Stuarda – and then that was as part of her portrayal of all of Donizetti’s English monarchs: Elizabeth in Roberto Devereux, Anne Boleyn in Anna Bolena, and, of course, Mary. Coincidentally, the Ming Cho Lee sets for this San Diego Maria Stuarda are precisely the ones used by the New York City Opera when it visited Los Angeles in 1972 with Sills in the leading role.

If Gilbert turns out to be terrific, this show may go down as one of SDO’s better efforts, although taut, imaginative stage direction is not one of its strengths. Australian director Andrew Sinclair does a respectable workmanlike job, but one senses a dozen botched opportunities to do something really interesting. He certainly has a good cast to work with, and in the highly important role of Queen Elizabeth – almost the equal of Mary vocally and dramatically – he has mezzo-soprano Kate Aldrich, no slough in any department. It seemed to me wrong, however, for her react to Mary’s abuse with an elaborate display of silent movie gestures. I hope these were not Aldrich’s idea. In any event, she is one of Stuarda’s greatest assets.

American mezzo-soprano Kate Aldrich as Elizabeth

Copyright©2008 Ken Howard

It would be nice if Armenian tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan had the physical stature of an Earl of Leicester, but it’s difficult to see why Elizabeth or Mary would be smitten in any way. To these ears and eyes, the artist seemed tense last night. He clearly is capable of some lovely lyric singing, and flashes of this ability came and went. His vowels were muddy, especially in the first scene.

The cast is rounded out well with British bass-baritone Andrew Greenan as Lord Cecil, German bass Reinhard Hagen as Talbot, and Israeli mezzo-soprano Susan Potetsky in the small part of Anna, Mary’s companion. The excellent period costumes are by Ingeborg Bernerth and Ming Cho Lee’s minimalist sets look great in Ron Vodicka’s lighting. Opening night showed the orchestral and choral musical forces still finding focus under conductor Edoardo Müller and chorus master Timothy Todd Simmons.

And now Angela – it’s up to you!

UPDATE: ANGELA GILBERT TAKES OVER!!!

P.S. See Caballé in the final scene of Maria Stuarda on YouTube!

About the author: David Gregson has been an active and widely published commentator on the local music scene since the 1960's. He has contributed to many San Diego newspapers and magazines as well as to national and international periodicals.
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Comments

Posted by S. Stockton	Sun, Feb 17th, 2008
The PLAY's playwright was MAXWELL Anderson, not Sherwood!

Posted by Smorg	Tue, Feb 19th, 2008
Honestly, why would you start a rumor about Gilbert's 'alternative reason' for canceling the premier other than that she had a stomach flu? I'm grateful she canceled early and allow a good replacement (though I did find Jahu's very prominent vibrato rather distracting, she was a good Maria otherwise) to be engaged. I'm sure nobody is more upset about her cancellation than Gilbert herself. These singers already have enough to stress themselves out over without you adding to it, imho.

Posted by Joan Callas	Wed, Feb 20th, 2008
I think you need to research your facts a bit more before spread rubbish like this around to bring Ms Gilbert's professionalism into doubt. Clearly you have it in, either for Ms Gilbert and the SD Management.

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