Crime and Punishment in Ancient Babylon Joaquino Rossini’s opera Semiramis, commissioned by the Venetian theatre La Fenice in 1823, became a farewell example of the opera-series genre and the last work dedicated to the famous prima Isabella Colbran, who finished her career shortly after the premiere. Semiramis is one of the best tragic creations of Rossini, proving the universality of his genius, reigning in both comedic and dramatic genres.
The dramatic basis of the libretto was the tragedy of Voltaire of the same name, skillfully used by the great French playwright as a symbolic manifesto of civil freedom and the struggle against tyranny. Rossini leveled the veiled social criticism of the source, shifting the spectrum of the plot palette into the rich plane of the existential experiences of the heroes and adding dark shades of esoteric entourage.
The main character of the opera is the ambitious Queen Semiramis, the poisoner of her husband Nina. The accomplice of her criminal plot and the actual executor of her evil will was her lover Assur, a prince and potential pretender to the throne. Semiramis announces his intention to remarry. However, the gods reject her pleas for a new marriage brought by the queen at Nin's tomb. The will of the gods states: “The new ruler will ascend to the throne only after the act of revenge for the death of Nin.” Soon, the Indian king Idreno and the Babylonian commander Arzache arrive at the palace. The ruler of distant lands wants to make an alliance with Princess Azema, in which the Babylonian warlord is in love. Assur also seeks to marry Adzema in an effort to bolster his chances of succession. Semiramis dreams of marrying Arzac and approves Idreno’s request to marry Azema, thwarting Assur’s ambitions. However, the solemn ceremony of announcing the will of the Queen overshadows the appearance of the ghost of the late Nin. The spirit predicts Arzache's accession to the throne, but first he is obliged to make a redemptive sacrifice. A vengeful Assur plots a coup. The high priest reveals to Arzache the secret of his origin - in fact he is Ninius, the son of Semiramis and Nin, who before his death sent a minor heir, fearing that he would also be killed. Niny cannot hide this unexpected revelation from his mother. Semiramis, out of fear for the life of her son, intends to follow him to the dungeon of the Nin Mausoleum for the sacrifice ceremony. There rushes Assur, ready to kill rival Arzache. What awaits heroes in the darkness of the tomb? Rossini answers this question in the style of ancient tragedy, noting the unpredictable outcome with the seal of fate and ruthlessly leaving the fate of the heroes at the mercy of inexorable rock.
The solid, almost four-hour timekeeping of the opera and the incredible complexity of performance, requiring four brilliant soloists, turned this Russian masterpiece into a real rarity.
The New York Metropolitan Opera turned to this rarely performed piece after a nearly thirty-year hiatus. For the repertoire revival of this Belcant pearl, a truly luxurious version directed by John Copley was renewed, decorating the repertoire premiere of the opera in 1991. Monumental, dazzling with bright gilding colossal decorations and incredibly rich costumes perfectly imitate the stylized oriental pomp. This legendary production brought together a magnificent, exclusively American team of performers, led by the charming June Anderson in partnership with the legendary Marilyn Horne and the luxurious Samuel Ramey.
The composition of the new broadcast of 2018 is much more modest. American Angela Mead, who has repeatedly performed another complex Russian part of Hermione, may not be the most successful choice for a virtuoso title party that requires both dramatic scale and incredible coloratural skill. Tremolation, irregularity, rattling, excessively aggressive manner of sound, forcing only aggravated the negative effect of the corpulent figure of the performer. The technical prowess that marked Mead’s singing in the early stages of his career lost its former brilliance and impeccability. This was clearly demonstrated by the central aria of the Semiramis Bel raggio lusinghier.
Compatriot Mead, American mezzo Elizabeth DeShong tried on the travesty image of Arzache. Qualitatively, her vocal interpretation guarantees her leadership in the performing staff, although dramatically this large singer, almost not inferior in solid dimensions to Mead, also showed considerable scenic static and expressionlessness. Nevertheless, the famous Cavatina Eccomi alfine in Babilonia and sparkling cabalette Si, vendicato, il genitore in her interpretation became one of the decorations of the performance.
Mexican Javier Camarena in the image of Idreno has already lost its former freshness, mobility and timbral shine, inferior to its great predecessors. Although his banal tenor always distinguished rigidity, contraindicated Russian music. So adapting the high demands of the party to its modest vocal resources, Camarena greatly simplifies the whimsical coloratural ornament and chooses the simplest variations, focused not on virtuosity, but on playing with vocal semitones. This retro style significantly detracts from the original Russian idea. Although his traditionally stopped part was performed in full version, with both famous arias. However, Brownlee, Spires, Osborne or Angelini would be more suitable candidates for the role of Idreno.
Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov is an extremely controversial candidate for the Assur party due to the rough exterior of his voice and questionable for the belcanto inexcusably careless technique. Assur's big stage Deh ti ferma... Que numi furenti has become a collection of ugly sounds. So Abdrazakov is the weakest link of the executive staff. Given that Assur’s costumes were originally created for the athletic handsome Rami, the loose figure of his successor Abdrazakov looks extremely unaesthetic in open outfits.
Mass scenes, forming an extensive and diverse kaleidoscope of choral sketches, are magnificently performed by the Met.
Conducting Maurizio Benini is quite traditional, but not without vigor and enthusiasm.
The original 1991 production offers a rare combination of vocal and visual merit. This performance won't exactly disappoint, unlike the pathetic surrogate offered by the Met thirty years later. And for fans of the true Russian belcanto, there is an unsurpassed version from Pesaro 1994 with the greatest singers-Belcantists, demonstrating all the fascinating beauty of Rossini’s genius masterpiece.