Arts & Events

Ars Minerva ‘s Founder and Artistic Director Céline Ricci has done it again. Last year she brought us La Cleopatra, an opera by Daniele da Castrovillari that premiered in Venice in 1662 and was never performed since till Ricci revived it in San Francisco. This year she brings us Le Amazone nelle Isole Fortunate (The Amazons in the Fortunate Isles), an opera by Carlo Pallavicino that premiered at the Villa Contarini outside Venice in 1679 and was never performed since till Ricci staged it Saturday, May 21, and Sunday, May 22, at Marines Memorial Theater. Ricci discovered the existence of the scores for these long-forgotten operas in the Contarini Bequest collection in Venice’s Marciana Library.  

While The Amazons in the Fortunate Isles, unlike La Cleopatra, will not immediately invite comparison with the great operas of Claudio Monteverdi, it offers some lovely music and a plot that, well, is all over the place. Like any story about the Amazons, mythic women-warriors who shunned men, this opera takes place in fantasy-land. Here one encounters lesbianism, bi-sexuality, and rampant promiscuity. Céline Ricci, who directed this production, clearly set it in fantasy-land, opting for costumes that combined blue jeans, bikinis and huge feathered headdresses for the Amazons. When a shipwrecked man washes up on their shores, he too wears blue jeans. Later, after becoming the boy-toy love object of both Pulcheria, Queen of the Amazons, and Florinda, he sends a text message by smart phone to his commander, the Sultan of Egypt, warning him of Pulcheria’s plan to assassinate him after seducing him.  

Musically, two fine voices dominated this opera. As Pulcheria, French-born soprano Aurélie Veruni was excellent. As Florinda, local mezzo-soprano Kindra Scharich was sensational. Scharich’s voice is rich and lustrous, redolent with exquisite coloration. Veruni’s voice is bright-toned, with pleasantly piercing high notes. Vocally, Veruni and Scharich were outstanding. But they were by no means the only singers who offered fine performances. As Auralba, an Amazon in love with Florinda and jealous of her lover’s relations with Pulcheria, soprano Tonia D’Amelio sang beautifully and acted the part with great verve. Likewise, as Jocasta, the adopted daughter of Pulcheria, soprano Cara Gabrielson turned in a fine performance. A trio near the end of the opera brought wonderful singing from Gabrielson as Jocasta, D’Amelio as Auralba, and Scharich as Florinda. This trio was one of the musical highlights of the opera. Another highlight was the duet, “Wanting to love is wanting to suffer,” beautifully sung by d’Amelio as Auralba and Scharich as Florinda. Mezzo-soprano Molly Mahoney ably sang the role of Cillene, a woman gone mad for an imaginary male lover. Tenor Ryan Matos was less effective as the shipwrecked man, Numidio, though the role assigned to him was that of a wimpish, effeminate man who vacillates over which woman to love, Pulcheria or Florinda, and vacillates too over whether to side with the Amazons or with his Egyptian squadrons when they invade the Fortunate Isles. As the Sultan of Egypt, baritone Spencer Dodd sang capably, his robust voice ringing out powerfully. Two female dancers, Casey Lee Thorne and Coral Martin, added to the ambience with their intricately choreographed movements.  

The chamber orchestra was conducted from the harpsichord by Derek Tam. Addi Liu and Laura Rubenstein Salzedo were the violinists, Gretchen Claassen was the cellist, Adam Cockerham played theorbo, Henry Reed was the timpanist, and Amanda Cienfuegos and Jose Sanchez were the trumpeters. Together, this chamber orchestra played beautifully. Orchestral highlights included some lovely sleep-music to accompany Florinda’s nap, and rousing martial music when the Amazons gathered to fight the Sultan’s troops. Black-and-white images of imaginary ancient sites were the work of projection designer Patricia Nardi. Lighting was by Brian Poedy; and Muriel Maffre was choreographer. Ultimately, our thanks go to company director Céline Ricci for reviving yet another long-forgotten Venetian opera, this one having lain dormant for a mere 337 years! Given its outlandish plot and admittedly modest musical merits, it may lie dormant for another 337 years.