Moise et Pharaon, Marseille Opera house.8/XI/14

 (Teaser :Paulin Raynard, Youtube)

 I have sometimes felt the music was better than at home in some special opera houses like the BSO and la Scala lately.
Some seasons when I used to go to Bastille more often, I felt  our orchestra was not as good when I was back home.  It is no longer the case now because there are lots of improvements : Lawrence Foster is at the head of the Philarmonique (2011) and there is a permanent invited conductor: Fabrizio Maria Carminati. There are also new comers in the orchestra: the violinists are younger and produce a unique and beautiful sound most of the time. The brass section  also sounds more homogeneous than ever. I also believe in the powerful influence of the Italian conductor Paolo Arrivabeni: he  kept a magnificient pulsation all night for  this Rossini ' Grand opera'. It was more like an oratorio for such a musical concert version. The muisc made me imagine all the miracles accomplished by Moïse.
I will go back next sunday matinée, because this is exceptionnel and needs to be listened to again. I will follow the Prayer  live once more with the nine soloists responding the orchestra and chorus. Precious musical moments gone too quickly!(we did not clap enough, no 'encore' took place I am afraid).
(photo S. Duffaut )

Yesterday, what came from the orchestra, chorus, and the nine soloists was somptuous. Singing  from Annick Massis, Philippe Talbot, and Sonia Ganassi was remarquable.  Then all the others were great but not so smashing to my ears. I enjoyed Pharaon and Moïse less, not that they did not lack presence and vocal beauties, but I was expecting more warmth in the voice from this charismatic  Moïse, not only strength, a Samuel Ramey type of voice, ( I listened a lot to Samuel Ramey's renditions of this role) and Pharaon was fine but  not always convincing in his versatile role either on the Hebrew side or against,  he did not quite sustain the tension of this religious fight .
The young bel cantist voice of his son Amenophis-Philippe Talbot  was more convincing and really touching in the last act opposed to his beloved Anaï-Annick Massis. He was just wonderful with clear tops and his diction was really 'Rossinian' for me. So was Annick Massis: very moving rendition with all sorts of adornments in  stratospheric difficult arias.She was touching in her sacrifice.
Sonia Ganassi  mastered her role with ease. She was the only one to sing opposite her son without following the scores,  and he also responded with  spontaneous acting which was fine and  more natural vocally. She got tremendous applause,  perhaps more than the rest,  although the whole cast and orchestra received triumphant applause at the bows.
Special disctinctions for the two young tenors : Julien Dran and Remy Mathieu. Julien Dran  had to face an incident which could have been worse.  Before he sang  his first difficult high tops, a musician collapsed, we all heard the fall and witnessed a group of musicians carrying her out. The conductor stopped, and suddenly the whole audience felt a disquieting feeling shared by the soloists who turned to the orchestra. Then the music was resumed and Julien Dran, (Eliezer) had to restart his aria with concern as if nothing had happened. I admired his cold blood and beautiful voice.
The chorus had also a great sound in the ensembles last night. Pierre Lodice who has been in charge of the chorus for years has to be thanked for what he does when there are very special occasions like this rare opera and also in the repertoire. The chorus for me is often a source of pleasure.
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 photo christian Dresse.

The cast and production:
Moïse et Pharaon
Opéra en 4 actes
Livret de Luigi BALOCCHI et Étienne de JOUY
Création à Paris, Opéra, le 26 mars 1827
Première présentation à l'Opéra de Marseille
VERSION CONCERTANTE
Direction musicale Paolo ARRIVABENI

DISTRIBUTION

Sinaide Sonia GANASSI (8, 11 NOV)
             Enkelejda SHKOZA (14, 16 NOV)
Anaï Annick MASSIS
Marie Lucie ROCHE
Moïse Ildar ABDRAZAKOV
Pharaon Jean-François LAPOINTE
Aménophis Philippe TALBOT
Eliézer Julien DRAN
Osiride / Une voix mystérieuse Nicolas COURJAL
Aufide Rémy MATHIEU

Orchestre et Chœur de l'Opéra de Marseille