A year ago to the day an interview was printed in the august newspaper Corriere della Sera with the tenor Mr. Guiseppe Filianoti regarding some rather ugly business at work at the Teatro alla Scala. For anyone who wasn’t concerned with the goings on, COMMANDOpera will illuminate the story. The theatre had determined to open the season with a production of Verdi’s Don Carlo. Starring in the work would be the popular and rising 34 year old Italian lyric tenor. Mr. Filianoti had already premiered the role a few months earlier in Zurich. While Don Carlo is a difficult and hefty role, it certainly lay clearly within Mr. Filianoti’s range. For the sake of history any artist will renounce other engagements to appear opening night at the Teatro all Scala, such being the cache the theatre still seems to hold over many artists. So, the tenor withdrew from a run of Lucrezia Borgia in Washington under the auspices of Maestro Placido Domingo, a Thais in Turin, and a Pelleas et Melisande at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.
After working on the role at the theatre for a period before rehearsals, and then during, there was not a breath of concern voiced by Maestro Daniele Gatti, Il Sovrintendente Lissner or anyone else. Two days before the prima a ‘general’ dress rehearsal was held in front of students and the like. At that point Mr. Filianoti had the role down cold. Most artists wouldn’t think twice to not give every ounce for such a performance given the prima would only be two days away. Beyond that, Maestro Gatti at that last minute decided to make a change to the end of the third act which shifted the pacing in such a way that created difficulties where Mr. Filianoti could find a place to take a breath to produce the next notes properly. It was apparently after this minor difficulty that Maestro Gatti decided Mr. Filianoti was not suitable for the role and replaced him with the tenor Mr. Stuart Neill. Well without question this did not go down well with the Milanese who were looking forward to seeing the young Calabrian perform as Don Carlo. In historic fashion, the management of the theatre begged Mr. Filianoti to give them credibility by agreeing with their public line that he was unwell. Mr. Filianoti is a man with far too much class to partake in such odious goings on, and broke the real story, then left the production.
Mr. Filianoti December 4 2008, the infamous dress rehearsal at the Teatro alla Scala.
And what does COMMANDOpera make of the whole deal a year later? From this perspective, the Teatro alla Scala while owning a great history, is currently being run at the top by an administration which is not particularly top tier. If you have dealings with any level at the theatre as I have, the professionalism of the people who work there is second to none…. they really set the standard in this regard. COMMANDOpera would have to add however, the theatre is not alone for that particular malaise. A few other companies come to mind rather easily of this same onerous situation where the entrenched top tier management own more ego than talent, yet beautifully run by the individuals below. The Teatro alla Scala simply is not in a position to enjoy the luxury to be as opaque as other theatres, which is why the public is so aware.
The true reality however is that the power rests with the artists. Given the upstanding behaviour and rectitude of the good Calabrian tenor over this incident, his pre emminence has risen exponentially. When the name Filianoti is mentioned, it is done so with admiration. Mr. Filianoti remains the top tier drawing card for any theatre on the globe who cares to fill every seat in their house, and his calendar reflects this fact. L’elisir in Chicago in January, Lucrezia Borgia in Ancona in February, Don Giovanni in Munich in March and April, Hoffman in Paris in May, and the list goes on….
RITORNO VINCITOR
Photo Credit: E Paiz
A year ago to the day an interview was printed in the august newspaper Corriere della Sera with the tenor Mr. Guiseppe Filianoti regarding some rather ugly business at work at the Teatro alla Scala. For anyone who wasn’t concerned with the goings on, COMMANDOpera will illuminate the story. The theatre had determined to open the season with a production of Verdi’s Don Carlo. Starring in the work would be the popular and rising 34 year old Italian lyric tenor. Mr. Filianoti had already premiered the role a few months earlier in Zurich. While Don Carlo is a difficult and hefty role, it certainly lay clearly within Mr. Filianoti’s range. For the sake of history any artist will renounce other engagements to appear opening night at the Teatro all Scala, such being the cache the theatre still seems to hold over many artists. So, the tenor withdrew from a run of Lucrezia Borgia in Washington under the auspices of Maestro Placido Domingo, a Thais in Turin, and a Pelleas et Melisande at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.
After working on the role at the theatre for a period before rehearsals, and then during, there was not a breath of concern voiced by Maestro Daniele Gatti, Il Sovrintendente Lissner or anyone else. Two days before the prima a ‘general’ dress rehearsal was held in front of students and the like. At that point Mr. Filianoti had the role down cold. Most artists wouldn’t think twice to not give every ounce for such a performance given the prima would only be two days away. Beyond that, Maestro Gatti at that last minute decided to make a change to the end of the third act which shifted the pacing in such a way that created difficulties where Mr. Filianoti could find a place to take a breath to produce the next notes properly. It was apparently after this minor difficulty that Maestro Gatti decided Mr. Filianoti was not suitable for the role and replaced him with the tenor Mr. Stuart Neill. Well without question this did not go down well with the Milanese who were looking forward to seeing the young Calabrian perform as Don Carlo. In historic fashion, the management of the theatre begged Mr. Filianoti to give them credibility by agreeing with their public line that he was unwell. Mr. Filianoti is a man with far too much class to partake in such odious goings on, and broke the real story, then left the production.
Mr. Filianoti December 4 2008, the infamous dress rehearsal at the Teatro alla Scala.
And what does COMMANDOpera make of the whole deal a year later? From this perspective, the Teatro alla Scala while owning a great history, is currently being run at the top by an administration which is not particularly top tier. If you have dealings with any level at the theatre as I have, the professionalism of the people who work there is second to none…. they really set the standard in this regard. COMMANDOpera would have to add however, the theatre is not alone for that particular malaise. A few other companies come to mind rather easily of this same onerous situation where the entrenched top tier management own more ego than talent, yet beautifully run by the individuals below. The Teatro alla Scala simply is not in a position to enjoy the luxury to be as opaque as other theatres, which is why the public is so aware.
The true reality however is that the power rests with the artists. Given the upstanding behaviour and rectitude of the good Calabrian tenor over this incident, his pre emminence has risen exponentially. When the name Filianoti is mentioned, it is done so with admiration. Mr. Filianoti remains the top tier drawing card for any theatre on the globe who cares to fill every seat in their house, and his calendar reflects this fact. L’elisir in Chicago in January, Lucrezia Borgia in Ancona in February, Don Giovanni in Munich in March and April, Hoffman in Paris in May, and the list goes on….