Following on from its production of “Il Sogno di Scipione,” Venice’s La Fenice staged another Mozart rarity, “Il Re Pastore.” Although being a more mature work, the two operas share many characteristics; both were set to a libretto by Metastasio, written for sopranos and tenor voices (although in the latter work the role of Aminta was written for a castrato, which in this production was played by a soprano); both are serenatas rather than opera serie; and both works are designed to celebrate the good governance of absolute monarchy.

Moreover, the directors for both works chose to focus their readings on the relationship between the individual and power, although tackling the theme from very different angles.

The narrative is a simple story of a shepherd Aminta who is in love with the nymph Elisa, and unbeknown to himself is the rightful King of Sidon. Alessandro of Macedonia, having defeated the despot Stratone, is now searching for the true king so he can reinstate him to the throne. Eventually, he finds Aminta and offers him the crown of Sidon, but the decision of whether or not to accept is problematic for he does not want to abandon Elisa. There is also Agenore, Alessandro’s trusted advisor, who is in love with Stratone’s daughter, Tamiri, which is equally problematic, as Alessandro plans to marry her to Aminta.

However, for Alessandro the problem is solely one of politics and just government, and the private sentiments of Aminta, Elisa, Agenore and Tamiri are but a secondary consideration. Eventually, as a wise and benevolent ruler should, Alessandro gives sufficient weight to their sentiments, and allows the couples to be united.

All About Power

Not only does the narrative exalt the wisdom of the enlightened ruler, but it is also an exploration of personal growth, as each of the characters is transformed by their experiences. The director, Alessio Pizzech, paid close attention to this aspect of the drama, to the extent that he deliberately exaggerated their development, which in certain instances went considerably beyond the libretto, especially in the case of Tamiri, whom he turns into a character with a bi-polar disorder, and who carries within her the mental baggage of experiencing extreme violence. Pizzech also focuses acutely on the dilemma facing Aminta in accepting the crown, who is uncomfortably aware of the conflicts he will face in attempting to wield power in a just manner. Moreover, Pizzech relates this to the wider context of the decline of absolute monarchy, and the rise of democracy, during the late 18th century, as symboliszd in the figures of Alessandro and Aminta.

The sets were designed by Davide Amadeus, with mixed success. The first act was set in the barren landscape of a dessert, which was dominated by a bombed-out bus, complete with a tree growing out of one of its windows.

Carlo Schmid, the lighting designer, used bold colors to define the atmosphere, expertly shifting between single colors projected onto the backcloth to affect the emotional impact. It was an effective and aesthetically successful staging. It also begged the question as to whether Pizzech was relating Alessandro’s conquest to the current conflict which dominates the region. The answer, given in Pizzech’s program notes, is a qualified “No.” His vision of the work is that of parable, in which the conflict between politics and sentiments are an ever-present, and only in this respect did it relate to the current war in Syria.

The second act, however, was less successfully presented. The set consisted of large green hedges, with the bus still present, at least for part of the act. The lighting became less forceful and the stage lost the strong colouring which defined Act one, and dimmed the sets overall impact.

Carla Ricotti’s costume designs also met with limited success. They were a mix of the contemporary and the futuristic, some successfully captured the character, others less so, but overall blended with the set.

Expressive & Well-Focused

The title role was undertaken by the soprano Roberta Mameli, who put in a passionate and expressively well-focused performance as the Shepherd King Aminta and successfully developed the character over the course of the two acts. Initially, carefree and content, happy with her simple life, Mameli convincingly transitions to Aminta’s new situation, in which he must decide whether to accept the crown, to take on the responsibilities of kingship, and to the possibility of losing Elisa.

Aminta’s pain in facing this dilemma was intelligently captured in Mameli’s subtly crafted recitatives, embellished with well-placed dynamic and accented emphases. She projected her voice with strength and clarity, it is flexible and possesses a pleasing tone. In the second act, she sang the delicately constructed rondo, “L’amerò sarò costante, ” an aria which for sheer beauty can hold its own with any of Mozart’s more famous offerings, in which Aminta sings of his love for Elisa. Mameli, supported by the graceful sound of the orchestra, which encompassed a sweet violin obbligato, gave a pleasing rendition which showed off her ability to manage legato phrases, subtly color her voice and elegantly embellish the vocal line.

However, Mameli opted for a little too much intensity at times, which detracted slightly from the overall beauty as well as compromising the delicate sensitivity of the piece. Overall, however, it was a very satisfying reading.

Elisa was played by Elisabeth Breuer, who put in a compelling performance. Like Mameli, she developed the character with skill and intelligence, transitioning from a naïve, happy, and open young girl to a more mature woman, who has experienced emotional pain. She possesses a beautiful crystalline soprano, with a clear, piercing top end and a sparkling coloratura, which was marvelously displayed during her aria, “Barbaro! oh Dio mi vedo…,” in which she rages at Agenore, who refuses her permission to see Aminta. It was a strident performance, which nicely captured her increasing anger; her phrasing crafted to reflect her emotional state, her coloratura used to her highlight her spiraling anxiety in an energetic and engaging performance, yet one that never strayed beyond the gentle nature of her character.

Smart Casting

Juan Francisco Gatell, well-accustomed to the Mozart repertoire, was well cast in the role of Alessandro. He has an appealing tenor and possesses a solid technique, which he used to good effect, although in the first act his phrasing sounded a little mechanical at times. His second act aria, “Voi che fausti ognor donate,” however, showed off his ability in fine style, his well-rounded voice molded the lines with intelligence and agility, his coloraturas were handsomely crafted, befitting of his regal position, and his delivery was precise and clear.

Pizzech, keen to highlight the personal development of the characters, took a more active role in portraying both Tamiri and Agenore. In the case of Tamiri, played by Silvia Frigato, he created a backstory which is not included in the libretto in order to magnify her development. He saw her as an Electra-type figure, who has been subjected to extreme violence, with the result that she is now traumatized and disoriented, in search of a new sense of identity, and therefore acts as a symbol for a refugee. To this end, Tamiri drags a suitcase around with her, which contains a large dagger, a symbol and constant reminder of her status and her mental scarring, and suggestive of something, perhaps, more sinister. Frigato put in an intense performance; her singing was precise, subtly nuanced with detailed attention given to the meaning of the words and their pronunciation.

The role of Agenore, essayed by Francisco Fernandez-Ruedea, is actually the smallest part, yet Pizzech argues that he is the most significant of the characters, as he alone truly understands the reality of the war and its consequences. He carries within him his love for Tamiri which, out of duty, he must hide from Alessandro, but which he eventually gives voice to in the aria, “Sol può dir come si trova.” Here, Fernandez-Rueda sang with passion and energy, capturing the frustrations which had been building within him. Overall, Fernandez-Ruedea gave a well-balanced presentation, and brought depth to the relatively small role.

The conductor, Federico Maria Sardelli, who elicited an excellent performance from the Orchestra del Teatro La Fenice for “Il Sogno di Scipione,” was in fine form here as well. He produced another engaging and captivating reading, balancing grace and elegance with vibrancy, and maintaining an energetic momentum which supported the onstage drama throughout.

“Il Re Pastore” is a colorful score that contains real beauty in parts, especially for obbligato instruments, and Sardelli managed to coach from the orchestra.

The opera finishes with a celebratory chorus, in which Alessandro’s good governance is praised and the blessings of true love lauded, the private and the public spheres married by Alessandro’s fatherly concern for his people. It was a pleasing production, notable for Mozart’s beautiful score and the strong singing of its cast. Although Pizzech’s production left a feeling that he had indulged himself slightly by over-complicating the narrative, it did enough to convince, and engaged successfully with the audience.