The powerful timpani leads to Puccini's rough and dramatic overture. The famous Italian opera conductor Carlo Leeds conducts the National Center for the Performing Arts Orchestra, using short, concise, dissonant descending melody to foreshadow the fate of the characters full of twists and turns. On the occasion of the centenary of Puccini's death, on the evening of July 23, after a lapse of five years, Puccini's opera "Women of the West" produced by the National Center for the Performing Arts was staged again. Top artists from China, the United States and Italy joined forces to present a thrilling opera. People's "Western Blockbusters" were put on the opera stage.
Stills from "Girl of the West". Photographed by our reporter Fang Fei
In the darkness, the dazzling light of the miner's lamp shakily approached with the workers' footsteps. In the "Polka" bar, the lively and wanton night began with laughter and curses. The wild mountains, the chaotic pool table in the tavern, the fights between drunks, the intense pursuit between police and criminals...the distant memories of the "gold rush era" are flooding back. "Girl of the West" is set in California during the American gold rush in the mid-19th century. It tells the story of the emotional entanglement between the kind and shrewd tavern hostess Minnie, the bandit Johnson, and the sheriff Lance. In the play, Puccini used bold and novel harmonies and orchestration to depict the desolate and rough mining areas of California, which naturally has a movie-like atmosphere.
Stills from "Girl of the West". Photographed by our reporter Fang Fei
In terms of creating a "movie feel", director and stage designer Thaddeus Strasberg fully combined the stage setting with multimedia vision. In the prologue, Minnie was projected on the curtain. The silhouettes of the horse team, the crowded but cozy tavern in the first act, the detailed card game in the second act, the dark and dense forest in the third act and other scenes are rich in layers, and the scheduling is complex and exciting. As the first-time director of the National Center for the Performing Arts' version of "Girl of the West", Strasberg put in a lot of effort. Five years later, he still has a soft spot for this version of the stage presentation. "This time we didn't make any more changes to the stage presentation because it was already beautiful enough," Strasberg said. In his opinion, "Girl of the West" is not only like a western, but also like a thriller. "Puccini's opera is like a close-up of a camera. You can zoom in to find the details of human nature, and then understand the characters' emotions and "Soul."
At the core of the opera, that is, at the musical level, Puccini gave "La Vie di Western" a rather modern sound style, with whole-tone chords, unresolved dissonance, complex and even brutal rhythms, and modernity. The orchestral technique is greatly different from the composer's previous works, and it can be called the most daring and innovative work of "The Glance of King Kong" in Puccini's opera career. At the performance, conductor Carlo Leeds' control was precise and strict. Making his debut at the National Center for the Performing Arts, he had a wonderful spark with the National Center for the Performing Arts Orchestra. Under his passionate leadership, the orchestra interpreted Pucci's performance well. Full of drama in Ni's music.
Stills from "Girl of the West". Photographed by our reporter Fang Fei
The singer’s performance was even more memorable. The famous singer Jennifer Rowley has solid singing skills and delicate performances, portraying the innocence and bravery of Minnie in a profound way; the singer Marco Berti, known as the "fourth greatest tenor in the world", has a brilliant and resonant voice and a sharp singing voice. It shows that the tough and affectionate thief Johnson is mastered with ease; the famous baritone singer Claudio Scuola, who is tall and handsome and sings vigorously and smoothly, brings to life the pride and jealousy of Sheriff Lance. At the same time, the National Center for the Performing Arts opera singers, chorus, and many Chinese and foreign singers who participated in the performance performed steadily. When the lovers Minnie and Johnson walked toward a new life with everyone's blessings and the sunset, the audience applauded enthusiastically.
Stills from "Girl of the West". Photographed by our reporter Fang Fei
It is reported that the current performance of "Girl of the West" will last until July 27. On the evening of July 26, singer Anastasia Bordeleva will play the heroine Minnie.
