In Hawaii Opera Theatre's third and final production of its Grand Opera season, the chorus, orchestra and lead singers were mostly hot, but sets, costumes, lighting and makeup were mostly not. This was disappointing after the seamless artistic excellence of "Tosca" and "L'Italiana in Algeri."
The dull, poorly painted sets - rented from New Orleans, not built by the talented HOT scene shop - loomed darkly over what is already a dark story. Hulking and dingy, they shrouded the lighting and did not lend themselves to inspired costuming. The tragedy of "Aida" would have seemed more profound against a more majestic backdrop: Sun-drenched stone, endless sky, and the verdant banks of the Nile.
Nevertheless, the audience was treated to one of the great voices of the future, tenor Carlos Moreno as Egyptian army commander Radames. The Spaniard invited comparison with his countryman Placido Domingo in richness, power and eloquence.
Moreno's voice, plainly put, blew everybody away. His seasoned rendition of the tenor showcase "Celeste Aida," the opera's first aria, had a tremendous effect on the audience. Ears stayed perked up for his every note from then onward. All Three Tenors better watch their backs!
Moreno's acting, one surmises, will improve with study and exp erience. Last night, it had more in common with lumber than Laurence Olivier. However, while you can buy acting lessons, you cannot even sell your soul to the devil for pipes like his.
Two elements further impeded his performance: A flimsy, embarrassingly short costume, and the limited thespian talents of soprano Pamela Kucenic, playing his beloved, the enslaved Ethiopian princess Aida. The couple's acting did improve as the performance progressed, creating some chemistry between the star-crossed lovers by the time an immovable stone sealed their fate.
Kucenic sang beautifully in her lower and middle registers, and during rare moments when she sang softly. However, her normal settings of loud and louder often lent an unpleasantly harsh edge to the abundant upper registerwork demanded by Verdi. A performance amid the pyramids of Giza might require such piercing volume, but the Blaisdell did not.
The rest of the leads and comprimarios sang wonderfully. It was great to be at an Italian opera where the Italian was articulated radiantly and intelligibly!
As the Egyptian princess Amneris, Marianne Cornetti completed the story's love triangle forcefully. Her mezzo-soprano voice had a graceful lyricism, as did the sumptuous bass of Kevin Bell (High Priest) and the gorgeous baritone of Gary Simpson (King of Ethiopia).
Bell was suitably imperious as the man rendering divine guidance and judgment. The audience held special favor for Simpson, who triumphed here last year as Rigoletto. He has the total opera package: A passionate voice with opulent tone and clarion diction, as well as compelling stage presence.
However, the blotched and botched chocolate makeup smeared on Simpson and the others portraying Ethiopian characters was distracting, if not disturbing. It looked as if they'd all gone mudsliding in Nuuanu. Blackface offends not just because of its sordid history, but also by denying audience sophistication about multicultural casting.
Local favorites held their own with the international talent. John Mount (King of Egypt), Ella Edwards (High Priestess), and especially relative opera newcomer Mark Yasuhara (Messenger) only get better with time.
The HOT chorus and orchestra performed at their customary exalted levels. Always prepared to within an inch of their lives, the choristers made the cast-of-thousands scenes the most effective and delightful of the opera. Conductor Robert LaMarchina skillfully meshed the massive forces of choruses, dancers, a bulging pit orchestra, backstage brass and drums, and balcony trumpets.
Where the scenic elements could not, the music and the dancing made magic.
When: 7:30 p.m. tomorrow