Notizie da Vienna: RIGOLETTO 8.4.2014 — ilcorrieredellagrisi.eu

Alexandru Moisiuc | Il Conte di Monterone In this performance-run, Leo Nucci celebrated his 500th performance as Rigoletto. At 71 years of age he is still pretty much in demand. A regular guest in Vienna, Nucci has never been a subtle and refined singer. He feeds the thirst of the Viennese for what they consider „italianità“: volume, high notes, expansive phrasing, little intellect, big sound. The voice and his singing show, of course, considerable signs of wear and tear. That „his voice at the age of over seventy is not exactly fresh as dew anymore“ as one critic wrote, is putting it VERY mildly. Yet, one wonders – considering how little he spared his voice by singing the way he did over decades – that it still there at all. He really must have chords made out of steel. And of course, Nucci has too much routine singing the jester as not to know where to spare himself and where to reach out for the trump card – the loudly belted out top notes. „è follIIIIa“ at the end of „Pari siamo“ or „se dei figli difendEEEE l´OOOnor“ at the end of „Cortigiani“. They are far from beautiful, but they are still there. What has become almost intollerable is his excessive scooping. At its worst for example in phrases like „AAAAAh, veglia, o donna“ or „AAAAAAAAAh, piangi, piangi fanciulla“. Whenever he can rest a little, he is almost „speaking“ or declaiming exaggeratedly. „Deh non parlare“ and „Miei signori“ are hurried excessively in order to save him the necessary breath. Crude and tasteless shouting – listen to De Luca at more or less the same age: less power, less breath – but he still SANG.

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