Following a highly successful Puccini Gala Concert last year, Opera Australia brought back the glittering star of that event for “The Verdi Gala Concert”.
This time, it was not an exclusively Australian lineup of singers; our super-soprano, Nicole Car, was joined by her Canadian husband, baritone Etienne Dupuis. He impressed not just because we might feel a particular affinity with Canadians at the moment, rather, Dupuis won the audience over completely in a series of powerful performances that made him more than a good match for Car’s brilliance. Australian tenor Paul O’Neill, our host for the evening Greta Bradman, and Orchestra Victoria under the baton of Alexander Briger comprised the rest of the Australian contingent.
The program itself was similar in format to that for the Puccini Gala: extended scenes from a variety of well-known operas plus one aria apiece from other operas: “La donna è mobile” from Rigoletto, and Amelia’s aria “Come in quest’ora bruna” from Simon Boccanegra. Nabucco was represented by the Overture.
It must be said that Verdi’s overtures tend to take us on a journey through almost a whole opera, highlighting moments of tenderness and violence, triumph and despair. One of the major benefits of a concert version of operatic works is that we hear and see the orchestra in all its glory. Orchestra Victoria was in terrific form, beginning the evening with an energising performance of the Overture from The Force of Destiny. The Overture to Nabucco displayed the strengths of the brass section to great effect: the wonderfully well synchronized chording of the quartet of trombones, the solo trumpet, and what sounded like impeccable work from the horns for a start. Briger attended to the details of these overtures, ensuring that the atmosphere of related moments in these operas was evoked effectively.
As enthusiastic applause for the stirring account of the first Overture subsided, Greta Bradman entered to speak about the artists and take us through what was to come. Although her introductions to the operatic scenes were helpful, they did not fully serve the purpose; only surtitles – a huge boost to maintaining the popularity of opera – could have given the audience a proper appreciation of what was being sung; however, aided by Shaun Rennie’s imaginative direction, all three singers gave of their theatrical best, often enabling us to forget that this was a concert rather than a fully-staged opera production.
Alex Lynn’s lighting design made an important contribution to setting the tone, whether in the orchestral numbers or changing the lighting to reflect the moods of the sung drama, for example, drenching the stage in vivid vermillion at the beginning of the sequences from A Masked Ball. A wash of gold heralded scenes from Don Carlo, where we saw the striking image of Nicole Car being gradually revealed in the gorgeous purple splendour of a quasi eighteenth century gown on a rostrum at the back of the stage. As she swiftly descended the stairs with fluid elegance, we were transported in time and place. Even Etienne Dupuis as Rodrigo looked the part – an unadorned figure in basic black (a deliberate nod to Zelensky’s style?) as he sacrificed his life for his friend, Don Carlo.
Of course the most compelling aspect of the Verdi Gala was the singing. Nicole Car is at what is commonly called “the peak of her powers” – and what powers they are. Apart from a gleaming top register – thrilling and surpassingly beautiful on the highest notes – the middle of her voice, the core, has true power. Her use of chest voice, never intrusive but rather a piece of a seamless whole, added to that strength. It is a formidable instrument also capable of subtle dramatic expression. Every note seemed perfectly calibrated, with her singing of “Pace, pace mio Dio” a miracle of controlled beauty: that fabulous initial messa di voce, the soaring top note, the urgency, the drama, the time taken when necessary to stretch the line… all the sopranos in the audiences who had ever tried to sing this popular aria from The Force of Destiny would have been awestruck. Perhaps less overtly spectacular, but equally impressive, was Car’s portrayal of Amelia in the excerpts from A Masked Ball. Our hearts were with her as she held onto the conductor’s podium frame, crumbling in despair. A moving solo cello heightened the poignancy of this scene.
Reviewers’ seats are often allocated to provide the best listening experience, close to the singers. After interval, I moved to my own purchased seat in the Balcony to see how well the voices carried. Both Car and Dupuis had no problem projecting their voices and the emotional power of their performances. Though refined and most attractive in timbre, Paul O’Neill’s tenor voice was not as full-bodied as these two Verdi heavyweights, and tended to be outgunned by the brass. Quieter orchestral moments enabled the beauty and ardent nature of his voice to shine, his offstage singing to harp accompaniment as the troubadour of Il Trovatore being especially captivating. His acting, especially in that final scene from Don Carlo, was heartfelt.
With Etienne Dupuis in excellent form, anchored in the expressive authority of his powerful, focused baritone voice, his purposeful acting lent an exciting dynamic edge to his arias and interactions.
This was Verdi singing (and playing) not to be missed.
Photo credit: Jeff Busby
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Heather Leviston reviewed Opera Australia’s “The Verdi Gala Concert” presented by Opera Australia at Hamer Hall on April 30, 2025.
