Il turco in Italia, Royal Opera House, London - review

Operas do not come more frothy than Rossini's Il turco in Italia. The Royal Opera needed a contrast to go in between the political agitprop of Weill's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny and the soul-searching mysticism of Szymanowski's King Roger. Enter Rossini to offer the light relief.

This production of Il turco in Italia by Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier opened in 2005 and was the first ever given at the Royal Opera House. It was a vehicle then for the unique talents of the mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, who found odd moments of pain in the text, but now all is sweetness and light.

In tune with the current fad with Italian comic operas, this one is updated to the postwar Italy of La dolce vita. Bright, poster-paint panels part to reveal a fun-filled world of Mediterranean sun, sea and sex. The "Turk" of the title puts into port in a luxury cruise ship. The leading lady's ex-boyfriend sports an Elvis quiff and scoots around on a Vespa. Every Italian cliche is here - the trattoria, the spaghetti, the classic cars - but Leiser and Caurier's comedy is more shallow than crude. Sometimes the pace flags.

The singers in this revival make an experienced team. Aleksandra Kurzak is a true soprano Fiorilla, rather than a mezzo like Bartoli, and sings with a light touch, topped by a sparkling sheen on the surface of her voice. Ildebrando D'Arcangelo struts with a sultry swagger as Selim the Turk and his well-focused bass-baritone sounds in good condition. There are neat cameos from Rachel Kelly as gypsy Zaida and Barry Banks as Narciso.

The key to this cast, though, is the pairing of two old hands - Thomas Allen's cultured poet Prosdocimo and the put-upon, bumbling old Geronio of Alessandro Corbelli, who has made Rossini's buffo roles his own. They may no longer be in the most youthful of voice, but they know how to hold the stage.

Evelino Pido conducts a sprightly performance and the ensemble is light as a feather. For an opera that is nothing but froth, that will do nicely.

roh.org.uk

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