Anyone who has ever stayed in a budget hotel will recognize the people on stage, suspects director RB Schlather. The music, too, promises conductor Leo Hussain, gives the impression of having heard it somewhere before. At least if you have a little Mozart in your ear. If such déjà vu experiences occur from Sunday, September 26th, when visiting the Frankfurt Opera, it is probably not due to the work itself, which can then be seen. Because Domenico Cimarosa's “L'Italiana in Londra” (“The Italian Woman in London”) is one of the numerous unknown works by the contemporary Mozart, of which the buffa “The Secret Marriage” occasionally appears on the repertoire.
If feelings of familiarity set in, it could have something to do with the situation, which is somewhat reminiscent of many a close house cooperative during the pandemic: In a London hotel, the five people involved in the plot spend several days together, may be stuck, but actually have no rights Tasks and no responsibility, the newspapers report on the war. In this hotel run by a certain Madama Brillante, Livia from Genoa and the English Milord Arespingh, who were once lovers, meet. The Dutch Sumers and the Neapolitan Don Polidoro are already guests of the house. But actually, says the American director, it is as if Jean Genet and Monty Python collide. The events that develop are very dark, very humorous, very surreal. The opera,adds the British conductor that in a certain way it is a “loud piece” with “loud characters”, to which Cimarosa naturally ascribes very individual, very bright music. And, according to director Schlather, it is a play that absolutely needs the big stage. Even if the line-up without a choir and with five soloists is manageable.
Although recently many a small, chamber orchestral piece that allowed a lot of distance on the stage and in the ditch was suddenly in demand, the Frankfurt Opera had already considered the new production of Cimarosa's "Intermezzo in musica" before the pandemic began.
The 29-year-old composer had his breakthrough with the first performance in Rome in 1778.
The genre, which actually goes back to short and cheerful interludes of great tragic operas, expanded into a larger and independent format in Cimarosa;
the Frankfurt premiere, including a break, lasts about three hours.
Timeless and abstract
Conductor Leo Hussain is convinced that Cimarosa would be played much more frequently if Mozart did not suppress his works. Especially since Mozart, the younger, naturally knew the works of the older man. Hussain points to the musical closeness to the “Magic Flute” overture as to a scene from the “Marriage of Figaro”, and director Schlather reveals that there is a scenic allusion to the Commander in “Don Giovanni”. Paul Steinberg's stage is timeless and abstract, a little "phobic" too. Schlather repeatedly emphasizes that the piece takes place “in the balance” - “with a very grandiose, enormously intricate finale”.
The irrational search for a stone hidden in the hotel that is supposed to make it invisible serves as a delightful subplot.
There should be no direct allusions to the pandemic.
But the process when the directing team and the conductor worked on the piece in partly intercontinental Zoom conferences certainly had an impact on the creation of the work, the director and conductor agree on that.
And also in the fact that “The Italian in London” turned out to be a “genuine and unconditional play”.
The impression of recognizing some of the familiar in the unknown should definitely be helpful for this.
“L'Italiana in Londra” has its premiere at the Frankfurt Opera on September 26th from 6pm. Further performances are on October 1st, 9th, 15th, 24th and 30th as well as on November 5th.