A lot of opera houses, big and small, are looking to the future. This usually involves experimentation of some kind, like nontraditional casting, an unconventional performance venue or executing two operas on the same stage at once — often with the goal of attracting new, younger fans.
In that kind of environment, perhaps a bigger risk is to do the opposite: evoke the past.
Teatro Nuovo is doing just that. Since 2018, the company, run by Will Crutchfield and based in New York, has dedicated itself to offering historically driven performances of 19th-century Italian operas. In minimally staged productions of Verdi’s “Macbeth” and Bellini’s “La Sonnambula” it stays true to its mission. “Macbeth,” which will come to New York City Center on Wednesday and “La Sonnambula,” which follows on Thursday, were first presented last weekend at the Alexander Kasser Theater at Montclair State University in New Jersey.
Before its opening night, Teatro Nuovo spends the summer immersing its training singers — both hired professionals and annual resident artists — in bel canto style for its four performances. Special attention is placed on legato and portamento, prosody and rubato, all meant to employ a variety of dynamics in every register to express all colors of the voice. Dramatic interpretation is aural, not visual. Regardless of language barriers, listeners should be able to intuit emotions through the voice. The orchestra, too, is historically informed; the brass instruments are valveless, and the woodwinds are actually wooden.
It was clever of Teatro Nuovo to present “Macbeth” and “La Sonnambula” together this season, and not because of what they share. Yes, both operas feature famous sleepwalking scenes, but the similarities end there. “Macbeth” is a bloodthirsty Shakespearean meditation on political power and the psychological distress that it causes. “La Sonnambula” is about a dysfunctional sleeper who sleepwalks her way into another man’s bedroom on the eve of her wedding. Watching them in close succession is like seeing a double-feature that pairs a critically acclaimed political drama with a made-for-television romantic comedy. There was something for everyone.
While bel canto refers to a period rather than a school, it’s only associated with a handful of composers. Depending on whom you ask, Verdi is or isn’t among them. His later works, which dominated the second half of the 19th century, evolved from traditional bel canto practices, and his earliest operas certainly fit the criteria. This is probably one reason Teatro Nuovo opted for the composer’s original score, first performed in 1847, instead of the revised (and more commonly produced) 1865 version. The differences are modest but notable. Lady Macbeth’s now-famous Act II aria “La luce langue” replaced another from the 1847 score — the flashier, more embellished “Trionfai! securi alfine.”
Teatro Nuovo’s “Macbeth” excelled in highlighting the beauty of the human voice. The principals and chorus were in fine form on Saturday evening. Ricardo José Rivera, with his warm, resonant baritone, was deeply suited for the title role, aptly conveying Macbeth’s psychological torment through his music. The soprano Alexandra Loutsion had a burnished, almost bitter timbre as Lady Macbeth; her voice lent itself well to her character’s murderous, treacherous proclivities.
Unlike Verdi, Bellini is firmly associated with bel canto, the butter to this style’s bread. Nicknamed the Swan of Catania, he was known for his long, elegant melodies and graceful orchestrations that allow for an intuitive interpretation of emotive musicality. That may be why some listeners have written him off; Susan Sontag’s essay “Notes on ‘Camp’” includes Bellini’s operas in her list of “random examples of items which are part of the canon of Camp.” He may not have been as musically or dramatically revolutionary as others, but his operas rely on visceral musical storytelling. They make you feel.
“La Sonnambula” was well sung, although Bellini’s unrelenting score proved challenging for some. As Amina, the soprano Teresa Castillo sang with grace, although it was clear she was preserving stamina in the first half (and then some) to make it through her sleepwalking scene. It proved to be worth the wait. The tenor Christopher Bozeka had the impossible task of singing his way through Elvino’s stratospheric music in its original key, though he intelligently navigated the role with strong technique. The soprano Abigail Raiford, in the often overlooked role of Lisa, was the standout on Sunday. Silvery and resonant, her voice could easily be heard above the chorus.
Teatro Nuovo’s biggest achievement may be in what it offers singers and audiences alike: making opera beautiful. As Verdi said, “Return to the old, and it will be progress.” Even as opera companies look to the future, beauty will always be essential.
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