Lenox – Is Amneris the most contemptible she-devil of all time? That’s what Violeta Urmana had everyone fearing when she sang the role of Pharaoh’s daughter in “Aida” Saturday, August 20 at Tanglewood. Andris Nelsons led the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Tanglewood Festival Chorus in Acts I and II of Verdi’s most popular work, and the evening’s all-star cast of soloists made every moment of the performance vivid and compelling.
Under guest conductor James Burton, the Tanglewood Festival Chorus lived up to its legendary standard of power and precision.
“Aida” requires massive instrumental and vocal forces that can become unwieldy in performance. Indeed, Andris Nelsons had his hands full keeping such a large band together. No major mishaps occurred, but two or three of the score’s trickiest moments presented audibly significant challenges of ensemble.
In a mezzo role, Violeta Urmana projects her voice unusually well in the register below middle C. There, her vocal timbre is rich and warm but also dark and, in the role of Amneris, menacing. Perfect for conveying the Egyptian princess’s imperious contempt for Aida, her rival in love. Urmana’s Amneris was easily the most consistently believable character in the show. No wonder Amneris is one of Urmana’s signature roles.
Andrea Carè, tenor, played the doomed captain of the Egyptian guard, Radamès, the man Amneris and Aida both love. This is a challenging role requiring considerable stamina. Carè’s agility, range, and tone brought Radamès vividly to life.
In the relatively minor roles, Alfredo Nigro, tenor, played the Messenger; Franco Vassallo, baritone, played the King of Ethiopia; Kwangchul Youn, bass, played the high priest Ramfis.
During the Chorus of the Priests, Bethany Worrell, soprano in the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, sang the role of the High Priestess. Her voice, clear and sweet, projected easily over the orchestra. At the end of the show, the loudest cheers went to Worrell.
Morris Robinson, bass, played the King of Egypt. This, too, was a minor role, but Robinson’s voice is so powerful and so resonant that, regardless of the character he portrays, his vocal performances have a way of transforming minor roles into major events.
Kristine Opolais sang the role of the Ethiopian princess Aida, and, though she sang her part beautifully, she was no match for Violeta Urmana’s haughty Amneris. But that’s according to Verdi’s design.
