Florida Grand Opera

Kátya Kabanová, February 10th, 2001

The sets by Andre Barbe were marvelous ! The stage was dominated by a room encircled by curved walls (very much like a skating rink) and the back of the stage changed either to a wall with windows, a wall with religious paintings, a deserted landscape or the Volga (the river). All the scenes were applauded by the audience, no mean feat considering this was the first production ever of a Czech opera.

Bernard Uzan (the stage director) has to be complimented this time for the exceptional directing applied to the singers. They really acted and lived the characters and this is essential in Kátya Kabanová were the acting has to be strong. This was by far the best production I've seen him direct so far.

Oksana Krovytska, a Russian soprano, was a very good Kátya. She has the principal role and did not disappoint, acting superbly and singing her heart out in the third Act. My only complaint is that her voice is a little too big for the role and she could have used more pianissimos to show the inwardness of Kátya's suffering.

Allan Glassman was a very good Boris. He has a good voice that projects very well in the theatre and maybe could be a Heldentenor in the making !

Noella Huet was a good Kabanicha and was so effective in her acting that the audience booed not her but the character !

Mikhail Svetlov, who sang Prince Gremin in Eugene Onegin last season, was truly exceptional as Dikoj. He has a big voice and used to stunning effect to portray this thankless role.

Richard Coxon had trouble coping with the high notes (and tessitura) of Kudrjás in the first Act, but recovered in the remaining Acts and sang well the ballad in Act 2 .

Marianne Binding was very good as Varvara and sang very beautifully (specially in Act 2).

Not enough praise for the excellent job Stephan Robertson did with the orchestra. The Florida Philharmonic was on strike and the FGO had to assemble a group of musicians in a hurry and some of them had not performed together. This is a difficult score and the orchestra was excellent, bringing to the fore all the subtle details of the score.