Stand-in Shane Lowrencov makes sure Don is good
TOWERING baritone Shane Lowrencev rose to the challenge of filling in when Italian superstar Ferrucio Furllanetto cancelled shortly before the opening night of Don Quichotte.
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TOWERING bass-baritone Shane Lowrencev rose to the challenge of filling in when Italian superstar Ferrucio Furlanetto succumbed to a throat infection shortly before the opening night of Massenet’s quirkiest opera.
The Melbourne-born performer gave what was probably the performance of his career as the deluded knight errant who tilts at windmills, accompanied by his faithful servant, Sancho Panza.
It was a well judged performance all around, full of fine singing, comic moments and touches of genuine pathos.
The 200.66cm Lowrencev certainly looked the part, grey hair teased into tripartite splendour, breastplate suitably lacking in patina, saucer-shaped helmet tilted back and hands clutching a shortened lance.
EAGER
His voice was clear and sonorous, if a little lacking in power at times. The audience, though, was clearly eager to will this talented opening-night ring-in on to higher things.
He had outstanding support, particularly from the ever-popular Warwick Fyfe, whose warm baritone and sympathetic performance as Sancho Panza provided one of the highlights of the night.
Russian mezzo soprano Elena Maximova, as La Belle Dulcinee, made the most of a fairly small part and of her stage suitors, tenor Graeme Macfarlane excelled — you almost expected him to twirl the end of his moustache as he elbowed his rivals out of the way.
With a bit of pert cross-dressing, soprano Jane Ede and mezzo Anna Dowsley made up two of those rivals.
The music was lush and performed with spirit under conductor Guillaume Tourniaire and the chorus was, as usual, in excellent form.
This is the first time Opera Australia has performed Don Quichotte (the French version of Don Quixote and pronounced Kee-shot) and it is a welcome addition to the repertoire.
Massenet wrote more than 30 operas, no one is sure exactly how many; some are lost and some incomplete. He died, aged 70, of intestinal cancer in 1912, less than two years after Don Quichotte was first performed in Monte Carlo in 1910.
DETAILS
● OPERA: Don Quichotte by Massenet
● STARS: Shane Lowrencev, Elena Maximova, Warwick Fyfe, Graeme Macfarlane
● AT: Sydney Opera House
● UNTIL: March 28
● BOOKINGS: www.sydneyoperahouse.com, tel: 9265 7777