A non-historicist distant 'Aida' inaugurates the Liceu season

I strongly recommend that anyone going to see the version of Aida signed by Shirin Neshat that opens the Liceu season, reads the article Empire in Action: Verdi's 'Aida', by Edward W. Said, included in Culture and Imperialism. Because it can help to understand the conceptual key of the show. Neshat interprets Verdi's opera based on themes such as decolonialism and feminism. And she does so with scenes without concessions to the gallery, but without discarding an undeniable poetic sense. In fact, Aida speaks to us about the abuse of theocracies, militaristic savagery, and refugees who flee from wars to end up in no man's land. Nothing too far from the catastrophic spectacle that we from the West see comfortably in front of the television, slumped on our sofas at home and with a remote control to change what is unbearable to our gaze. In this sense, the gaze of the Iranian Shirin Neshat is not at all compassionate, and that is why it can be uncomfortable.However, the problem with the show lies in the fact that the oriental artist masters the video-artistic language, but not the theatrical one. And the result is excessively contrasted between some well-found performative and conceptual elements and a stereotypical and even outdated scenic movement of singers or—in the case of Anna Netrebko's gestures—directly ridiculous. Neither do some scenes located in the intermissions help, which, although they have been stimulating to me personally, may clash with the tradition of an opera that is the most watched and performed at the Liceu, always from a classical perspective and artificial historicism. Nevertheless, it must be said that the show is effective, risky, and of unquestionable scenic category.Aida is not a chamber opera, but it is intimate despite its most famous scenes (especially the second one in the second act), which are of great spectacularity. But the rest focuses on a story of loves and hates for which Verdi writes wise and subtle music. And it must be served with good taste and precision. And, although Antonello Manacorda's conducting is never ruffled, it at least adjusts well to the guidelines of the score and serves it with detail and good taste. The response from the resident orchestra was up to the task, not to mention a simply magnificent chorus, especially the male one (the scene of the temple of Vulcan was brilliant).

Anna Netrebko, with anthology-worthy performances

The three casts (four in some cases) scheduled throughout the eighteen performances (until October 25th), include a series of important and even benchmark voices. On the opening night, having Anna Netrebko means inaugurating the season with the intention of making it big. And the truth is that the Russian soprano exhibits the more than sufficient means known to everyone, despite some slightly flat sounds. More than in the arias, it is in the ensemble numbers when the performer grows, with anthology-worthy interventions such as Fuggiam gli ardori inospiti in the third act.Ivan Gyngazov's Radamès went from less (his Celeste Aida was unconvincing, with a dubious attack on the B-flat) to more, although his overall performance lacks expressive nuances. For her part, Ekaterina Semenchuk displays a generous outpouring of vocal carnality in the service of an Amneris who, while not top-tier, borders on excellence in terms of expressiveness and musicality, even if the voice is not particularly large.In the skin of Amonasro, Artur Ruciński demonstrates once again that he is one of the best Verdi baritones of the moment, alongside the forceful Ramfis of the also Polish Alexander Köpeczi.It is incomprehensible that a role like that of the King should fall to a bass of such scarce vocal authority as George Andguladze, while Moisés Marín and Carmen Buendía defended the roles of messenger and priestess respectively with good arguments.It cannot be said that the opening night was one that brings the house down, partly due to the attendance of invited guests, largely alien to the world of opera and who applaud out of obligation. We will have to wait for the performances with subscribers and regulars at the Liceu. But I fear that this Aida will please few. And it is a pity because, apart from the elements of the production that are not always well resolved, its concept is not only interesting and risky, but brave and necessary in the face of a world that seems to be drifting.