Wexford Festival Opera 2025: Le Trouvére

Eduardo Niave and Lydia Grindatto in Le Trouvère. Photo Pádraig Grant

****

Were it to premiere today, Verdi’s Le Trouvére might not be considered such a big deal. His revised Il Trovatore played down as a French Remix sporting minor musical modifications and a ballet insert. Of course, revisions come with a contrast and compare caveat. Like cover songs; is it as good or better than the original? Which is often the wrong question. Rather, like translations into another language, which is what we essentially have here, the question is can it stand on its own two feet? Such decisions often determined by bias and prejudice, commonly called taste. And while taste might not be the most objective of barometers, it’s often the only one that matters. Accommodating to French grand opera tastes in 1857, prompted by greater creative control and a decent pay day, Verdi translated his Italian masterpiece from 1853 into French. And it stands up marvellously. Delivering all the wild, sweeping thrills of a dark, romantic tragedy.

Giorgi Lomiseli in Le Trouvère. Photo Pádraig Grant

Libretto by Salvadore Cammarano, with French libretti by Émilien Pacini, serves up a plot of improbable conveniences. Action reset by director Ben Barnes to during the Spanish Civil War proving a loveless marriage of convenience. Where a gypsy curse sees warring rivals battle for country and the same true love. Tenor Eduardo Niave’s Manrique, a rebel troubadour, playing nemesis to baritone Giorgi Lomiseli’s jealous Le Comte de Luna. Both men in love with the angelic Léonore, mezzo-soprano Lydia Grindatto radiant as the good girl all the bad boys want. But divine mezzo-soprano, Kseniia Nikolaieva’s gypsy woman Azucena holds a secret close to her heart. To unravel the convoluted plot would be to ruin its twists and urgency, and more work than I’m prepared to undertake at this time of night given Wexford Festival Opera’s gorgeous programme has all you need to know if you want to spoil your fun. Suffice to say, action cracks along at roller coaster pace as incident after incident piles up: misunderstandings and mythic curses, tales of burnings at stakes and separated brothers, knives brought to a gunfight and poison vials; it’s all there. Ensuring several deaths later you are left dizzy and spellbound.

Lydia Grindatto in Le Trouvère. Photo Pádraig Grant

What coheres it all, and imposes strict limitations, is Ben Barnes striking, if often stiff direction. Less a flow of movement and energy so much as a series of pictures in a gallery, or images in a flick book. Liam Doona’s set as much a canvas as a stage, in which colour, texture and composition craft painterly images that often resonate with power. Daniele Naldi and Paolo Bonapace’s lighting superb, their attention to detail, including a peripheral cross of light on the floor at one point, adding depth to mood. An attention to detail echoed by Wexford Festival Opera Orchestra under conductor Marcus Bosch’s baton. Bosch unafraid to let the music pause a moment to accommodate a scene change, or for the action to catch its breath. Delivering a dynamic, lively sequence for the ballet preceding the third act.

Kseniia Nikolaieva with members of the Chorus of Wexford Festival Opera in Le Trouvère. Photo Pádraig Grant

To the question how successful is a ballet sequence when inserted into an opera, on current evidence it won't be making a come back anytime soon. Which is not to say it shouldn’t under certain circumstances. But rather to suggest that here it’s a vocal and narrative vacuum at the centre of a whirlwind, one adding little of value and subtracting pace and energy. Played out as a demented dream of a would be dictator, three dancers execute a series of yoga like moves straining in and out of momentary tableau whilst Le Comte de Luna sleeps. Dancers later crafting poses as if reenacting Communist propaganda posters. On a tent wall black-and-white images from the Spanish Civil War quickly numb into insignificance. The whole looking like it’s putting in time. Yet nimble moments occasionally strike a memorable image that suggests an opportunity missed. Reinforced by slow routines conflicting with the dynamism of the music.

Lydia Grindatto in Le Trouvère. Photo Pádraig Grant

Singing, in French with English surtitles, is another matter entirely. They say behind every great man is a greater woman, when it comes to Le Trouvére this proves to be the case. Whilst Naive and Marcelli are individually strong, and frequently mesmerising, each is noticeably transformed when in duet with either a superb Grindatto or Nikolaieva. Naive’s lyrical sweetness and heroic strength elevated to another level. His desires contrasted with Marcelli’s, who commanding vocal authority reveals a man less driven by love, or lust, but by power. Driven to own that which he cannot have, be it a country or Grindatto’s Léonore. The latter serving as a spotlight on his vanity to which he is irresistibly drawn like a moth. A lithe Grindatto bravely performing opening night despite being unwell. Leaving you to wonder if this is how she sounds unwell, where is she hiding her wings? It’s not just Grindatto’s range, but her emotional texture and richness that seduces completely. Mirrored in a mesmerising Nikolaieva, whose powerhouse performance doesn't just soar heights and plumb vocal and emotional depths, but does so with such exquisite beauty it’s almost impossible to bear. Try as you might, but why would you want to, you cannot tear your ears away.

With Le Trouvére, Wexford Festival Opera scores a genuine hit. There were opening night bumps, and yes, Le Trouvére is not a perfect production, most notably during the ballet sequence. But, in moments, Le Trouvére is a near perfect operatic experience. Not to be missed.

Le Trouvére by Giuseppe Verdi, a grand opera in four acts, libretto by Salvadore Cammaranobased on the play El trovador by Antonio García Gutiérre, with French libretto by Émilien Pacini, runs at The O’Reilly Theatre, National Opera House, as part of Wexford Festival Opera 2025 October 21st, 24th and 29th, and November 1st.

For more information visit Wexford Festival Opera 2025