New York City Opera’s presentation at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Theater, at the end of March and beginning of April, was Ottorino Respighi rarity “La Campana Sommersa” (the Sunken Bell, 1927), which pits Man, his ambition, and his religion against the fantastic beings of the woods, a surprisingly contemporary theme, in this Trump-Pence time of war on the environment. “Campana Sommersa” had probably not been heard here since its 1928 and ’29 American premiere performances at the Metropolitan Opera, with Elisabeth Rethberg, Giovanni Martinelli, Giuseppe De Luca, and Ezio Pinza, conducted by Tullio Serafin. Leading soloists, the NYCopera Orchestra and Chorus, and L’Orchestra del Teatro Lirico di Cagliari, from Sardinia, in the opulent, late-Romantic, late-verismo era, post-Wagnerian grand opera here, was conductor Ira Levin. NYCOpera’s “Campana Sommersa” opened on March 31 and the second of four nights, on April 1, is discussed here.
The elf Rautendelein has taken to the mortal Enrico and he in turn has fallen under her spell, and abandoned his wife Magda and his children for her. He was the maker of a church bell, which, thanks to the mischief of the Faun, fell into the lake and has remained submerged. The creatures of the wood, such as the Faun and Ondine, rebel against Man’s encroachment on their beautiful Pagan world. Enrico enslaves some of them to help build a new temple, essentially a monument to his ego. He rejects Rautendelein, as he pushed Magda away, driving his wife to suicide in the lake, and Rautendelein, now a water nymph, rejects him, except for a moment in the sun, when his temple burns and he tries to come back to her. The woods, the magical beings and the syllables they sing, and the foundry with its anvils all help to bring Wagner’s “Ring,” “Tannhäuser,” and so on to mind.
Soprano Brandie Sutton breathed life into Rautendelein’s soaring melodies. Marc Heller, who alternated with Fabio Armiliato, made a strong dramatic tenor Enrico, reveling in his most blazing, triumphant solos and the duets with Sutton as his elvin love. Baritone Michael Chioldi was a formidable Ondino, the green, scaly water spirit, and tenor Glenn Seven Allen made a striking Fauno, a horned, bare-chested Pan, with furry haunches. Soprano Kristin Sampson was the sympathetic Magda. Daria Capasso and Kadin Houck-Loomis played Magda and Enrico’s children, who, looming large, haunt their father when they bring word of their mother’s death, which makes Enrico hear his sunken bell tolling for her. Bass Philip Cokorinos was the forceful Priest, who tried to bring Enrico back to church and family. Mezzo-soprano Renata Lamanda was the colorful Witch, who allowed Enrico a briefreunion with Rautendelein at the end of his life. Joanna Mongiardo, Sharin Apostolou, Magda Gartener, Darren K. Stokes, Alok Kumar, and Josh Walker completed the cast.
Director Pier Francesco Maestrini made the fairy tale elements of “Campana Sommersa” as believable as the human ones. Juan Guillermo Nova designed the picturesque forest-with-grotto, Enrico and Magda’s home with cathedral-like trappings, and Enrico’s workspace in the mountains with huge bell, anvils, waterfall, and fire. Marco Nateri garbed the elves, fauns, and water sprites imaginatively and dressed the mortals in period costume. Susan Roth was responsible for lighting.