Cilèa - Adriana Lecouvreur - Freni, Cossotto, Dvorsky - Gavazzeni 1989Adriana Lecouvreur - Mirella Freni, Maurizio - Peter Dvorsky, Prince de Bouillon - Ivo Vinco, Princesse de Bouillon - Fiorenza Cossotto, Abbé de Chazeuil - Ernesto Gavazzi, Michonnet - Alessandro Cassis, Quinault - Giuseppe Riva, Poisson - Osvaldo Di Credico, Mlle Jouvenot - Patrizia Dordi, Mlle Dangeville - Sara Mingardo
Conductor: Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Orchestra/Ensemble: Milan Teatro alla Scala Orchestra, Milan Teatro alla Scala Chorus
Adriana is a woman who lives for drama, both onstage and off. Her first appearance is typical: with studied casualness, she paces backstage at the Comédie, practicing her declamations as if no one could hear her, but knowing very well that she is not alone. Freni grasps this; her portrayal is sympathetic but not naive...
Fiorenza Cossotto is about the same age as Freni, I would guess. With her heavy dress and her powdered white wig, her Principessa di Bouillon seems much riper... Even at this relatively late point in her career, Cossotto is an effective Principessa, although one can go a long way in this role on the strength of attitude (read: camp). Her confrontations with Freni—operatic catfights at their best—guiltily keep the temperature high. Ivo Vinco, another veteran, is welcome as her husband. Peter Dvorsky is a loud, unsubtle Maurizio (“La dolcissima effigie” seems to be a public announcement), but Alessandro Cassis is moving as Michonnet, the stage director who secretly carries a torch for Adriana. Ernesto Gavazzi is amusing as the fussy, intriguing Abbé... Gavazzeni conducts with affection and understanding, and he receives his share of the acclaim before and after the final act. --Arkivmusic
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