Magic from the Opera de Montreal in Massenet’s Cendrillon

Montreal 22 May, Salle Wilfred Pelletier, Place des Arts. After seeing the Opera de Montreal production of Cendrillon, all I have to say is: This is the Magical World of the opera. Cendrillon is not the best opera of Massenet, either of French opera, has nothing special musically, not extraordinary arias or duets. The Opera de Montreal took the well known theme and did a production of a dream. Sets and Costumes of Andre Barbe flamboyant, choreographies with gusto, hilarious characters and even a movie diaporama as a screening summer cinema for cars. The moment of the Cendrillon and Prince duet was absolutely magical. On stage Cendrillon and Prince searching its other and on screen Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier marriage. Bravo to Opera de Montreal and to stage director and choreographer Renaud Doucet. I also have to include the fine work of Guy Simard on the lighting.

Lyric soprano Julie Boulianne as Cendrillon was emotional and vocally accurate with strong musicality. She has been acclaimed at Opéra de Montréal and at Opéra de Québec, as well as at companies in France and the U.S. In 2008-2009, engagements included the title role of La Cenerentola at Aspen Opera Theater, Florida Grand Opera, and Glimmerglass Opera, and Rosina (The Barber of Seville) at Minnesota Opera.

Tenor Frédéric Antoun as Prince was odd and peculiar, but he had good moments especially in the duets with Julie Boulianne. Vocally he has not the big operatic voice were is not necessary in Cendrillon, some worm timbre and his stage appearance gave finally a nice ensemble. His career includes his New York City Opera debut as Prince Charming (Cendrillon), the title role in Orphée aux enfers at Opéra de Montpellier, Almaviva (The Barber of Seville) and Gérald (Lakmé) here at Opéra de Montréal, Tamino (The Magic Flute) with both Opéra de Tours and Opera Colorado, Ferrando (Così fan tutte) at Angers Nantes Opéra, Carmina Burana and Lenski (Eugene Onegin) at the Festival de Lanaudière, and Roméo (Roméo et Juliette) at Opéra de Québec.

Mezzo soprano as Madame de La Haltiere Noëlla Huet was the most interesting of the ferry tale grotesque-like caracters of the OdM Cendrillon’s production. Her voice with a slow vibrato sometimes made hear all notes of the score and this as a plus for an opera singer. She made her operatic debut in 2001 as Ottavia (L’incoronazione di Poppea) and Kabanicha (Kátia Kabanová) with Opéra de Montréal.

Baritone Gaétan Laperrière (Pandolfe), I had heard many times and I have to say that this time his voice was dry and little fatigued. In the pass he gave acclaimed performances as Rigoletto and Scarpia in Tosca. Engagements in recent seasons include Sharpless (Madama Butterfly) and Amonasro (Aïda) with Opera Carolina, Athanaël (Thaïs) with Palm Beach Opera, Scarpia (Tosca) with Opera Ontario and Calgary Opera, and Henri (Lucie de Lammermoor) with Cincinnati Opera.

Soprano Marianne Lambert in the coloratura role of Fairy Godmother sings mechanical like in the contemporary opera way of singing. Romantic music and bell-canto is different. Soprano Caroline Bleau (Noémie), mezzo-soprano Mireille Lebel (Dorothée) baritone Sébastien Ouellet (The King), baritone Pierre Rancourt, and tenor Aaron Ferguson completed the fine casting.

The Orchestre Metropolitain and Choir of the Opera de Montreal were well conducted in comfortable tempi by Jean-Yves Ossonce.

(Pictures: All artists on stage, and curtain calls from Cendrillon. Kostas Pappas, Seta Papas and Panayoti Karousos in the intermission of Cendrillon at the foyer of Place des Arts.)