Last season, we praised Francesco Micheli’s staging for its coherence and bold contrasts. This revival confirms that vision while reshaping the experience through a cast that brings new colors to the same framework. The concept remains intact — Palermo and Munich in dialogue, fire and ice in collision — but the voices tell a different story.

The tenors
We have never had the same tenor across both operas in this production, and once again the split feels like a missed opportunity, even if the repertoire difference partly explains it. That said, both singers deliver. Vittorio Grigolo in Cavalleria starts with restraint and builds steadily, ending with a surge of intensity that grips the house. His final moments are charged, pushed higher by Elīna Garanča’s Santuzza, who gives him no escape. Yonghoon Lee takes Pagliacci with a heavier, darker edge, and his showpiece aria lands with devastating force. Two approaches, both compelling.

The women
Garanča is simply exceptional. Her Santuzza is no hollow figure but a character of flesh and fire, her vocal amplitude matched by acting of rare precision. Ailyn Pérez returns as Nedda and surpasses her own success from last season — freer, more volatile, and vocally radiant.

The baritones
Luca Salsi confirms his status as the reference Italian baritone. His Alfio bites hard, a model of authority and line. Gabriele Viviani, new to us, delivers a Prologue of stunning impact — incisive, commanding, and vocally flawless.

The rest of the cast
Thomas Mole goes further than last season: the voice is rich, the phrasing refined, and there is already the architecture of a full Verdi baritone. With time, it could be magnificent. Andrés Agudelo brings charm and clarity to Peppe, while Elmina Hasan’s Lola and Rosalind Plowright’s Lucia add texture with style and conviction.

Antonino Fogliani conducts, and the orchestra is magnificent, binding the evening’s extremes into a single arc and giving Micheli’s vision the unity it demands. We cannot relate in any way to the few boos heard at the end — outrageous. A revival that does not repeat last season’s success but deepens it. Micheli’s world of contrasts still burns bright, and with this cast, the fire feels even closer.

CAST

Cavalleria rusticana

Pagliacci