A very big thank you to Anthony for providing this wonderful travel opportunity. What a thrill to be present when Anthony performed in his first opera in Italy. Were it not for that, I might never have seen the beauty of the Tuscany region and particularly Montepulciano.
We encountered Anthony almost immediately upon our arrival in Montepulciano. As we sat in the ticket office at the Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte picking up our tickets for the performances, I heard singing in the hallway, stepped out to see who it was, and there was The Man Himself with another cast member, Sam McElroy. He stopped to say hello to us, giving us the European greeting...a light kiss on each cheek.
In Falstaff, Anthony appeared to be extremely comfortable on stage. He looked exceptionally handsome in a pinstripe suit, and makeup enhanced his features, especially his very blue eyes. His voice was exquisite...warm, clear, rich and full.
The role of Fenton was a sweet role for Anthony. He and Nannetta were playful and cute. At one point, Anthony slipped off Nannetta's glasses, held them behind his back, and playfully teased her as he ducked from side to side around a table as she attempted to retrieve them.
The theatre was like a miniature Carnegie Hall with loges all around, four tiers high. Berto Bee as Giuseppe Verdi sat in a loge on the first tier, to our left, near the stage. He was dressed in black top hat and tails and was illuminated in the loge by a light. Later he appeared at the bar, sitting first with Nannetta and later with Fenton. It is here that Anthony sings his beautiful aria.
Anthony's aria was beautiful, soft and light. In my opinion, the orchestra was a bit too "heavy" the first night, but much better for the next two performances. Anthony said that this aria was very challenging, very demanding...and particularly when sung from a sitting position.
Anthony definitely has a flair for comedy. The bed scene with Nannetta, in which they both jump under a sheet, is very funny. Bodies were flailing about under the sheet, then Anthony's tie came flying out, and when they emerged Anthony looked very rumpled. Fenton and Nannetta appeared with the sheet over their heads and just their faces peering out as they sang while lying on their stomachs.
Near the end of Falstaff, everyone plots to frighten Falstaff by dressing up as wood sprites. Fenton receives a monk's costume. On the second night, after Anthony donned the monk's robe he immediately made the sign of the cross. On the final night, after slipping the monk's robe over his head, he turned and "blessed" the actor nearest him. Again, Anthony seemed enormously comfortable in his role.
Angelo Romero who played Falstaff was perfect for the role. Sam McElroy, a wonderful lyric baritone, was also excellent as Ford. Actually each cast member truly was superb.
The venue was small, but the audience was enormously enthusiastic each night. There were countless curtain calls and lots of "Bravos".
Thank you, Anthony, for a memorable performance and
memorable trip!