“The Turk in Italy,” presented by the Los Angeles Opera at the Music Center, shows how a creative production team and a cast of super singer-actors can successfully handle a plot-challenged opera. This version of the Rossini opera provides laughs in subtle and delightful ways. Purists who insist that the original script must be followed will find that this updating works very well.
The dress is modern ’60s and why not? A Turk can visit Italy at any time and be enthralled by a beautiful woman who is married and has an ardent suitor on the side. Of course, when Rossini wrote this in 1814, the idea of a woman who can handle three men was shockingly ahead of its time.
Fortunately, Nino Machaidze plays this woman, who is has the good looks and figure to make her role as seductress believable. She is delightful as she overplays the role with wit and humor. Her singing, too, is remarkable. Her voice, strong and sure, scampers easily over the coloratura.
Her supporting cast is also superb, headed by Thomas Allen as a poet who is supposedly inspired by the shenanigans involved. Paolo Gavanelli as the poor put-upon husband, gives a great performance, getting just the right nuances. Also excellent is Simone Alberghini, the Turk who flies into Italy on a carpet and causes all kinds of trouble. Kate Lindsey excels as the Turk’s former girlfriend and Maxim Mironov is a sweet-voiced lovelorn tenor who makes up the threesome.
Who is responsible for the clever sets, the wonderful costumes and the subtle directing which all contribute to the charm of the opera? The original production is credited to Christof Loy. Axel Weidauer is the director and Herbert Maurauer is responsible for ingenious scenery and costume design. Wonderful surprise “shticks” are in store.
Rossini’s, lovely, accessible music is played by the Los Angeles Opera Orchestra, under reliable James Conlon. You may not go out humming an aria, but you will certainly go out smiling. This is like the candy, a Turkish delight.