You know, when I see my first opera in given language, I kind of like it to be something that reflects on the culture in question, whether musically, plotwise, or both. That was not an option in this case, however. Is it weird that the most popular Estonian opera is a Cyrano adaptation from the seventies? Seems like it's a little weird. Video here; libretto here, in Estonian, French, and English. I wish more record labels would stick their libretti online like that, even if the English text is slightly mangled in places. No biggie.
Well, I already wrote about the Alfano version, and I what I said there about the plot mostly still obtains here, except that these days I'm feeling significantly more judgey about it. Using your writing skills to let some other guy get the girl so you can vicariously experience it through him? That is fuuuuu-uuucked, like something out of a Tanizaki novel only unintentionally so. I just can't feel any sympathy for this idiot. I know tragic heroes have to be taken down by their own flaws, but is "being a dumbass" really the sort of thing that works in that context? I have my doubts.
Yes, well, there's always the music, yeah? Which is better, this or the Alfano? Well...that is very hard for me to really judge; I saw the latter so long ago, and it hasn't stuck in my mind particularly. I can say that this is fairly straightforward neo-romantic fare. There are indeed some pretty good arias, but...you know how I said, re Fierrabras, that a weak libretto can be saved by the music? I mean, not that the libretto here is weak for what it is--it's a straightforward version of the Cyrano story--but the point is, my antipathy towards it leads me to not appreciate the music as much as I otherwise might have, I think.
Humph! said the camel.
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