Physical culture
So La Cieca can only assume at this point that Franco Zeffirelli wants to spare his family the expense of an elaborate funeral, because he does seem to be going out of his way to alienate not only colleagues but the public as well. Now the legendary stage director has protested the appearance of popular soprano Daniela Dessì in “his” Traviata, complaining that she lacks the proper physique du rôle!
The last two weeks of December, the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma scheduled a major revival of Zeffirelli’s well-received 2007 production of La traviata, a series of performances that attracted great attention because they were to feature Dessì’s European role debut as Violetta. (She has sung this central role once before, back in the early 1990s, but only in Japan.)
Now, we don’t get a lot of appearances by Dessì here in the US, but in Italy she is a great favorite: her role debut as Norma last season was major news there. So it seems perverse almost to the point of lunacy on the part of Zeffirelli to blackball her casting as Violetta on the basis of appearance. According to a comment by Dessì’s partner Fabio Armiliato on the blog OperaClick,
Le motivazioni sollevate in questa circostanza da Franco Zeffirelli per la TRAVIATA sono nuovamente relative SOLO all’aspetto fisico: questa volta rivolte nei confronti di Daniela Dessì, la cui “fisicità” non rispecchierebbe l’idea del maestro per il personaggio di Violetta Valery!!!
We are further informed that last year Zeffirelli protested the casting of Armiliato as Canio — citing the same issue of “fisicità.” The Italian tenor was replaced on that occasion by Stuart Neill.
Here is La Dessì earlier this year as Adriana Lecouvreur:
Dessi is most probably my favorite lyric soprano in activity today (Stoyanova being a runner-uper).
There are many things rotten in the city of Rome nowadays, and Zeffirelli should be declared a few years back – right now he should be institutionalized.
Declared insane, I mean.
Reading Armiliato’s post in operaclick gives me more admiration for him and his wife.
Has anyone dug up the reasons why Zeff would diss the Dessi? That Italian blog says nothing except that she doesn’t fit his idea of the Physique du Role. Does he want a blonde? And why does this old fart still have a pulpit for such whining?
The editorial of that blog operaclick says that according to Zeffirelli Ms Dessì is not “esangue e emaciata” (exsanguine and emaciated) and enough for his view of Violetta. Ms. Dessì is a beautiful voluptuous busty woman and I guess Zeffirelli did not appreciate these qualities.
Particularly the “woman” quality…
Then, why not have Fillanotti sing Violetta and Stewart Neil sing Alfredo? Maybe that will please la Zeffa.
Does old Zeff still have an official position anywhere? Just what is his title?
to quote Will:
self-appointed arbiter of opera production world-wide
Big whinny bitch also seems to apply.
I wonder what is the real source behind all of the big Zef’s bitterness? I bet there’s a really juicy big old reason …
Nonetheless, in all of this he is making a big a-hole of himself.
Zeffirelli used to be a Senator of the Italian Republic, elected with Berlusconi’s party Forza Italia. He doesn’t hold any official position right now, but he is extremely well connected with both the Vatican and Berlusconi. Berlusconi owns the villa on the Appia Antica where Zeffirelli lives. Zeffirelli has been renting that grandiose villa for over 30 years; however a few years ago the owners of the villa declared bankruptcy and had to sell it. Berlusconi bought it and allowed Zeffirelli to live there as long as he is alive, without paying any rent. Also, a few years ago, he offered his services as an image consultant to the Pope, thinking that the Pontiff wasn’t doing a great job promoting himself. The Pope politely declined. Zeffirelli declares himself to be profoundly Christian and vehemently opposes same-sex civil unions.
Mert – Isn’t being a has-been old queen sufficient
reason? I always thought so!
Dementia is a terrible thing.
Perhaps Zefferelli’s last direction is probably going to be called a production of Tea with Berlusconi.
As for when he offered his services to the Vatican, he would have been completely in his element. All those super epic big St Peters Square shows, are the finest displays of ‘cast of thousands’ Grand Opera imaginable anywhere. They just did not happen to offer the job to Cecil B de Mille when he was alive.
I was an admirer of the Zef for many years; it’s sad to see what his career has deteriorated into.
But the worst of all is the news that the Arena di Verona will install microphones. Apparently, entirely at the Zef’s insistence.
Granted, the Arena was never the place to witness a subltle performance, but all of the arguments made to justify amplification outdoors will eventually be made to justify amplification indoors, as well.