Thursday, 6/5/97 Pido brings Mozart’s ‘Marriage of Figaro’ to
Los Angeles Conductor hopes to replicate his previous successes
with L.A. opera
By John Mangum Daily Bruin Contributor Critics and opera fans
agreed that L.A. Opera’s production of Donizetti’s "Don Pasquale"
marked one of the high points of the 1995-96 season. Now one of the
main reasons for the work’s success returns to the Music Center
this weekend. He is conductor Evelino Pido, and he hopes that his
interpretation of Mozart’s "The Marriage of Figaro" will join his
previous success in inaugurating an ongoing relationship with Los
Angeles and L.A. Opera. "It’s the second time for me after my ‘Don
Pasquale,’" Pido explains. "I am very happy here because I made a
strong impression the first time, and then I received the
invitation for the future from the management. If the contracts are
interesting, why not come, because I have a very good relationship
with everybody." The invitation was to conduct "Figaro," one of
Mozart’s most amazing works, and an opera considered by many to be
one of the greatest ever written. Pido will take the podium for
seven performances of Sir Peter Hall’s production beginning this
Saturday. L.A. Opera first presented the production in 1990,
reviving it in 1994. The second revival this weekend presents a
cast that features several locally-based singers, including Richard
Bernstein, Rodney Gilfry and Suzanna Guzman. Gilfry appeared as the
Count on a recent recording of "Figaro" with an orchestra of
instruments from Mozart’s time. His Almaviva will find himself in a
different performance context under Pido’s baton. "I do not agree
about the ancient instruments," Pido says. "One day I may prepare
an opera of the 18th century, for example French or Italian, for
example Cherubini, who is an unknown composer but is fantastic.
"For me, he’s one of the best composers anywhere. He was a maestro
to Beethoven, and also a teacher and so on. (I would use) modern
instruments but with the right style – I don’t like, absolutely,
the ancient instruments – it’s important to give the right style to
the interpretation. For me, this is the most important thing for
this period." Pido’s approach naturally extends to Mozart, a
composer whose operas have brought the conductor much success,
including a notable production of "Cosi fan tutte" at Covent
Garden’s Royal Opera House. He hopes that this trend will continue
with his performances in L.A. "To do Mozart, it’s important to find
the right sound, the right style," Pido says. "’Nozze di Figaro’ is
a masterpiece and the opera is so long, so to keep the
concentration strong for everybody is just so difficult. But of
course, we are here to do the best." The opera, whose fluid music
belies its length, begins where Rossini’s "Barber of Seville"
ended, reuniting Count Almaviva, his wife Rosina, the barber
Figaro, and his betrothed Susanna for all kinds of amorous, comic
wackiness. Pido’s approach to the work stems from his understanding
of how the complexities of the production come together to create a
final product. "Opera is like a mosaic, and you build this mosaic
day by day, and you are responsible for everything," Pido says.
"It’s important to know the text very well. It’s very important to
underline the text, to underline the music, to have musical
rehearsals with the same singers, the chorus, the members of the
orchestra, and so on. It’s heavy, it’s really heavy, I think, for a
conductor to do opera very well. In his ascent onto the podium,
Pido followed an interesting path from prize-winning bassoonist and
player in the orchestra of Milan’s Teatro alla Scala to conductor
in demand. He believes his time as a player in La Scala’s orchestra
gave him an added insight into performing music. "My principal
instruments were piano and bassoon," Pido says. "To play an
instrument in an orchestra, in a fantastic orchestra, is very good
for a future conductor, of course, because you can know the secrets
and the psychology of the orchestra. But at the same time it’s not
necessary to play an instrument, because I have colleagues who play
an instrument in the orchestra and are bad conductors. It depends."
Pido believes that, in addition to his experience in the orchestra,
the breadth of his education helped him in his success. His
reactions to music as a student in Torino helped propel him in the
direction of his career as a conductor. "I studied in Vienna
because I wanted to study conducting," Pido says. "When I was a
pupil at the conservatory in Torino, I loved music, not only one
instrument. I had a lot of ideas, a lot of big ideas about the
music, and for a conductor, it is not only important to be a
musician, but also to know history, literature and other things
because it is important as another background, a cultural
background." Pido brought this background to bear as he rose to his
current prominence, serving as Claudio Abbado’s assistant for
concerts with the La Scala Philharmonic. He made his U.S. debut at
Santa Fe conducting Rossini’s "Barber" in the summer of 1994. The
L.A. Opera "Don Pasquale" was his second American appearance. Since
his auspicious debut here, Pido’s plate has been full. He has
recorded Gaetano Donizetti’s "Elixir of Love," which the London
label will release this fall. Following these L.A. Opera
appearances, the conductor will make his Aspen Festival debut in
Colorado on June 27. Performances at New York’s Metropolitan Opera
are slated for 1999. All of this gives Pido an opportunity to do
what he loves the most, to practice his craft. "To make music is so
difficult," the conductor says. "I am lucky of course because I am
a musician. It’s an art so aristocratic and noble." OPERA: Mozart’s
"Marriage of Figaro" conducted by Evelino Pido. With Rodney Gilfry,
Richard Bernstein, Inva Mula and Solveig Kringelborn. Opens June 7
at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for seven performances. For more
info, call (213) 972-8001. L.A. Opera Mozart’s "The Marriage of
Figaro" opens in L.A. this Saturday. Evelino Pido, will conduct
"The Marriage of Figaro." Related links: L.A. Opera Home Page