What characterizes this "verismo" style? Well, first of all, for those of you who have seen Renee Fleming promote her new CD entitled VERISMO, you will be enlightened to know that verismo does not mean "truth," as she will so ineloquently and irreverently tell you; verismo corresponds to what we English speakers know as the realism movement. Very well then, what is realism? Realism was the desire to show real people, real situations, real outcomes. No aristocracy, no idealized happy endings, no melodrama (see: the Gothic, the Romantic, my lover Bellini.)
So yes, the Italian word for truth, "vero," is the root of this word, but in this context it does not mean truth. Think again, Renee.
Back to the original question. What characterizes verismo? What is verismo style?
It is an absolute adherence to THE WORD (la parola.) The drama flows without much interruption in terms of arias, and if there are arias they serve to move the plot rather than character development (we can find thousands of examples where this is not true, such as Vissi d'arte from TOSCA.)
That does NOT MEAN THAT MUSIC TAKES A BACK SEAT TO POETRY. In fact, the music is just as important as the poetry, but they flow together in a constant give and take of time. The main characteristics of verismo are slancio, morbidezza, and, perhaps the most characteristic, portamenti. Portamenti MUST be executed cleanly otherwise it cheapens the music and makes it cheap, sentimental, dishonest, UNREAL. (We will see an example of this.) Morbidezza is a color in the voice epitomized by one Mafalda Favero. Slancio is a little more difficult to describe. It's declamatory, it's raw emotion. Literally it means "an outburst" or a "dash."
I cannot reiterate to you enough, my dearest readers, how important MUSICALITY is here. Verismo is not musical theatre (nothing against musical theatre). The music and the word work together. Listen now to our dear friend Mafalda Favero, who sang during the first half of the twentieth century. Her voice is so fresh, so young as befits the character of Lodoletta. She knows when to hold back emotionally and musically and when to LET GO.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSGrB6wpauU
And now, my favorite version of Flammen, perdonami, as sung by my most recent obsession Renata Scotto (who will one day get her own entry or six.)
First of all what makes this interpretation is the pianist. Like Scotto he is SO involved. This is MUSIC, this is DRAMA, people!
Listen to how Scotto plays with the words in the opening of the scene before the aria. She dips into chest effortlessly and only when necessary to create dramatic intension and integrity (another post will come on the tasteful use of chest voice.)
Nothing is as fabulous as around 2:45 when Scotto sings "quanta paura" (how much fear!) and the piano erupts under her before she "portamentos" sweetly and achingly into the aria proper "Flammen, perdonami! Non pianger piu!)
Listen how she caresses the words such as "piaaaanger, piu" with sweetness of tone and absolute love. There are tears in her voice on both "Flammen, perdonami!" in which she is truly repentant. After her declaration of love, Scotto executes another portamenti up to "Flammen, perdonami" from "Sei tu!"
It tears the heart. What dedication to her art form, what absolute love for the music and for the audience! The aria doesn't go above an A (don't quote me), but it is 5 minutes of music that I can't forget!
Now, for something entirely degenerate.
This begins halfway into the scene unfortunately:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG4Lk2aCQjY
Now, Ms. Fleming is VERY confused. She's got some good things, but she doesn't SING most of the time. She exists in this place of breathy, half-speak on pitch and scooping, which is infinitely less effective. Yes, her voice is quite attractive, but her style is mostly atrocious. It lacks the honesty, the real suffering, sweetness, and sincerity of repentance that we hear in Favero and Scotto. And why? Because she is ignoring the music. She has not done her homework. Fleming discusses Olivero, Rosanna Carteri (look her up, I love her), Scotto and Favero in the notes of her CD, but after listening to the CD I think she is paying empty homage.
So, what was SO different about Favero/Scotto and Fleming? As usual my friends, it is that glorious relationship between music and poetry that can tear at our souls. A musical voice brings a rainbow of colors and layers of subtext that simple speech cannot get close too. Favero and Scotto understood this (see also Tebaldi and Freni), and while Renee attempts the style (we won't begin the discussion about how her color, temperament, and vocal size are entirely unsuitable), she doesn't quite get it. The effect that she makes with an attractive portamenti is immediately cancelled out by her mannerisms.
What is a mannerism? From the Italian maniera, meaning "handled," "styled," aka "put-on", "disingenuine."
I consider myself to be a dually mannered and honest person. I like manners, propriety, modesty and formalities, but I also hate bullshit.
Fleming's mannerisms are self-indulgent bullshit. Perhaps you never noticed it before, dear readers, but I hope, especially if you are singers, that you understand what I mean now. How can you BE Lodoletta or any character if you have these "-isms" that are unique only to you? I give Renee credit because she sings with her voice and she obviously has a sound technique, but beyond that she is an idiot who thinks she can sing anything she wants, in her way, without taking the time to study and truly understand what she is singing about.
Okay, so this turned into a rant against Renee Fleming, but it's a good example.
Recap:
1. What is the natural flow of the language? The composer will have set them according to the natural inflection of the language, and now it is YOUR job to make it YOUR inflection.
2. You accomplish this through studying the music. Not plunking your melody out on the piano and then listening to the rest on the recording, but looking at what is written in piano or orchestra. What tonality is underling THIS word and what does that MEAN? Often this can be deduced to: "am I resolving this situation (tonally) or is something unresolved? Am I ill at ease? whatever? (unresolved tonally.)" It's easy.
3. BE MUSICAL. Straight tone is an artistic choice, portamenti are an artistic choice (and need to be chosen carefully and with discrtion), dynamics are an artistic choice. SCOOPING IS NOT MUSIC.
4. It is hard enough to justify the validity of opera and verismo in today's "realist" society. (This is another entry as well.) Know your words, know your music, and sing honestly. Become the character, and the audience will join you. Get lost in your own world of "lalala I love singing, tehehehehehe," and someone will come along and chop your head off, 'cos that would be MUCH more entertaining.
Questions in the form of comments are encouraged.
