Gli Amici di Fritz "La Serva Padrona" Fulvio Bussano & Claudia Álvarez Calderón with Martin Reeve, Alex Wilson & Carina Vince Three Nights Only - Holne Wednesday 31 October, Chagford Thursday 1 November, Lustleigh Friday 2 November 2018

Mistress of the house at last!
Fulvio Bussano is Uberto
Claudia Álvarez Calderón is Serpina
in a Gli Amici di Fritz production
"La Serva Padrona"

Since 2014 village halls in the Piemonte region of Northern Italy have been the venue for spectacular productions by the opera company 'Gli Amici di Fritz' - starting with Pietro Mascagni's 1891 opera of the same name.

Amazingly, and very fortunately for us in Devon, their coloratura soprano Claudia Álvarez Calderón lives at Holne in the heart of Dartmoor. In 2017 she started a corresponding project of her own. As the 'Diva on your Doorstep' she toured the villages of Devon singing opera arias accompanied on the piano by Simon Dunbavand.

Martin Reeve presents:
Violin: Carina Vince  Piano: Alex Wilson

Audiences were so enthusiastic about the performances that Claudia decided to go to whatever lengths necessary to bring a 'Gli Amici di Fritz' production to Devon. This year's opera, "La Serva Padrona" by Giovanni Batista Pergolesi, is just right. Only three actors are involved, and we are spoiled for choice when it comes to opera accompanists here in Devon.

The pianist for this tour is Alex Wilson, a very accomplished player who has been involved in numerous exciting musical projects since moving to Exeter. (See 'A Breath of Fresh Air', 'All About the Piano', 'Russian Trio' & 'Trio Exe'.) Trio Exe was a collaboration with 'cellist Hilary Boxer and violinist Carina Vince. Now for "La Serva Padrona" Alex and Carina provide accompaniment on piano and violin.

Martin Reeve is Vespone

(Disguised as Captain Tempesta)

Uberto (Fulvio Bussano) does not want

Serpina (Claudia Álvarez Calderón)

to leave him for Tempesta

To fully appreciate Italian comic opera one could not do better than hear it sung by Italian singers in their native tongue. Claudia Álvarez Calderón is Peruvian and her father is Italian. She was trained as a coloratura soprano by Raina Infantino and at Alberto Zedda's Accademia Rossiniana in Pesaro. Fulvio Bussano was trained by Alessendra Corsero, and Silvana Silbano at Il Conservatorio di Torino.

Together they bring Pergolesi's comic vision of early eighteenth century Italian domesticity to life in a totally convincing and compelling way.

Starring in the Title Role: Claudia Álvarez Calderón

Both are masters of acting and physical theatre bringing every word to life with their high-energy performance. As the Diva on your Doorstep Claudia has introduced Devon audiences to her extraordinary operatic ability. To hear her in dialogue with another equally talented opera star is even more sensational. The familiar surroundings of the village hall are magically transformed into a magical world of intrigue in an Italian household.

There is also a third player. Claudia is the servant Serpina, and Fulvio is her master Uberto, while the part of the second servant Vespone is a non-singing role. Ruth Anne Robinson was billed to play the part, but visa hold-ups meant she couldn't get to the UK in time for the concert series. Her understudy, Martin Reeve, stood in and gave a magnificent performance as the mute retainer. Even without words his performance was commanding and endlessly amusing. A consummate actor, he brought the character of Vespone to life with the subtlest of gestures and facial expressions.

Uberto: Fulvio Bussano
Serpina: Claudia Álvarez Calderón
Vespone/Tempesta: Martin Reeve

Claudia and Fulvio were equally expressive in the movements, but with the addition of their fabulous singing voices. Their diction is so clear and expressive that, even with no knowledge of Italian, an English audience can easily understand what passes between them. And - just for fun - they both break character at key moments to explain the lyrics succinctly in English. This clever trick just adds to the fabulous dream-like quality of the whole experience.

The cast led the audience on a captivating excursion into the intrigues of an avaricious servant and her pliant padrone. The master of the house tries in vain to evade his maid's advances, but to no avail. His increasingly ineffectual attempts to stay on top of the situation are joyously comedic, while Serpina's machinations overwhelm all in her path.

At the end of the performance (in two halves with interval refreshments - including Italian wine of course!) Fulvio and Claudia were able to reward the audiences clamorous applause with a final love scene, where Uberto has clearly resigned himself to married life with Serpina - and seems to be quite looking forward to the prospect! (See headline picture above.) They will have been performing this duet regular in Piemonte and know it well, but many thanks must go Alex and Carina for all the work they put into preparing this additional piece.

Fulvio Bussano &

Claudia Álvarez Calderón

"Duetto Buffo di Due Gatti"

Even then the show was not quite over. In very fetching cat-ears the two stars sang another opera buffa classic, Robert Pearsall's "Duetto di due Gatti" (often attributed to Gioachino Rossini). Now without words themselves, Claudia and Fulvio communicate in skillfully modulated caterwauls. They appear to be acting out a complex and emotional story, but it is anyone's guess what they are saying.

What a marvellous achievement by Claudia to bring this production together, so far from it's inception in Italy, for the delighted entertainment of Dartmoor audiences. Sterling work by the accompanists  who have brought their own musicality to the performance. Special thanks to Fulvio and Martin for coming to Devon to perform (and to Ruth, if only she could have made it!) Gli Amici di Fritz very kindly loaned the costumes and props for the tour, which adds a very special magic to the experience. Many thanks to all involved - including Jon Marriot and the front of house team.

Next year Claudia plans to bring the whole cast of Gli Amici di Fritz to Devon for village hall performances. That will be a very special tour indeed! Meanwhile "La Serva Padrona" continues for two more nights. Tonight (Thursday 1 November) there is a performance at the Church of St Michael and All Angels in Chagford. Tomorrow night (Friday 2 November) the show moves to Lustleigh Village Hall.

In December Claudia and Alex will give two performances of their new programme of sacred music and carols from around the world, entitled "Christmas Spirit". On Wednesday 19 December they will be at Ivybridge Methodist Church, and on Thursday 20 December they will be at St Lawrence Chapel in Ashburton. (Details below.)

To discuss their current tour, and future projects, Claudia and Fulvio will be at Dartington Space to take part in the 'Classical Journey Redux' programme on Soundart Radio tomorrow (Friday 2 November 9-12am).

Viva la Diva!

Gli Amici di Fritz

1 Holne Village Hall

   Wednesday 31 October 7pm

2 Jubilee Hall Chagford

   Thursday 1 November 7pm

3 Lustleigh Village Hall

   Friday 2 November 7pm

LA SERVA PADRONA

(The Servant Turned Mistress)

A 1733 Opera Buffa by

Giovanni Battista Pergolesi

Serpina: Claudia Álvarez Calderón

Uberto: Fulvio Bussano

Vespone: Ruth Anne Henderson

Piano: Alex Wilson

Solo Violin: Carina Vince

Tickets: £12 (U16 FREE)

Box Office: 07432 231330

calvarezcalderon@gmail.com

Claudia Álvarez Calderón

Claudia Álvarez Calderón
1 Ivybridge Methodist Church
   Wednesday 19 December 7.30pm
2 St Lawrence Chapel Ashburton
   Thursday 20 December 7.30pm
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
An evening of sacred music
and Christmas carols
from around the world
Soprano: Claudia Álvarez Calderón
Piano: Alex Wilson
Tickets: £10 (U16 FREE)
Booking: 07951 054577
info@claudiaalvarezcalderon.com
Details: Claudia Álvarez Calderón