«But culture – high culture – calls. Performances are conducted in the beautifully preserved 17th-century Barbarigo-Minotto Palace, with audiences being invited to move from sitting room to bedroom to witness different parts of the evening.
We are captivated by the quality of the music, the splendour of the setting, the power and passion of the singing. With most of the palazzi along the Grand Canal long since abandoned (or bought up by wealthy foreigners), the Barbarigo-Minotto is one of the few where the lights shine brightly.»
«Captivated by the quality of the music, the splendour of the setting, the power and passion of the singing»
«Her skill is to offer her vision of this Verdi masterpiece in a measured and clever manner, without any sort of stretching or provocation»
L’OPERA
“Patrizia Di Paolo, in the Rigoletto preparation went on stage successfully at the “Mario Del Monaco” Treviso City Theatre, allows Gilda to be the one to offer redemption. Her letter underlines that, at the court of the Duke, the women’s condition is the one of a “voiceless body”, through tableaux vivants and the projection of Rubens’ paintings filled up with shapely beauties”. Not even in Rigoletto’s isolated and antisocial family unit is there room for women’s voices: his mother is absent and the relationship between father and daughter is marked by lack of communication and conflict. So, according to the director, Gilda’s redeeming love and her capacity to forgive and redeem both the man who loves her (or his image, it does not matter), and her father. In the last scene, instead of dying in Rigoletto’s arms, the girl gets away from him showing a peaceful face and advancing solemnly, in a ghostly light. Now the court jester can only hug an empty sack, while another Rubens’ canvas reproduction towers on the backdrop, Saturn devouring his son, symbolising the curse. Patrizia De Paolo’s skill is to offer her vision of this Verdi masterpiece in a measured and clever manner, without any sort of stretching or provocation, aiming to show singers’ acting without emphasis. As mentioned above, the projections on the tulle curtains and on the backdrop with Rubens’ paintings which, both establish symbolic connections between colours and feelings, integrate themselves with the beautiful Renaissance costumes and the pleasant traditional-styled scenes.” (Roberto Mori).
LE FIGARÒ
“Incredulous, we watch the lyrical drama unfold. From time to time, the portico and the Tiepolo hall liven up, transfigured by a graceful moment in which music combines with voice, with the movement of bows, with the perfection of the performance and the emotion of the Traviata, who cries on a spectator’s shoulder, just before her agony, in the half-light of the bay”.
«Patrizia di Paolo, firm hand and not bizarre ideas for her direction, already loved by the audience.»
LA NUOVA FERRARA
“The traditional direction by Patrizia di Paolo, was very much appreciated and the suggestions she was able to create were made plain in the comments and satisfied smiles of the audience in the foyer during the intervals: as well as the singers’ good acting, Di Paolo knew how to create emotional tension with the projection of Rubens’ paintings, a sixteenth-century painter at Gonzaga’s court in Mantua, on the curtain made of tulle, on the backdrop and wings: an unexpected and simple idea like the egg of Columbus.”
“Patrizia di Paolo, director, rated 8; firm hand and not bizarre ideas for her direction, already loved by the audience.”
«Stunning opera picks up the first Argus Angel Award – This opera of love and loss is totally stunning, fully engaging and sometimes raises the hairs on the back of your neck…After two and three quarter hours of such close opera, I emerged into North Street with a lump in my throat and a tear on my cheek …»
Sounds of the Dolomites: the opera at two thousand meters
“The audience showed up in great numbers, honoring the performers and the direction of Patrizia di Paolo, who was able to make the most of the peculiar dolomitic setting. The audience celebrated with many applauses during the entire length of the performance, up to a final standing ovation and requests for an encore…”
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