DVD Partenope

Partenope. DVD. Royal Danish Opera, Copenhagen 2008. Production: Francisco Negrin. Cast: Inger Dam-Jensen (Partenope), Andreas Scholl (Arsace), Tuva Semmingsen (Rosmira), Christophe Dumaux (Armindo), Palle Knudsen (Ormonte), Bo Kristian Jensen (Emilio). Lars Ulrik Mortensen conducts the Concerto Copenhagen.

This run of Partenope at the Royal Danish Opera was plagued by accident. Tuva Semmingsen sung about 3,5 ( of 6 or 7) performances and miming to Trine Bastrup Møller singing from the pit in the rest. Furthermore Andreas Scholl started indisposed, being well only towards the end. Only two performances, saw all major artists were on stage together, indisposed.

Most of what I´d like to say about this DVD, I have already said in conjunction with my reports of the premiere and one of the later performances, the second-last in the run, where the entire scheduled cast were performing.

In brief, to avoid excessive repetition:

• It is a wonderful production, full of life and with an exceptional contemporary feeling. T
• he contratenors are simply wonderful: Andreas Scholl, with the white sound, Christophe Dumaux with the darker sound both act and sing wonderfully as the extrovert vs. introvert lover.
• Tuva Semmingsen, the Danish answer to Cecilia Bartoli, is entirely convincing as Rosmira, while
• Inger Dam-Jensen (Cardiff Singer of the World Winner in 1993 and one of the few not to have had an international career), though slightly dry-voiced, is a believable Partenope.
• Lars Ulrik Mortensen conducts with his usual vigeur and together with Negrin´s Giulio Cesare, this Partenope is among the biggest artistical achievements of the past ten years of the Royal Danish Opera.

The DVD provides with extensive rehearsal footage primarily with Andreas Scholl

Act 1:

The bottom line (scale of 1-5, 3=average):

Inger Dam-Jensen: 4
Tuva Semmingsen: 5
Christophe Dumaux: 5
Andreas Scholl: 5

Francisco Negrin: 5
Lars Ulrik Mortensen: 5

Overall impression: 5