Giordano’s Fedora, which premiered in Milan in 1898, is based on a play by Victorien Sardou. Sardou was a favorite source of operatic material for composers near the end of the 19th century, including Puccini (Tosca), Johann Strauss (A Night in Venice), a second for Giordano (Madame Sans-Gene), and many more. The Metropolitan Opera premiered Fedora in 1906 with Caruso, Scotti, and the lovely Lina Cavalieri, it was performed later in 1923 to 1926, but not revived again until 1996 for Mirella Freni and Placido Domingo.

The story briefly: the very wealthy Princess Fedora Romazoff will marry Count Vladimiro Andrejevich. She awaits his return from his club. The French diplomat De Siriex enters with several police and the body of Vladimiro, who has been shot and likely to die. Of course, Fedora is upset. The porter gradually remembers the name of the stranger he admitted to the Count’s club: Loris Ipanoff. A warrant for his arrest is issued, but Ipanoff has disappeared.

**Fedora, portrayed by Sonya Yoncheva, and Loris Ipanoff, portrayed by Piotr Beczala, at the party in Paris**

Months later, we’re at Fedora’s mansion in Paris. She enters arm-in-arm with Ipanoff, apparently happy to in contact, but, in an aside to De Siriex, she states that she is looking for information pointing to Ipanoff as her husband-to-be’s killer. The festivities continue. In a quiet moment, Ipanoff confesses to Fedora that he killed Vladimiro. Fedora passes that information to the authorities. When Ipanoff returns, Fedora accuses him of murder. But he responds that Vladimiro was having an affair with his wife. Caught in bed with her, Vladimiro shoots at Ipanoff, who shoots back in self-defense, mortally wounding Vladimiro.

Several weeks later in the Swiss Alps, Fedora and Ipanoff are in love. When alone with her, De Siriex revels that, based on a letter Fedora had sent, Count Jariskin arrested Ipanoff’s brother. But the prisons flooded during the spring rain. The brother drowns in his cell. On learning of his death, Ipanoff’s mother dies of a stroke. These are not shown in the opera.

Though happy that he has been pardoned by the Tsar, Ipanoff is concerned that he hasn’t heard from his brother and mother. He is crushed by the news of their deaths. A second letter recovered reveals that a woman, who had been at that party in Paris, is coming to Switzerland. Ipanoff eventually puts two and two together: Fedora is that woman! She drinks poison, asking his forgiveness, and dies.

There are a lot of reasons to like Fedora, not the least of which is Giordano’s music. It is a mix of modern sounds (opera, early 1900s) and the moods of the various settings. There is a piano player, entertaining the party in the background of the Paris scene; there is a peasant boy singing unseen in the background of the Swiss Alps. Also, shifts in volume are nuanced, contributing to an endless flow of changing music. This production under the supervision of David McVicar, includes Charles Edward (Set Design), Brigitte Reiffenstuel (Costume Design), Adam Silverman (Lighting Design) and Sara Erde (Movement Director). The interactions between the players are carefully rehearsed.

As Fedora, Sonya Yoncheva gives a stellar performance. The shifting emotions Fedora goes through are extreme, with the death of her fiancé, the success of getting Loris Ipanoff to confess that he killed him, only to find out the Ipanoff did so in self-defense. All this time she is falling in love with him! Things seem carefree and good with Fedora and Loris in the Alps, until, sadly, she learns about the fatal consequences to letters she wrote.

**Piotr Beczala as Loris comforts Sonja Yancheva as Fedora in her final moments.**

Piotr Beczala as Loris is wonderful. His voice has a richness to it, his Italian is excellent, and goodness knows he is a handsome gentleman. As the events piled on, Beczala met them in great form. One looks forward to his Lohengrin later in this season.

**Lucas Meachem as De Siriex, Rosa Feola as Countess Olga Sukarev, Sonya Yoncheva as Fedora relaxing in the Alps**

Other principles include Lucas Meachem as Giovanni De Siriex, a French Diplomat, who was one of the first to arrive at the scene of the crime and who remained in touch for Fedora’s safety. Rosa Feola is Countess Olga Sukarey, prominent in the party scene and the Swiss Alps act. She broke off her relationship with the pianist after the party. Now she is bored, wondering what to do…all entertaining.

The large cast for Scenes One and Two includes Tony Stevenson as Desire, Rocky Eugenio Sellers as Nicola, Brian Yu as Sergio, Laura Krumm as Dimitri, Lucia Lucas as Gretch, Paul Corona as Loreck, Jeongcheol Cha as Cirillo, Ross Benoliel as Michele, Scott Scully as Baron Rouvel, Richard Bernstein as Dr. Boroff, Luka Zylick as a Peasant Boy, and Bryan Wagorn as Boleslao Lazinski (the pianist) in the background of Scene Two. The interactions between these characters, especially in Scene One, are well executed. The set by Charles Edwards allows us to see the back room where Vladimiro lies dying, as well as the commotion outside in the larger salon of Vladimiro’s apartment.

The Met orchestra was conducted by Marco Armiliato, a specialist in this repertoire.

Performance date: Saturday, January 14, 2023, Matinee.

Photos: Ken Howard

More to come. All the best, OM