A commanding voice of Verdi // Leo Nucci excels in composer's roles

Leo Nucci is in his element, singing Iago for the first time inconcert performances of Verdi's "Otello," which Georg Solti preparedfor his farewell to Chicago last week and his New York appearanceslater this week. Nucci defines the character convincingly, and themusic fits his voice extremely well.

If the scheduled recording of the New York shows occurs, it willadd another memorable Solti-Nucci collaboration to the opera catalog.

"This is an unusual Verdi baritone role," Nucci said. "There isthe Credo and a big duet, but the part lies fairly low. It is mostlyrecitative. The big job is to make the character real. I cannotrecall a Verdi baritone role that is more acting than singing. But Ilove it. It's a wonderful opportunity."

Earlier this year, if one looked down the list of recent operarecordings competing for Grammy Award nominations, Nucci's name keptcatching the eye. He sang the title role in Solti's La Scala, Milan,version of Verdi's "Simon Boccanegra," and was back at Scala withLuciano Pavarotti in "Aida." He also sung a new version of Rossini's"The Barber of Seville."

Last autumn, he kept Lyric Opera audiences at attention with acommanding performance in the title role of still another Verdiscore, "Rigoletto." Many see him as the successor to Lyric'sgreatest baritone of the past, Tito Gobbi. He would regard that as ahigh honor. Nucci offstage does not play the role of aninternational opera star. He's a charming Italian who loves to tellstories but obviously takes his work seriously.

"I am a Verdi dependent," he said with a laugh. "Verdiunderstood my kind of voice perfectly and wrote for it so well. Ihave looked to him for my greatest roles and my finest opportunitiesto show what I can do as a singer.

"What I notice as I go around the theaters of the world is thataudiences are aware of the problems Verdi faced in his times withcensors and theater managers, and wish whenever possible to return tohis purest ideas. This is especially true in operas like `Don Carlo'where there are several versions. Verdi resigned himself tocircumstances and made changes in order to get productions in theItalian theaters of his day. In the case of `Don Carlo,' hesacrificed the entire first act of the opera, a huge cut that createsreal dramatic problems in the rest of the work. If you have notheard the scene with Carlo and Elisabeta in the original Act I, thereis too much that is mysterious in the new first act that follows."

Does Nucci feel that opera audiences are more serious in theirapproach to the music?

"Absolutely," he said. "Things are better all over the world.In the 19th century, opera was often frivolous entertainment for thearistocracy. There is nothing frivolous about it today. Theaudience is well-educated. It knows the music well. It paysattention, and it demands fidelity to the composer.

"For the singers, it is very demanding, but if you accept thechallenge, if you want to do your best every night you are on thestage, it is very stimulating as well."