Dick Johnson (Ramirez) = José Cura
Minnie = Emily Magee
Jack Rance = Claudio Sgura
Harry = Michael Laurenz
Jake Wallace = Davide Fersini
Nick = Martin Zysset
Ashby = Giuseppe Scorsin
Sonora = Cheyne Davidson
Sid = Tomasz Slawinsky
Trin = Ilker Arcayürek
Bello = Kresimir Strazanac
Joe = Boguslaw Bidzinski
Happy = Thomas Tatzl
José Castro = Valeriy Murga
Larkens = Aaron Agulay
Billy Jackrabbit = Thomas Forde
Wowkle = Bettina Schneebeli
Un Postilione = Patrick Vogel
Carlo Rizzi, conductor
Producer/production - David Pountney
Set design - Stefanos Lazaridis
Costumes - Sue Willmington
Choir rehearsal - Ernst Raffelsberger
Claudio Sgura sang instead of Ruggero Raimondi the role of Sheriff Jack Rance. New for the Zurich production, he is not new for the role, he did it before in London etc.
I would not be surprised to hear that it was the production itself which induced Ruggero Raimondi to withdraw. In the Zurich production no stage is plain and straight. It makes it hard to walk especially as one is supposed to be natural. And it is the biggest drawback to this production and does not seem to serve any meening. Too bad otherwise it could have been perfect. I like the way it uses movie to enhance the drama.
Emily Magee as Minnie was in a fantastic voice and her acting ditto. And I had not been bored by this opera before Minnie (Emily Magee) came into it nor later even as I had a severe head-ache going on all the time. It was Claudio Sgura who really came to be the Jack Rance when Minnie came. I loved him in this role. He reminded me so much of the young Silvano Carroli in the 1983 DVD from Royal Opera House. Jose Cura was Dick Johnson with heart and soul, he voice was beautiful, clear and his acting was superb.
This page was last updated: June 20, 2022
