Ercole su'l Termodonte
directed and designed by
John Pascoe
 
 
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'Vivaldi's Ercole: At War in the Name of Masculine Aggression'
La Repubblica, 10 July 2006

Leading his Greek warriors, Ercole arrives on the Amazon shore.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'DVD of The Year' December 2007
Title awarded in a poll of one hundred opera and music critics in the Italian classical music monthly Musica e Dischi

Cover of DVD released by Dynamic, 2007
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'The production of the year – one that will serve to fix the Spoleto Festival in Italy in the public's collective memory'
Il Giornale Dell'Umbria, 14 July 2006

Antiope, the Amazon Queen (Mary-Ellen Nesi) gathers her followers around her.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'The 2006 Spoleto Festival in Italy presented Vivaldi's opera Ercole su'l Termodonte in a production designed and directed eloquently by John Pascoe.'
Opera News, November 2007

The Amazons flex their bows within the olive grove.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Pascoe's set is all shiny surfaces, with side mirrors reflecting a set of stairs graced with real olive trees.'
Opera News, November 2007

The Amazon queen Antiope (Mary-Ellen Nesi) surrounded by her followers.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'The production by John Pascoe was attended by much commotion ... partly because of his unusually original staging, immersed in symbolism yet faithful to extant representations of Greek mythology.'
Fanfair.com, 13 December 2007

Ercole (Zachary Stains) rages against the Amazons.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'It is a real war of mass destruction – truly a preventive strike – that the hero of Vivaldi's Ercole launches against the reign of the Amazons.'
La Repubblica, 10 July 2006

Ercole (Zachary Stains)
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Zachary Stains' performance as Ercole admirably unites movement, drama, delivery of recitatives and virtuoso singing.'
Opera News, November 2007

Ercole (Zachary Stains)
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'We must give tenor Zachary Stains credit for a performance as natural as it can be under the circumstances. Pascoe's idea of nudity works! '
Classics Today, 18 December 2007

Ercole (Zachary Stains)
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'The great public success of the Spoleto Festival 2006 is Ercole sul Termodonte – a eulogy to love and beauty.'
Il Giornale Dell'Umbria, 14 July 2006

Martesia (Laura Cerchi) finds that she enjoys the male company of Alceste (Luca Dordolo).
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'The fascinating staging of John Pascoe communicates a unique vision – that love has the power to conquer violence. '
Il Giornale Dell'Umbria, 14 July 2006

Ercole (Zachary Stains) invokes his Gods while Telemone (Filippo Mineccia) sits at his feet.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'John Pascoe, the British director who the festival commissioned to give rebirth to this opera, has successfully transformed it into a violent "J'accuse" against militarism.'
La Repubblica, 10 July 2006

The battle between the Amazons and the Greeks.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'The women's costumes blend Star Trek with Wonder Woman, where power is conveyed by corsets, garters and thigh-high silver platform boots ...'
Opera News, November 2007

The Amazon queen Antiope (Mary-Ellen Nesi)
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Marina Bartoli shows herself nicely in the role of Ippolita, and she makes the most of the lovely aria Amato ben'
Opera News, November 2007

Ippolita, the Amazon Princess (Marina Bartoli) embraces the Greek Prince Teseo (Randall Scotting).
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Pascoe is nothing if not an actors' director. The characters are always reacting to the moment, to each other, to their own thoughts, in as fluid and natural a style as possible.'
Opera, 8 June 2007
'E questo? E questo?'
Princess Ippolita (Marina Bartoli) and Prince Teseo (Randall Scotting).
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Pascoe's direction makes for excellent and well-integrated movement.'
American Record Guide, December 2007

The demigod Ercole (Zachary Stains) prays for guidance.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Whether the appeal of this DVD is universal will likely hinge on whether or not opera-goers find that the nudity and the staging distracts them from Vivaldi's beautiful music. But one thing is certain: opera Vivaldi is in vogue. BUY IT NOW!!'
Fanfaire.com, 13 December 2007.

The demigod Ercole (Zachary Stains).
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'The look of John Pascoe's production is to say the least arresting. He clothes the demigod Ercole just as all those paintings do, in nothing save a lion's skin draped over his manly shoulders.'
Opera, June 2008

The demigod Ercole (Zachary Stains).
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Zachary Stains is a fine tenor and a terrific, fearless actor as well. His Hercules comes across as three-dimensional.'
Classics Today, 18 December 2007

The demigod Ercole (Zachary Stains) in discussion with his fellow Greek, Prince Teseo (Randall Scotting).
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Tenor Zachary Stains plays the role nude, with only a lion-skin cape billowing dramatically behind him and commands the stage like a gorgeous classical statue come to life. Rather than coming off as a cheap stunt, the effect of his nudity comes off brilliantly.'
Opera News, November 2007

The demigod Ercole (Zachary Stains).
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'The directing is very intense: no one is allowed to come onto the stage and just sing!'
Zachary Stains, Amadeus Online. Interview by Franco Soda, 7 July 2006

The demigod Ercole (Zachary Stains) promises peace.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Balancing Stains in impressive presence is the excellent mezzo-soprano Mary-Ellen Nesi as the Amazon leader Antiope.'
Opera News, November 2007

The Amazon Queen Antiope (Mary-Ellen Nesi) swears vengeance on the invading Greeks.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Antiope the Amazon queen appears in thigh-length boots and a close-fitting costume in boudoir red, every inch the dominatrix.'
Opera, June 2007

Queen Antiope (Mary-Ellen Nesi).
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Mary-Ellen Nesi is totally convincing dramatically, and her arias – standard Baroque items of rage, attempted suicide and grief – seem never generalised, always deeply motivated, excellently sung and musically direct.'
Opera News, November 2007

Queen Antiope (Mary-Ellen Nesi).
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Sex and power are definitely on the agenda here!'
Opera, June 2008

Queen Antiope (Mary-Ellen Nesi) interrogates her daughter, Princess Martesia (Laura Cherici).
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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Mary Ellen Nesi camps it up superbly as Antiope, and with the flashiest music in the score stops the show a few times ... she's very exciting.
Classics Today, 18 December 2007

Queen Antiope (Mary-Ellen Nesi) calls for the blood of the invading Greeks.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Pascoe's production is witty and effective.'
Fanfaire.com, 13 December 2007

As a sign of peace, Ercole (Zachary Stains) gives back the sword of Queen Antiope (Mary-Ellen Nesi), while Princess Martesia (Laura Cherici) and Prince Teseo (Randall Scotting) kneel in thanksgiving.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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'Sara Erde, the brilliant choreographer who was also my Assistant Director, was introduced to me by the great Plàcido Domingo. Her presence in Spoleto for Ercole enabled me to further explore the physical side of this war of the sexes.'
John Pascoe, Italy 2006

John Pascoe and Sara Erde outside Il Teatro Caio Melisso, Spoleto, 6 July 2006
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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John Pascoe, Alan Curtis and Gian Carlo Menotti at the opening night of Ercole, Spoleto Festival Italy, 2006.
photo: courtesy Francis Menotti
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