PBS Tips an Old ‘Fedora’ to the Stars

“Fedora.” Again!

Umberto Giordano’s verismo opera, which revolves around the plight of a Russian princess who too easily falls into love and vengeance during the era of Nihilist terrorism at the end of the 19th century, hasn’t had nearly the popularity of the composer’s one hit, “Andrea Chenier.”

But it holds onto the fringes of the repertory, thanks mainly to the devotion of a couple of star singers.

One is Placido Domingo, whose pull got it programmed as the season opener of L.A. Opera last month. Another is Mirella Freni, who has come to be dubbed the last prima donna. It was for her that the Metropolitan Opera brought “Fedora” back onto its stage for the first time in 70 years in a new production that was videotaped in April for broadcast tonight at 8 on PBS.

There are similarities between the East and West Coast “Fedoras.” Both were staged as unimaginative period pieces. Both featured Domingo sounding and acting the consummate romantic Loris, who murders Fedora’s fiance and ultimately becomes her lover. Both productions also revolved around sopranos past their prime (Maria Ewing was the visually alluring but vocally frayed protagonist at the Music Center).

But there the comparisons end, because the New York production was meant to be a celebration of a beloved diva. The Met performance was a sentimental occasion that included New York Mayor Rudolf Giuliani presenting Freni a key to the city between acts, a 17-minute ovation and a shower of flowers and confetti for the soprano at the end.

Freni has spent 32 years with the Met. She may never have been grand prima donna material. Her voice is of modest size, but she has cared for it, and its exquisite luster remains recognizable, even as she entered her 60s. She is also a modest actress, but a touching one. Her most famous role is Mimi in “La Boheme,” and there have been times when she has seemed born to it.

The production, which originated in Barcelona, has conventional period sets by Ferrucio Villagrossi and is directed in broad strokes by Beppe De Tomasi to make a convoluted plot about as clear as possible. But these are the strokes for a large house not for camera close-ups. Nor does Freni, at this stage of her career, need the prying eye of television, however much dignity she manages to bring to this creaking melodrama.

Happily, Freni is surrounded by a first-rate cast. Domingo does come across very well the closer the camera peers, even as he pulls out all the emotional stops.

Ainhoa Arteta offers a frisky Olga, Fedora’s flirtatious friend; Dwayne Croft is an appropriately young and swaggering De Siriex, a French diplomat friend of Loris. Roberto Abbado conducts with wonderful sense of verve. As a small treat, the superb pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet impersonates the hapless “new” Chopin, Lazinski.

Small pleasures, however, are not enough. Once again, PBS has forsaken vital opera and vital television in the presumed belief that stars draw an audience. Instead, this essentially untelegenic event better serves a small elite, namely opera fanatics who dote on aging singers and their archaic traditions, than it does opera as important living theater.

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* “The Metropolitan Opera Presents: ‘Fedora,’ ” tonight at 8, KCET-TV Channel 28.