Ring Cycle for the 21st Century – “Die Walküre”
After the premiere of Robert Lepage’s dull production of the first installment of Wagner’s four-opera “Ring Cycle”, Das Rheingold (also reviewed on this blog), I was skeptical that the production’s main set piece – a 24-plank machine that can be arranged into a limitless number of configurations – could support the theatrical requirements of the longer operas in the cycle. But after I attended Die Walküre, the second opera in the cycle, on April 25, my concerns proved to be unfounded. The use of the set, the direction, and the singing were many times superior to the fall production of Rheingold, and I was reassured that the production has the potential to conjure up the many magical realms of the remaining two operas.
The "Die Walküre" banner on the Met façade
Although the title character is the Valkyrie Brünnhilde, Bryn Terfel as the god Wotan was the star of the performance. As opposed to his rather flat portrayal of the character in Das Rheingold, Mr. Terfel presented an informed characterization both vocally and dramatically. Mr. Terfel sang dynamically and ranged from practically whispering at the beginning of his Act Two narrative (a very effective touch) to singing forcefully with controlled power. Although resembling Mad-Eye Moody from Harry Potter, he displayed the many aspects of Wotan’s personality, and his acting evoked both an arrogant god and deeply emotional father.
As Brünnhilde, soprano Deborah Voigt was not as impressive. Although moving in the role’s lyrical moments, her top notes – especially during her “Hojotoho” – lacked clarity and sounded a bit forced. Fortunately, she improved considerably over the course of the evening, and the final scene between Brünnhilde and Wotan was quite touching. Ms. Voigt’s major strength was her acting. The production represents Brünnhilde as a rambunctious warrior-maiden and Ms. Voigt was very convincing as Wotan’s impetuous daughter.
Jonas Kaufmann as the half-human, half-god Siegmund dominated the first act with his huge sound and strong presence. Mr. Kaufman has a hefty tenor which seemed out-of-place when he sang Cavaradossi in last season’s presentation of Puccini’s Tosca. However, Mr. Kaufmann’s voice is much better suited for the Wagner heldentenor roles, and he was excellent as Siegmund. An especially astounding moment of the performance came during his cries for his father: “Wälse! Wälse!”. Mr. Kaufmann sustained both high notes for a seemingly inhuman duration of time, yet he never seemed to strain.
The set of "Die Walküre" before the opera begins
As his sister and later wife Sieglinde, Eva-Maria Westbroek (still recovering from recent illness) was a committed actress, but had a slight wobble in her singing – most noticeably in the top notes. Also, on one occasion, she lost connection with the orchestra and raced through one of the most important phrases of the opera, “O hehrstes Wunder!” – the introduction of the “Redemption through Love” theme.
Stephanie Blythe as the goddess Fricka – although appearing as if out of a 1950’s sci-fi film – brought much to her relatively short time onstage. Ms. Blythe sang with her characteristically clear, powerful mezzo and performed incredibly as usual. Moreover, she was able to portray Fricka’s anger without sounding like a nag and elicited justifiable sympathy from the audience.
As the boorish Hunding, German bass Hans-Peter König sang with a booming voice and acted with commanding stage presence. The Valkyries, Brünnhilde’s eight warrior sisters, were sung by a mixture of talented sopranos and mezzo-sopranos – some of whom delivered the battle cry “Hojotoho” more proficiently than Deborah Voigt. Although strong in their individual contributions, the ladies produced beautifully-sung, deeply-textured ensembles and displayed a natural camaraderie onstage.
The Met Orchestra performed to its high standard of musicianship under the baton of Music Director James Levine. The musicians played masterfully in the powerful forte moments yet expressively in the subdued piano passages.
The final bows of "Die Walküre"
As stated earlier, the Lepage production has progressed significantly since the first installment of the cycle. Lepage’s direction of the performers was perfectly choreographed with the opera’s descriptive music and the performance rarely lagged. Although the stage machinery is still loud and quite distracting, the production uses the machine much more creatively. Unlike Das Rheingold, where the planks were used mainly as flat screens for interactive projections, in Die Walküre they were arranged into various configurations that emulated natural scenery – a heavily wooded forest, a rocky crag, a snow-topped mountain – and the projections served ably as textures for each environment.
In addition, during both Siegmund and Wotan’s narratives, images or animations were projected onto the set to bring the characters’ stories to life. These projections focused attention away from the Met’s built-in translation system and onto the stage, as well as enabling the audience to grasp the details of the intricate plot. Although some touches were campy –the Valkyries rode the planks as horses during the famous “Ride”, or the final scene having Brünnhilde suspended upside-down – the production team used the complex set effectively.
True "Ring Nuts" during an intermission of "Die Walküre" (photo courtesy of Jan Jobson Rowland)
I highly recommend this production of Die Walküre, which combines a stellar cast with a creative production concept. Performances run through the end of the season on May 14, with a “Live in HD” presentation of Die Walküre that afternoon. In addition, this production returns next season for the first presentation of the highly-anticipated full Robert Lepage Ring Cycle.
To learn about the music of Wagner’s Ring check out this very useful website:
http://www.rwagner.net/e-frame.html
For a mini site devoted to the Met’s presentation of the Ring Cycle, visit:
http://metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/hd_events_template.aspx?id=12572
For videos of Die Walküre, see:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/template.aspx?id=16210&prodpage
And for an extensive photo gallery, check out:
http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/Walkure1011.htm
For questions or comments, email me at cbrowner@taftschool.org
The Bent Nail Goes Abroad
Over my spring vacation, I traveled with my school orchestra on a tour of Central Europe. In addition to performing, we explored the centers of culture and classical music in the 18th and 19th centuries – Prague, Salzburg, Vienna, and Budapest. Because of our proximity to some of the world’s great opera houses, I was able to see two performances – Puccini’s Tosca in Prague and Verdi’s Aida in Vienna. In both houses, I observed noticeable differences in the presentation of and attitude toward opera in Europe as opposed to in the United States.
The chandelier inside the Prague State Opera House
In general, a night at the opera seemed almost commonplace for the European audiences. As one woman explained to me, “opera for Europeans is like going to a Broadway show for Americans.” I believe this stems from the foreignness and relative novelty of opera in the United States. For European audiences, the art form has been in their midst for hundreds of years and has become a natural part of their lives. One small example can be seen at the end of performances. In both cities, there were no standing ovations at curtain calls, not because the performances were bad, but because the standing ovation is an honor only awarded to the best performances. Instead, more bows were taken, and the curtain calls lasted longer than would be normal in the United States.
Size was another noticeable difference between the presentation of opera on the two continents. Both the Vienna State Opera’s auditorium and that of the Czech State Opera in Prague are much smaller than the Met’s. This produced an acoustic environment which both helped and hindered the performers. In many ways, the smaller houses allowed the singers, especially those with smaller voices, to sing more naturally without pushing. However, the more intimate scale of the theaters presented an obstacle to the performers, as the orchestras often overpowered them.
The boxes inside the Prague State Opera
My experience at the Prague State Opera was unique, for I missed an act and a half of the opera – the performance of Tosca occurred on the night of our arrival, and because of a delayed flight, I reached the opera house later than planned. As soon as I arrived, I was seated (though toward the back of the house), which was a surprise, as I have grown accustomed to the Met’s strict policy regarding latecomers. This experience was slightly uncomfortable for, even though I knew the opera well, I was thrust into the middle of Scarpia’s seduction of Tosca without any background on the singers, conductor, production, or opera house, and I was entering at the climax of the music without hearing any buildup. However, after a few minutes of adjustment, I was able to relax into my velvet seat and appreciate my gorgeous surroundings.
The proscenium of the Prague State Opera
Despite seeing only part of the opera, I was able to come away with a fairly accurate evaluation of the performance. Overall, the singing was of a quality slightly lower than heard on even mediocre nights at the Met. The Tosca, Jordanka Derilova, sang with muddled diction and a slight wobble, but was impressive with huge and soaring high notes. As Cavaradossi, Tomáš Černý sang clearly and delivered nice top notes (his Act 3 “E lucevan le stelle” was the highlight of my evening), but he slid between notes in the musical passages connecting the aria and duet. As Scarpia, baritone Jiří Sulženko sang with a powerful voice that seemed a bit forced (although I heard so little of his performance this may not be a fair assessment of his talents).
The production was also far from “Met-quality” with flat sets and overacting, yet after last season’s disastrous new production of Tosca at the Met, it was refreshing to see a performance with all of Puccini’s masterful stage directions honored (the candles and crucifix were placed by Scarpia’s corpse and Tosca actually leaped from the Castel Sant’Angelo). If the acting was often overblown, it felt as if I were watching a performance that may have been the norm in the early to mid 1900’s.
A video inside the Prague State Opera House:
The performance of Aida in Vienna was much closer in quality to that of the Met. I arrived on time but, because of a scheduling confusion, had no ticket. Instead, I waited in line for standing room which goes on sale one hour before curtain. The quality of sight and sound in standing room is much better than that of the Met. For 4€ – approximately $6 – one can stand in the center at the back of the orchestra section, slightly elevated above the seats with an unhindered view of the stage. Also, unlike the Met, the standing room isn’t under a balcony and the sound quality is very good.
The crowded standing room section
However, the standing room in the Vienna State Opera House is not numbered and spaces are taken on a first-come, first-serve basis. Once one buys his ticket, he quickly goes to the standing area and elbows his way to his selected location. Then, in order to reserve this place, one ties a scarf, towel or, in my case, necktie around the railing. This method is old-fashioned and caused multiple arguments between latecomers and a group of young people in front of me. (This group also incurred the anger of an older standee when they rudely whispered and giggled through the first half of the opera.) Standing through Aida was a bit uncomfortable, considering the four-act opera was presented with only one short intermission, but for a small amount of money, the quality of sound and view were phenomenal.
The translation system in Vienna - similar to "Met Titles"
The audience demographic in standing room was also quite surprising. The ages ranged from teenagers to people in their sixties and seventies with all ages in between. Also, many nationalities were represented: mostly German-speaking people, but I also heard English (with American and Australian accents), French, and an Asian language being spoken. Standing Room in Vienna is a great value – one friend called it “the best 4€ [she] ever spent” – and you can have one of the best spots in the opera house if you arrive early and get to the front of the line.
The auditorium of the Vienna State Opera (standing room section at bottom center)
The quality of the singing varied as all four principals, Cécile Perrin as Aida, Dongwon Shin as Radames, Anna Smirnova as Princess Amneris, and Mark S. Doss as Amanasro started off shaky and improved throughout the performance. Ms. Perrin sang especially well in the second half of the opera, and her Act 3 aria “O Patria Mia” was gorgeously sung. She took her time in delivering the aria’s difficult top section, and the results were sustained, ethereal high notes.
The show curtain for "Aida"
To me, the comprimarios sang more proficiently than the principals. The Vienna State Opera orchestra under the direction of Dan Ettinger was fantastic, and played with power and control. However, many times the singers were drowned out by the intensity of the orchestra.
A video of the auditorium of the Vienna State Opera House:
A video of the lobby of the Vienna State Opera House:
Although I was not able to attend an opera in Budapest, I was able to tour the Hungarian State Opera House.
Here is a video:
There are many details I could not include in this post, so if you want to know more about my experience or see more pictures, please leave a comment or email me at cbrowner@taftschool.org.
Mad About “Lucia”
This season, Mary Zimmerman’s production of Lucia di Lammermoor returned for its second revival after opening in 2007. This run is special because it stars Natalie Dessay in the title role and is Ms. Dessay’s return to the Met after cancelling performances in Hamlet last season. I have been a great fan of Ms. Dessay for a while and I jumped at the chance to see her in this signature role. I attended the March 4th performance of the run and was not disappointed.
A Show Curtain for "Lucia"
Ms. Dessay’s portrayal of the title role, a character plagued by misfortune and eventually driven mad, was nothing short of magic. Despite a slight illness – betrayed by a few onstage coughs – her singing was in top form. The lyric portions were sung well, but the bravura coloratura was absolute perfection. In her mad scene, Ms. Dessay sang the middle portion (usually accompanied by solo flute) a cappella, and displayed a mastery of her upper register. Her acting was also quite believable as she convincingly conveyed the character’s gradual descent into madness. I am so glad that Ms. Dessay is back at the Met performing such show-stopping roles.
(However, it is worth mentioning, that upon hearing subsequent performances from this run of “Lucia”, it is safe to assume that this evening was Dessay’s best. Her vocal abilities later on, although still very strong, could not match the magic of this evening.)
As Edgardo, Lucia’s lover and unofficial husband, tenor Joseph Calleja also excelled. Mr. Calleja expressed the demeanor of the amorous character and sang with beautiful lyricism, delivering soaring high notes. His final scene in the graveyard was especially moving.
Another Eerie Show Curtain
As Lucia’s desperate brother Enrico, baritone Ludovic Tézier sang with a large baritone. Despite slightly muddled diction, Mr. Tézier sang well and presented a stern character. South Korean bass Kwangchul Youn sang the role of Raimondo with his booming voice that resonated through the house.
As Normano, tenor Philip Webb sang with a nice timbre, but seemed to strain on his top notes and struggled to be heard over the orchestra. As Lucia’s arranged husband Arturo, 2007 National Council finalist Matthew Plenk sang with a pleasant tenor sound. Theodora Hanslowe was a composed Alisa and sang well in the minor role. The Met Orchestra under the baton of veteran conductor Patrick Summers was in top form, and the Met Opera Chorus sang dynamically as usual.
A Solo Bow for Joseph Calleja
The Mary Zimmerman production sets the drama as a classic Victorian ghost story, but sometimes the overly-clever additions distract from the music. One example was staging the second act sextet as a wedding photo. The silent photographer milling about drew attention away from the beautiful singing onstage.
The evening went off without a hitch – almost. During the onstage set change in Act 3, yelling could be heard offstage followed by a large crash. According to witnesses, the stair unit was moving too quickly offstage and collided into sets from previous scenes. Afterward, Ms. Dessay, although shaken up, reported that “nobody was hurt”.
This run of Lucia is special because of the talents of Ms. Dessay and Mr. Calleja and was a highlight of my season. The run continues through March 19 with a “Live in HD” transmission of that performance.
Backstage with Natalie Dessay
For a video of Natalie Dessay performing her Mad Scene visit:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/template.aspx?id=15528&prodpage
And for a photo gallery see:
http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/Lucia1011.htm
With comments or questions send me an email at cbrowner@taftschool.org
A (Day and) Night at the Opera
On February 4, I led a group of eleven friends and family on an operatic adventure at the Met. In the afternoon, we took a backstage tour full of interesting information, captivating stories about singers, directors, and productions, and impromptu encounters with some of opera’s biggest names. The tour takes guests through the wig, costume, and scenic shops; inside the preparation process of a Met artist; onto the expansive stage, where they witness the building of the set for that evening’s performance; and allows them to observe live rehearsals for upcoming productions. We also glimpsed directors Stephen Wadsworth and Mary Zimmerman in action, and unexpectedly ran into maestro Plácido Domingo. The tour is a fun experience for newcomers to opera and casual fans, and a must-see for die-hard aficionados.
For information on backstage tours visit:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/education/general/backstage.aspx
or call 212-769-7020.
The Show Curtain for "Don Pasquale"
Afterwards, we attended that evening’s performance of what many consider Donizetti’s masterpiece – the lively comedy Don Pasquale. After the performance, some of us went backstage and chatted with bass-baritone John Del Carlo, who sang the title role. It was a memorable day for all.
John Del Carlo in the title role of Don Pasquale
The cast for this run of Pasquale is fantastic, and all the singers were well cast in their roles. John Del Carlo has masterfully portrayed many comedic and dramatic characters in his long career with the Met. As Don Pasqual, his full-bodied bass-baritone voice was excellent in the role’s few lyric passages, but also in the impressive “patter duet” with Dr. Malatesta. He mastered both the physical comedy and subtle facial expressions conveying the character’s humorous emotions.
Another star of the performance was baritone Mariusz Kwiecien as the wily Dr. Malatesta. Mr. Kwiecien used his smooth baritone during his legato phrases, and was surprisingly proficient during the duets with Mr. Del Carlo. He infused the ensemble cast with vitality and comedic charm.
Mariusz Kwiecien as Dr. Malatesta
Tenor Matthew Polenzani, who was scheduled to perform the role of Pasquale’s unfortunate nephew Ernesto, had to withdraw because of illness. English tenor Barry Banks capably stepped in. Mr. Banks has a light tenor fit for the operas of Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini. His voice was suited for the role of Ernesto and he delivered brilliant high notes.
Russian superstar Anna Netrebko portrayed the spitfire Norina, Ernesto’s beloved. Leading up to the performance, I had misgivings about this selection, for her voice seemed too hefty for the role’s high-flying range. However, I was enthralled by her superb vocal abilities and hilarious acting. Her voice resonated through the house. I especially enjoyed when she sang without orchestral accompaniment and could feel her powerful voice. She was equally impressive in both the tender lines and the fast coloratura. Her performance was easily the highlight of the evening.
The cast of "Don Pasquale" - Left to Right: Mariusz Kwiecien, Barry Banks, Anna Netrebko, and John Del Carlo
The orchestra, under the baton of Met Music Director James Levine, seemed to play with restraint, but still brought Donizetti’s score to life. The production, directed by Otto Schenk with sets by Rolf Langenfass is simply fun. Although the direction was over the top, it added to the farcical aspect of the piece. Everyone in my group was bursting with laughter. I recommend this opera for newcomers, and this production really hit the mark.
Backstage after the performance
Don Pasquale runs through Feb. 19 and the “Live in HD” broadcast from November is on Met Player:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/met_player/index.aspx
For a video of Anna Netrebko as Norina and an interview with Netrebko and Mariusz Kwiecien see:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/template.aspx?id=14396&hpgraphicbutton2
Picture galleries of thisproduction can be found at:
http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/DonPasquale1011.htm
http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/DonPasqualeDesign.htm
Special thanks to Sarah for capturing our experience through her excellent photographs.
Don’t hesitate to email at cbrowner@taftschool.org with questions or comments.
A Final Word on “La Traviata”
From his first days as Met General Manager, Peter Gelb has made it clear that he plans to attract new audiences by introducing modern, conceptual, and highly theatrical productions of both core repertory and lesser known masterpieces. When it was announced that Franco Zeffirelli’s magnificently realistic – if not a touch overblown– production of Verdi’s La Traviata would be replaced by Willy Decker’s 2005 Salzburg production, many opera fans, myself included, worried that another classic opera would be ruined by a eurotrash adaptation. On January 29th, the final performance of the run, I decided to see if this production was as tasteless as I had expected. However, I was pleased to discover that, save for a few moments of over-directed party scenes, the production was conceptually sound and dramatically sophisticated.
The stripped down set of "La Traviata"
The story of La Traviata centers around Violetta Valery, a high-class courtesan afflicted with consumption – in this performance portrayed by Russian soprano Marina Poplavskaya. Ms. Poplavskaya has a huge voice which easily filled the Met’s 3800 seat auditorium. She sang with beautiful lyricism and characteristic intensity. Although coloratura is not her specialty, Ms. Poplavskaya managed to execute the trills and high notes at the close of Act 1 quite skillfully. She also demonstrated proficiency as an actress and displayed a heart-rending portrayal of the frail character; though on a few occasions she sacrificed beautiful singing for dramatic acting.
Violetta’s love interest is the slightly naïve Alfredo Germont – performed by American tenor Matthew Polenzani. Mr. Polenzani posses an agile and lyric tenor which has suited him well in the operas of Mozart, Donizetti, Wagner, as well as noted 20th century composers. His voice is well suited for the youthful timbre of Alfredo, and a highlight of this performance was his tenderly-sung Act 2 aria “Lunge da lei”. Although Mr. Polenzani seemed to run out breath during the more legato passages of the score, he delivered wonderful singing and resounding high notes.
Luigi Roni as Dr. Grenvil - The Personification of Death
The opera takes a depressing turn when Alfredo’s father, Giorgio Germont, forces the couple to separate. Andrzej Dobber sang the role of the elder Germont with full-bodied baritone voice and lyric phrasing. His Act 2 scene with Violetta was vocally stunning and dramatically thrilling, and Mr. Dobber was able to balance the stern, determined facade that Germont conveys with the character’s more sensitive and compassionate aspects.
Other singers – such as Met veteran Maria Zifchak as Annina and debutante Jennifer Hollaway as Flora Bervoix – added to the performance with their well sung contributions. The Met chorus, as always, was a force to be reckoned with as they excelled in both the intense moments and the softer passages of the score. The Met Opera orchestra also excelled under the baton of Maestro Gianandrea Noseda. Maestro Noseda led a lush and textured reading of Verdi’s acclaimed score, but on multiple occasions, he fell out of sync with the principals.
Marina Poplavskaya as Violetta Valery
The new production was quite entertaining and faithfully represented the drama of Verdi’s opera. Decker and his set designer Wolfgang Gussmann stripped away all extravagance; the set consisted of an imposing semicircular wall, a few boxy sofas, and an oversized clock. Although simple, the various configurations of these pieces created drastically different environments for each scene.
On the whole, Decker’s direction was subtle and striking, especially during key interactions between main characters. However, a few times, such as in the Act 2 party in the salon of Flora Bervoix, the movements of the principals and the chorus (all dressed as men), were extremely heavy-handed and lacked any subtlety. Instead of hinting at a theme or emotion, Decker’s directions in these spots hit the audience over the head with a simple idea.
In contrast, Hans Toelstede’s lighting was nothing short of brilliant. Mr. Toeldstede was able to capture the mood of each situation and effortlessly evoke the feelings of each character onstage.
The Cast of "La Traviata"
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this performance. The production re-enforced my belief that if a director, of either a traditional or modern production, has a sound concept and stays with it wholeheartedly throughout, he or she can be very successful at conveying any dramatic situation.
For more information on and videos of La Traviata visit:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/template.aspx?id=14334
And for a full photo gallery check out:
http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/Traviata1011.htm
If you have any questions please leave a comment below or e-mail me at cbrowner@taftschool.org
100 Years of “La Fanciulla del West”
Despite a blizzard which practically shut down New York City, the Met went ahead as scheduled with the December 27th performance of Puccini’s “La Fanciulla del West” (The Girl of the Golden West).The opera, which is celebrating its centenary with this run, was performed in a revival of Giancarlo Del Monaco’s highly theatrical 1991 production. The performance was significant in that it was the debut of American tenor Carl Tanner in the role of Dick Johnson. Deborah Voigt portrayed Minnie, the title “Girl”, and Lucio Gallo rounded out the love triangle as the sheriff Jack Rance. Conductor Nicola Luisotti guided the cast through a lively and moving performance.
Snowed in at the Met
Met audiences are accustomed to Ms. Voigt portraying dramatic heroines of Strauss, Verdi, and Wagner, but she described the role of Minnie as “fun to sing, but not easy to sing.” This description was certainly true as Ms. Voigt’s voice seemed shaky during her first moments onstage. Her top notes sounded a bit shrill and she struggled to be heard over the orchestra. However, by the middle of Act 1 she had found her groove, and was singing with ease and confidence. She delivered accurate and powerful high notes and lyricism in softer passages. Ms. Voigt is also a superb actress and proved masterful at interpreting the many facets of Minnie’s personality. Overall, she delivered a powerful performance which proved especially touching at times.
From left to right: Tony Stevenson, Carl Tanner, Deborah Voigt, Lucio Gallo, and Oren Gradus (Photo courtesy of Marisa Palmisano)
Carl Tanner had natural stage presence and the pressure of a Met debut did not seem to inhibit his performance. Mr. Tanner has a large, powerful tenor voice with an underlying baritonal quality. He was tender in the role’s lyric passages and delivered soaring high notes. Tanner and Voigt worked well together onstage, and exhibited natural chemistry. Their love duet at the end of the Act One brought me chills.
Lucio Gallo seemed perfect for the role of Jack Rance. His characterization was intense and he convincingly portrayed the sinister aspects of the cold-blooded sheriff. Vocally, Mr. Gallo displayed a full-bodied baritone sound with forceful top notes. His interplay with the other characters was dramatic, yet he never tended toward overacting.
The Cast of "La Fanciulla del West" (Photo courtesy of Mai Nguyen)
Although every secondary performer contributed to the rowdy atmosphere of a typical Western mining town, some stood out above the rest. Michael Forest and Dwayne Croft as the miners Joe and Sonora displayed proficiency as singers and solid ability as actors. Tony Stevenson as the bartender Nick sang with an agile voice and lightened the mood with comic touches. After almost 1800 performances with the Met, James Courtney still exhibited a strong voice as the Wells Fargo agent Ashby. Both Ginger Costa-Jackson and Philip Cokorinos as the Indians Wowkle and Billy Jackrabbit added levity to the opening moments of Act 2.
Backstage with Deborah Voigt (Photo courtesy of Mai Nguyen)
Nicola Luisotti led an upbeat and vibrant reading of Puccini’s complex score. Maestro Luisotti brought out each nuance of the score’s detailed orchestration and the Met orchestra played with vigor and intensity – truly a star of the evening!
Although campy at times, the production captured the heartrending emotional journey of Minnie and Johnson amidst the knock-down-and-drag-out world of the California gold rush. The sets and direction convey a grand, cinematic scope, and evoke the feeling of a classic Western. Combined with Puccini’s music, the result was one of the highlights of my season.
The run of Fanciulla continues through January 8th with a “Live in HD” transmission and “Toll Brothers Radio Broadcast” on the 8th. (In the remaining performances, Marcello Giordani will resume the role of Dick Johnson.)
For information, photos, and videos of this production visit:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/template.aspx?id=14006
…or view a full a full photo gallery at:
http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/Fanciulla1011.htm
Feel free to leave a comment , or e-mail me at cbrowner@taftschool.org.
A Disappointing “Don Carlo”
After more than thirty years, the Metropolitan Opera introduced a new production of Verdi’s Don Carlo on November 22 with a gala celebration. The production, by director Nicholas Hytner, is a co-production of the Metropolitan Opera, the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, and the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet. Despite the hype and star-studded cast, I came away from the opening night with mixed feelings.
Marina Poplavskaya and Roberto Alagna
French tenor Roberto Alagna sang the title character, but his voice is not suited for the role’s high tessitura. Many times, his top notes sounded somewhat nasal and on multiple occasions, and he had to fight to be heard over the brilliant orchestra. Also, Mr. Alagna’s smug attitude made it difficult to feel any sympathy for his character.
In contrast to Alagna’s performance, Marina Poplavskaya as Elizabeth of Valois displayed natural ability as both a singer and an actress. Her large voice soared above the orchestra and filled the entire theater; however, she had the ability to be lyric and tender in quieter moments of the score. Simon Keenlyside, as Carlo’s best friend Rodrigo, also displayed beautiful tone and excellent musicianship. He sang with a full-bodied baritone and delivered rich top notes. His acting was sophisticated, and his death scene was especially moving.
Marina Poplavskaya as Elizabeth of Valois
Veteran bass Ferruccio Furlanetto has performed the role of King Phillip II in many of the world’s great opera houses, and the audience had high expectations for his performance. Although his diction was quite muddled during his first scene with Simon Keenlyside, his voice was strong and dignified. Mr. Furlanetto improved throughout the evening and his soliloquy “Ella giammai m’amo” and the ensuing scene with the grand inquisitor gave me chills.
Mezzo-soprano Anna Smirnova as Princess Eboli was the most disappointing performer of the evening. Her first act aria, “Nel gardin de bello”, was the low-point of the performance, and she struggled to execute the difficult sections of piece. She was not in control of her coloratura, and her top notes were shrill and wobbly. Fortunately, Ms. Smirnova was able to recover – her Act 4 monologue “O don fatale” was very thrilling. Ms. Smirnova is a capable singer, yet she clearly lacks the upper voice required for this challenging role and her selection reflects a poor casting choice on the part of the Met.
Ferruccio Furlanetto as King Philp II of Spain
Erik Halverson as the Grand Inquisitor had a deep, menacing voice, and he successfully conveyed the intimidating qualities of the character. Alexei Tanovitsky, as the mysterious friar, made much out of the small role with his full bass sound. Layla Claire, in her Met debut as the page Tebaldo, was light and agile both in voice and demeanor. Jennifer Check as the Celestial Voice and Edwardo Valdes as the Count of Lerma contributed to the performance with their minor, yet well-sung, parts. The Met Opera Chorus, as always, was a powerful presence and sang with clear sound and characteristic strength.
For me, the stand out performance of the night came not from the stage, but from the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra conducted by Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Maestro Nézet-Séguin led a vibrant and nuanced reading of the score. The orchestra was able to evoke the grandiosity of the work but could also convey the more subtle thoughts and feelings of individual characters. Maestro Nézet-Séguin and his orchestra demonstrated a masterful understanding of Verdi’s dynamic piece.
Anna Smirnova and Simon Keenlyside
The new production was quite good, but there were tacky elements throughout which detracted from the overall performance. The sets, designed by Bob Crowley in his Met debut, were simple yet striking and still captured the grand scale of the work. However, Mr. Hytner’s stage directions clashed with the understated settings. Many times the acting was exaggerated to the point where the dramatic elements of the story were lost.
The most disappointing aspect of the production was the lighting by Mark Henderson, also making his Met debut. In many scenes, the lighting was sloppy and static. For instance, during the duet between Phillip and Rodrigo, the stage was saturated with deep red light that was gaudy, but did little to enhance the onstage drama. In other moments, to create the appearance of windows, patches of light were scattered about the stage. Instead of adding realism to the scene, the lighting only distracted from the story unfolding.
I think this production had the potential to be great but was cluttered with too many unnecessary touches. As always, I encourage you to form your own opinion – this production runs through December 18 with a “Live in HD” broadcast on December 11.
Act 3, Scene 2 of Verdi's "Don Carlo"
For more information, video, and photo galleries visit:
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/template.aspx?id=13690
and
http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/DonCarlo1011.htm
All photos for this post are by Ken Howard, courtesy of the Metropolitan Opera.
If you have comments or question, don’t hesitate to e-mail me at cbrowner@taftschool.org
A Spellbinding “Magic Flute”
The Connecticut Lyric Opera (CLO) kicked off its eighth season with four performances of Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. I attended the third performance of the run on November 20 at the Waterbury Palace Theater. The production was sung in German with dialogue and supertitles in English. Once again, CLO presented high quality opera that was sophisticated, both musically and dramatically.
The Cast of Die Zauberflöte
Despite the company’s small size, the cast was excellent. The character of Tamino, the bewildered prince in search of love, was portrayed by tenor Michael Wade Lee. Describing Mr. Lee as superb would not be overstating his talent. His voice was clear and powerful and easily filled the entire theater. Mr. Lee’s portrayal was believable and his acting was never over the top. He clearly is very talented and has the potential to sing in the world’s great opera houses.
Jurate Svedaite, a CLO regular, sang the role of Pamina, the abducted princess. As always, Ms. Svedaite sang with beautiful tone and smooth, lyric phrases. Her entire performance was quite convincing and her aria “Ach,ich fühl’s” was especially moving.
Jurate Svedaite and Michael Wade Lee as Pamina and Tamino
The bird-catcher Papageno was brought to life by Matthew Gamble, another regular of the company. Although Mr. Gamble tended towards overacting, his light baritone was well suited for the role and he performed with natural charisma. Elizabeth Kinder excelled in the small part of Papagena with her youthful timbre and spirited presence. Laurentiu Rotaru portrayed the role of Sarastro, a noble chief priest. Mr. Rotaru sang with a full, round voice, and his acting was always dignified.
The sinister Queen of the Night was portrayed by CLO debutante Liane Grasso. Ms. Grasso, although having a smaller voice, sang with the accuracy and agility essential to the Queen’s difficult music. Her coloratura was superb, and I look forward to seeing her perform again. Daniel Juarez sang the role of the deformed Monostatos. Although Mr. Juarez’s singing was not very polished, he was convincing as the evil slave driver.
Liane Grasso as the Queen of the Night
Eden Casteel, Jennifer Marshal, and Brooke Larimer were the mysterious ladies-in-waiting to the Queen of the Night. All three women possess big voices and worked well together to convey the eeriness of their characters.
The three spirits, portrayed by Adrianne Bitting, Laura Koroski, and Harrison Gatch had light voices and seem to blend together effortlessly. Gregory Sheppard, Alexis Benson, Fred Goff, and Hartley Horn, who portrayed other members of the priesthood, enhanced the evening with their strong performances.
The CLO chorus was a powerful presence onstage and the entire cast was supported by the Connecticut Virtuosi Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Adrian Sylveen. The orchestra, although small, brought new life to the score. Because of its diminutive size, one could hear individual parts stand out, but the musicians were able to blend their instruments into a cohesive sound, giving the sore a chamber-like quality.
Daniel Juarez as the sinister Monostatos
The CLO presentation of Die Zauberflöte was clever and inventive. Although the company has limited resources, it was able to present a high-quality production that was captivating to the children in the audience while still keeping the adults’ attention. The set was simple – two staircases joined by a platform on top. To evoke different areas in Sarastro’s temple, the production made use of image and video projections which were effective in evoking a varied range of locations. Also, the English dialogue between arias and the slight rearrangement of scenes in the second act allowed for a more fluid and understandable storyline.
Laurentiu Rotaru as the chief priest Sarastro
This performance was enjoyed by an audience of 300 – 350 people with a large number of children. I encourage you to attend a CLO performance – you won’t be disappointed. The company has one more presentation of the Die Zauberflöte on December 3 at The Garde in New London, along with three “New Year’s” concerts on Dec. 31 and Jan. 02 and 08, as well as a run of Tosca in the spring. This is a growing company bringing wonderful performances to Connecticut communities.
For more information visit the company’s website:
…and for official photos of this production by Daniel Kamalic…
http://thevirtuosi.org/performance/opera/mozart-magic-flute/
http://ctlyricopera.org/2010/12/magic-flute-photos/
…and for videos visit the CLO youtube channel…
http://www.youtube.com/user/cygnalarts#p/u/3/UZjB00YQCR0
If you have comments or questions, email me at cbrowner@taftschool.org
Il Trovatore Revived At The Met
This season, the Metropolitan Opera introduced a new entry into the Agnes Varis and Karl Leichtman Rush ticket program. In addition to weekday Rush ticket, this new feature allows opera lovers to sit in premium seats for the discounted price of $25. On Monday, hopeful ticket buyers enter a lottery for that week’s Friday, Saturday matinee and Saturday evening performances. On Tuesday, the list of winners and the waiting list are posted on the Met’s website. The winner’s have until 5:00 PM on Wednesday to purchase their tickets. After that time, contestants on the waiting list can purchase the remaining seats. Through this program, my friend and I attended the October 30th performance of David McVicar’s 2008 staging of Verdi’s Il Trovatore.
The Show Curtain for Il Trovatore
Although this was a revival of a recent new production, the performance was world class, and the cast, including Marcelo Alvarez, Patricia Racette, and Zeljko Lucic, was high quality. Marcelo Alvarez, portraying Manrico the troubadour of the title, returned to Trovatore after performing the same role during the production’s debut season. Alvarez was a convincing Manrico and his voice is well suited to the high tessitura of the role. He sang the many high notes with strength and brilliance, but he seemed to run out of energy over the course of the evening.
His Leonora, Patricia Racette, was reportedly suffering from tracheitis, but chose to perform despite her illness. She sang with seeming ease and her portrayal of the conflicted heroine was compelling. Although Ms. Racette has excelled in many dramatic characters in the past, her voice seemed too dark for the light top notes of this role. That said, her performance was committed and her singing full of emotion.
Unfortunately, Ms. Racette’s illness must have been more than she could handle and she was replaced by Jilianna Di Giacomo for the last half of the opera. Ms. Di Giacomo had the more difficult music to sing and she excelled in the role. She was agile in her top notes and presented an edgy portrayal of her character. However, she also seemed to tire over the course of her performance.
The role of the vindictive Count di Luna was portrayed by experienced baritone Zeljko Lucic. Mr. Lucic sang forcefully and delivered the role’s multiple sustained high notes powerfully. His acting was dramatic and he was a commanding presence onstage. Marianne Cornetti portrayed the revenge-seeking gypsy Azucena. Ms. Cornetti has a huge voice and her sound filled the house, yet she had a substantial wobble in her more legato phrases.
The Cast Takes a Bow
Alexander Tsymbalyuk sang the relatively small, yet essential, role of Ferrando, and despite one small mistake in the beginning, he sang well throughout the night. Renée Tatum as Leonora’s confidante Ines and Eduardo Valdes as Ruiz Manrico’s second-in-command were proficient in their minor roles. Maestro Marco Armiliato led a vibrant reading of Verdi’s masterful score and the Metropolitan Opera Chorus sang with great musicianship, as always.
The McVicar production of Il Trovatore is a gem in the Met’s repertory. The staging uses masterful lighting techniques and shadows to convey dramatic tableaus. Also, the stage is never cluttered and the sets never distract from the action. The way in which the singers interact with each other and their surroundings lends a cinematic quality to the production.
I recommend you attend this gritty production which has performances throughout the season and a “Live in HD” broadcast on April 30th. Also, I suggest you learn more about the Varis and Leichtman Weekend Rush ticket program at the Met’s website: www.metopera.org. To see pictures from this production of Il Trovatore, visit the Met Archive Photo Gallery:
http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/Trovatore1011.htm
Backstage with Maestro Marco Armiliato
If you have questions or comments you can always send me an e-mail at cbrowner@taftschool.org.
Ring Cycle for the 21st Century -”Das Rheingold”
Despite on and off rain showers, the Metropolitan Opera went all out for its Opening Night performance of Wagner’s Das Rheingold on September 27. The first opera in Wagner’s four-part “Ring Cycle”, was presented in a new production by Cirque du Soleil creator Robert Le Page. Among the notable guests who attended the performance were actors Patrick Stewart, Meg Ryan, and Patricia Clarkson. Thousands of Wagner-lovers filled the auditorium, and many more opera fans braved the rain to watch a live simulcast in Times Square and Lincoln Center Plaza. The stage was set for a memorable night at the Met!
Meg Ryan poses for photographers at Opening Night at the Met.
Bryn Terfel as his first Met Wotan exuded the masculinity and confidence essential to the character. He sang with his usual intensity – sometimes to the extent that his top notes sounded gravelly. Eric Owens, displayed his powerful bass in the role of Alberich , but his phrases sounded a bit muddled from where I was seated. Stephanie Blythe portrayed Wotan’s nagging wife, Fricka, and sang with her characteristic, full-bodied mezzo sound. Richard Croft was light and agile in the role of Loge and Patricia Bardon sang a hauntingly beautiful Erda. The other gods – Wendy Bryn Harmer as Freia, Adam Diegel as Froh, and Dwayne Croft as Donner – all sang well in their small but important roles. Lisette Oropesa, Jennifer Johnson, and Tamara Mumford were youthful and carefree Rhinemadiens. Hanz -Peter Koning and Fran-Josef Selig displayed their booming voices as the giants Fafner and Fasolt. Gerhard Siegel embodied the weak and clumsy character of Mime, without sacrificing anything vocally. This is an exhilarating cast to inaugurate the Met’s newest Ring cycle.
Another star of the evening was the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra under the leadership of Music Director James Levine, celebrating his 40th anniversary with the company this season. They played magnificently as usual and brought out the brilliance of Wagner’s score. Levine, who hadn’t conducted since February, received a well-deserved standing ovation when he entered the orchestra pit. Hopefully, he will conduct all his performances in this and many more seasons to come.
The Metroplitan Opera lobby filled to capacity on Opening Night.
The set was extraordinarily complex and I was fascinated while watching its fluid motions. The majority of the set decorations were projections that moved when the singers interacted with them, giving the scenes a realistic quality. The opening scene was especially beautiful. The Rhinemadiens where suspended against a cerulean background and their singing caused “bubbles” to ascend. This detail, combined with their swimming-like movements, created the most convincing stage picture of the evening.
Although the set is a technical marvel, it isn’t perfect. The projections limited the production’s dramatic effect during key moments of the plot. The long argument between Wotan and Fricka was played against a flat, gray backdrop, causing this section of the performance to drag. Also, the performer’s shoes squeaked when they walked on the smooth surfaces of the set – like sneakers on a basketball court. And when the set moved, the machines that cause the various planks to turn were loud and sometimes distracting from the music. However, these issues are minor compared to the overall innovation of the staging.
With all the technological advances of the set, it unfortunately malfunctioned in the crucial last moments of the opera. After Froh “creates” a rainbow bridge to Valhalla, presumably all the planks would drop down and the performers ascend into the “heavens”. Instead, the planks never moved and the gods never entered Valhalla. It was disappointing to see such a clever aspect of the production fail during the last triumphant moments of the opera.
Another disappointment had nothing to do with the performance, but with the reactions of some audience members. After the curtain came down at the end of the performance, the audience erupted into hearty applause, but when Robert LePage stepped forward for his bow, half of the Family Circle audience let out vociferous boos. I could understand this reaction if the production didn’t resemble Wagner’s original stage directions. However, LePage and his team modernized the opera’s look while still keeping the essence of the story intact.
The "stage is set" for a new Ring Cycle!
If you want to experience this fascinating production, there are limited ways to do so. All performances are sold out – of course, Rush tickets are available as usual. However, the “Live in HD” transmission will be presented worldwide on Saturday October 9th with an encore presentation on Wednesday October 27. Check the Met Opera website, www.metopera.org, for more information.
You can see pictures and learn more about the new production of Das Rheingold at the Met’s Ring mini site…
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/broadcast/hd_events_template.aspx?id=12572
…or check out a photo gallery from the production at…
http://archives.metoperafamily.org/Imgs/Rheingold1011.htm
To contact me, send an e-mail to cbrowner@taftschool.org.
Wendy Bryn Harmer as Fricka, Adam Diegel as Froh, and Dwayne Croft and Donner – all sang well in their small but important roles. Lisette Oropesa, Jennifer Johnson, and Tamara Mumford were youthful and carefree Rhinemadiens. Gerhard Siegel embodied the weak and clumsy character of Mime, without sacrificing anything vocally. This is an exhilarating cast to inaugurate the Met’s newest Ring Cycle.
