Looking at the Met ‘07-08′: Aida

Well, well, well… I have to say that when I saw this production in the fall of 2005, I was not very impressed until the last act and then I was riveted. We’ll see how it is this time… I’m very optimistic with such an exciting cast! But really, you guys at the Met, do you *need* to take away one of the much needed intermissions? What’s the difference of 20 minutes in a four hour long evening?

Aida by Guiseppe Verdi

(runs from Sept. 29th to Nov. 8th)

PEOPLE MAKING THE MUSIC:

Conductor – Kazushi Ono

Interesting conductor who is making his debut with the Met. Music Director of the Tokyo Philharmonic from 1992-1996. He now is music director of La Monnaie, an opera company in Brussels. There is actually a DVD of Ono conducting Aida with La Monnaie and there’s a short (not particurlarly telling) clip on the web. I’m always looking forward to new conductors at the Met and Maestro Ono certainly has the experience and resume to be conducting here.

Aida – Angela M. Brown/Micaela Carosi

Ms. Brown broke out into the international opera world with an incredible Met debut singing this role in 2004. Having missed that, I’m definitely looking forward to hearing her.

Amneris – Dolora Zajick/Olga Borodina/Luciana D’Intino

What a treat! Ms. Zajick is one of my favorite all-time singers and Ms. Borodina has also impressed me in previous productions. Not to mention the fact that Amneris is probably my favorite “bad girl” in opera (unless we’re talking Carmen, I suppose)… I love her in that last act.

Radames – Marco Berti

Amonasro – Andrezej Dobber/Juan Pons/Mark Delavan

Ramfis – Carlo Colombara/Vitalij Kowaljow

The King – Dimitri Kavrakos/Reinhard Hagen

THE PRODUCTION GUYS:

Production – Sonja Frisell

Assuming that this is the same production I saw, it is awesome! (Except that people had made me believe two years ago, that there were going to be real elephants on stage… Can’t believe I fell for that one!)

Set Designer – Gianni Quaranta

Costume Designer – Dada Saligeri

Lighting Designer – Gil Wechsler

Choreographer – Rodney Griffin

Stage Director – Stephen Pickover

THE JACOB RATING:

3 stars out of 5. OK, it’s not my favorite opera, but with interesting singers and a new conductor… how can I resist?

 

Looking at the Met ‘07-08′: Roméo et Juliette

(note: see edit at the bottom of this post)

The day after Lucia di Lammermoor starts off the new Met season, then will come what will undoubtedly be the most hotly discussed and absolutely sold-out performance of the entire season. Why? Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon. As yes, the Bragelina couple of the opera world. OK, just kidding. But seriously, as opera gossip goes, ask anyone what they think of Netrebko and you’ll get an emotional response (positive or negative).

Before I discuss what I *really* think of the voices of the most popular opera couple, there are two things to clarify. The first is simply to make sure of the fact that you all know that N&V are not actually married in real life. According to them, this is a professional relationship. Fine. The second thing that we all need to face whether we like N&V or not is that they are being treated like movie stars by the Met. I mean, look at this publicity photo on the Met’s website:

C’mon guys… is this an opera photo or a Romance movie? OK, I rest my case. My main problem with this kind of publicity is that this could start becoming an expectation of audiences and thereby keep many incredibly voices from being heard. Do we want opera to become like the movies or pop music where a “beautiful” person with no talent can make a million dollars?

Now let’s talk about talent. Having seen them both perform before, here is where I stand. I first heard Villazon in Rigoletto and was really impressed. I am not a fan of most tenors, but I have to say that I am looking forward to hearing him again. Netrebko I saw in Don Pasquale and was… well, not impressed. She’s clearly talented and brings a lot of energy to the stage. Perhaps as she matures, she will realize that there are times when she can just face the audience and deliever a powerful performance. As it is, there is waaaay too much show going on and not enough music. This is my humble opinion for whatever it is worth.

Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod

PEOPLE MAKING THE MUSIC:

Conductor – Plácido Domingo

Well, many put Domingo down for his conducting. But does the Met orchestra need a conductor? Or do they really just need someone with musical conviction who can inspire and gain their respect? I think Domingo more than qualifies to take the podium for this run.

Juliette – Anna Netrebko

Stéphano – Isabel Leonard

Roméo – Rolando Villazón

Mercutio – Nathan Gunn

Frère Laurent – Kristinn Sigmundsson

THE PRODUCTION GUYS:

Production – Guy Joosten

This is the same production from 2005 at the Met. Apparently it is a bit “weird” as this review would have us believe: http://www.andante.com/article/article.cfm?id=26199

Quote:
“Apparently taking his cue from the prologue of the Shakespeare play, which refers to “a pair of star-cross’d lovers,” Joosten injected astronomy into the opera. While the sides of the stage were brown with trompe l’oeil paintings of Veronese architecture and the floor was a tan checkerboard pattern, at the center was a raked turntable with an astrological table (with the signs in French). There were various backdrops visible through a stage-high round portal, showing a galaxy, the moon and the sun (shining and in eclipse). It was as if the Teatro Olimpico was remodeled into a planetarium.”

Set Designer – Johannes Leiacker

Costume Designer – Jorge Jara

Lighting Designer – David Cunningham

Choreographer – Sean Curran

Fight Director – Dale Anthony Girard

I do not wish to be overly harsh to Netrebko… but after hearing that Ms. Dessay was singing Juliette in 2005, I can help wishing that I could have been there for that. Oh well. Here’s my rating:

THE JACOB RATING:

3 stars out of 5. In otherwords, I’ll be there and will let you all know about it.

EDIT >>>>>>>>

In a strange turn of events, Villazon has canceled all his appearances for the next several months. The big news is the replacement for all the October performances with the Joseph Kaiser, making his Met debut! Roberto Alagna will take the performances in September. Thanks to Zara for mentioning this!

 

Looking at the Met ‘07-08′: Lucia di Lammermoor

The Met starts off their season with a bang, as always.

Here’s the breakdown of this new production:

Lucia di Lammermoor by Gaetano Donizetti

PEOPLE MAKING THE MUSIC:

Conductor – James Levine

This is ALL you need to know. If Levine is conducting, it is gonna be AWESOME!!!!

Lucia – Natalie Dessay

This is Ms. Dessay as Lucia at the Opera de Lyon. Although I personally have not heard her sing, she was chosen as soloist for the Met Orchestra’s Carnegie Hall performance in May. Bottom line: I am expecting to be double-wowed.

Edgardo – Marcello Giordani

Enrico – Mariusz Kwiecien

Raimondo – John Relyea

THE PRODUCTION GUYS:

Production – Mary Zimmerman

Comes from the theatre side of things. She is a highly acclaimed playwright and director. Here’s a snippet from a NY Times review of “The Secret in the Wings”:

“Ms. Zimmerman provides many enchanting morsels of minimalist stagecraft. A forest takes on threatening dimensions as embodied by actors sprouting leafy limbs in place of heads and hands. The failed suitors chase after bouncing red rubber balls representing their detached heads. To suggest a death by shipwreck, an actress steps into a gold frame placed on the floor, which is lifted to symbolize the rising water line.”

It sounds like she might do some pretty interesting things with Lucia. I just hope she doesn’t go too minimalist on us. Opera and minimalist staging just doesn’t work in my opinion. (I was one of those people who suffered through those “glowing shapes” of Lohengrin.)

Set Designer – Daniel Ostling

Costume Designer – Mara Blumenfeld

Lighting Designer – T. J. Gerckens

Choreographer – Daniel Pelzig

THE JACOB RATING:

5 stars out of 5. In otherwords, don’t miss it!