Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center. Balcony (Seat A18, $125.50).
Story. See
previous post.
Conductor – Marco Armiliato. Macbeth – Zeljko Lucic, Banguo – Ildar Abdrazakov,
Lady Macbeth – Anna Netrebko, Duncan – Raymond Renault, Macduff – Matthew Polenzani.
This was the first event for us for this concert season
(let’s say it started in September), and I had high expectations for it. The music and the singing was certainly
great, but the whole experience was not as fulfilling as I expected.
First the music, as described in the Program Notes, there
aren’t a lot of hummable tunes (or any, for that matter) in this opera, but
indeed the music is so integral to how the drama unfolds that one doesn’t quite
notice this lack of hummability. All the
principals did superbly. And the orchestra
put in a great performance, starting with the dramatic overture that captured
the tension that was to unfold.
Lucic was simply dependable, and he played the part of
Macbeth well – from his initial hesitancy to eventually becoming comfortable
with murdering his way to being the king.
Netrebko never ceases to amaze. There is no doubt that she has a strong voice,
but as Lady Macbeth there were some passages that called for a soft, high note
(D-flat), and she pulled it off. (In looking
over my previous entry on this opera, from 2008, I remarked that Maria
Guleghina shouted most of the time; so it is not a given.) In Anna Bolena Netrebko proved that she could
project her voice with her back towards the audience, and tonight she did
equally well, lying down. A case perhaps
can be made that her acting skills have improved, but she should “keep her day
job,” as that alone is worth the price of admission.
Polenzani as Macduff had one significant aria, and he
made great use of that opportunity.
Curtain call. Lucic, Netrebko, Chorus Master Palumbo and Armiliato are in the middle. As far as I know, the green flag has nothing to do with Scotland or England.
Before I reread my 2008 blog entry, I had thought this
was a new production, and that the one I saw back then was more “traditional.” Not true, it was the same production – post-WWII
Scotland. Completely unnecessary as one
can do away with the jeep and guns and the drama would be equally compelling.
Which brings me to the next point. I appreciate Shakespeare as opera because (i)
the story is simpler, like a Cliff notes version of the play; (ii) I have trouble
with spoken Shakespearean English, and find the subtitles much easier to
understand; and (iii) I am not that much into plays anyway. However, sitting through this opera the
second time, I thought the story was really a Cliff notes version, and the
drama I felt last time wasn’t there anymore.
Yes, many parts of the story have to be cut, but there are so many repetitions
in the opera that one wonders if they can be replaced with some of the cut
plots to make for a more complex story.
When I did the CYO subscription for this Met season, I
had picked a performance on a different date with Domingo as Macbeth and
Netrebko as Lady Macbeth. A schedule
conflict made the switch to tonight’s performance necessary; and Domingo has
withdrawn from his Met commitments due to allegations of inappropriate
behavior. A sad coda to an otherwise
great career.
There was little traffic on the way up, so we got to the
City at around 6 pm. Coming home turned
out to be slightly problematic as there was construction at Lincoln
Tunnel. After we exit the tunnel, Google
Maps directed to the Turnpike’s western spur, it was a good thing I ignore that
advice as that spur was very congested.
Given I came back a couple of days ago from a long
overseas trip, I was surprisingly awake for the afternoon and the evening.
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