This Opera Goes to Eleven
Often, at the start of the Lyric's season, I think "Why am I doing this?" Operas are long, and expensive, and kind of a chore after a long day at work. Then I see my first opera, and I remember why I sign up for this every year.
Unlike a lot of operas, which are based on forgettable plays of the time, Macbeth has a great libretto to go with Verdi's music (hardly surprising, considering the source). I tend to think of Shakespeare as belonging so much to the English-speaking world that I forget how universally beloved he is. It's great to see how others interpret him, from Verdi to Schiller to Kurosawa. Verdi takes what is a bit of a potboiler, and really ramps up the action with great music. You think three witches are creepy? How about a whole chorus of them, singing to swelling music. It gets awfully close to over-the-top, but then, so was Shakespeare's play.
This is a new production from Barbara Gaines, the artistic director and founder of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and it shows a deep understanding of the source material. There are several asides, particularly during the orchestral sections, which pay off in the end. Also, these are some of the best sets the Lyric has ever had. They are constructed of large burnished steel walls, scorched at the bottom. These are moved into various configurations, sometimes during the action, creating some striking visuals. I honestly hope that when the Lyric retires their tired current production of the Ring Cycle, they get Gaines to design the new one.
The cast is mostly strong. Banquo had a nice, solid bass voice. MacDuff was, sadly, a little weak. I didn't think much of our Macbeth until his final aria, which he pulled off with aplumb. By far the greatest standout was Nadja Michael as Lady Macbeth. Technically, she was great, able to hit high notes without getting shrill (even after the character goes insane and is borderline shrieking). -e thinks her acting was a little too strong out of the gate (as she put it, "writhing just a little to much"), so there was no place for the character to go when she cracks up. I think it was more of a sideways shift. Lady Macbeth, as played here, is a very sensual woman, who really loves the idea of killing her way to the top until she has blood on her hands. So, she starts out going full-bore and keeps at it, even as her writhing gets more jerky and uncontrolled, and the weight of what she's done, and what she's lost, comes down on her.
Sadly, due to changes with our subscription, our subscription is now on a different day from muckefuck and Nuphy's. I already miss our conversations during the very long intermissions, but it does give -e and me a nice night out together.
Unlike a lot of operas, which are based on forgettable plays of the time, Macbeth has a great libretto to go with Verdi's music (hardly surprising, considering the source). I tend to think of Shakespeare as belonging so much to the English-speaking world that I forget how universally beloved he is. It's great to see how others interpret him, from Verdi to Schiller to Kurosawa. Verdi takes what is a bit of a potboiler, and really ramps up the action with great music. You think three witches are creepy? How about a whole chorus of them, singing to swelling music. It gets awfully close to over-the-top, but then, so was Shakespeare's play.
This is a new production from Barbara Gaines, the artistic director and founder of the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and it shows a deep understanding of the source material. There are several asides, particularly during the orchestral sections, which pay off in the end. Also, these are some of the best sets the Lyric has ever had. They are constructed of large burnished steel walls, scorched at the bottom. These are moved into various configurations, sometimes during the action, creating some striking visuals. I honestly hope that when the Lyric retires their tired current production of the Ring Cycle, they get Gaines to design the new one.
The cast is mostly strong. Banquo had a nice, solid bass voice. MacDuff was, sadly, a little weak. I didn't think much of our Macbeth until his final aria, which he pulled off with aplumb. By far the greatest standout was Nadja Michael as Lady Macbeth. Technically, she was great, able to hit high notes without getting shrill (even after the character goes insane and is borderline shrieking). -e thinks her acting was a little too strong out of the gate (as she put it, "writhing just a little to much"), so there was no place for the character to go when she cracks up. I think it was more of a sideways shift. Lady Macbeth, as played here, is a very sensual woman, who really loves the idea of killing her way to the top until she has blood on her hands. So, she starts out going full-bore and keeps at it, even as her writhing gets more jerky and uncontrolled, and the weight of what she's done, and what she's lost, comes down on her.
Sadly, due to changes with our subscription, our subscription is now on a different day from muckefuck and Nuphy's. I already miss our conversations during the very long intermissions, but it does give -e and me a nice night out together.