Barber again! An opera-themed post
I just got back from Il Barbiere di Siviglia, and it is a show that defintely bears repeated viewings well! Juan Diego Florez is so much fun to listen to, and now that I've seen a few more shows, I can better appreciate his skill on the long, fluttery arias. He also still loves the solid minute of applause he gets after one particularly long and beautiful aria in the second act. Peter Mattei was great again as Figaro, although I thought he had a little more fun last time on "Largo al factotum," but he still doing a bit of improvising, adding new touches, and as one of my favorite pieces in opera, it still blew me away. I'd take Mattei over any of the recordings I've heard any day, period.
Perhaps some of the stylistic changes were because tonights performance was being broadcast on Sirius radio? I don't know, maybe they just like to change things up in general, plus it has been 4 months since I saw the show's opening night, and the show hadn't been performed in the past few months. And what happened to Figaro's girls? Way less sexual in dress and manner, and they did away with the suggestive position that two of the girls were in with each other when the wagon's sides were opened up (they looked like they had just been involved in a hot make-out session opening night). Now for the lead, poor Rosina. Diana Damrau, who helped make my first Barber the best opera I have ever seen (still to date), was replaced by Joyce DiDonato. I would not be simply being polite to say that DiDonato did a great job to fill those shoes, but even so, it wasn't the same. Not that I'm complaining, but Damrau's performance was just so alluring and provocative, and her voice so shining, that there was no chance, in my mind anyway. I didn't go into it expecting a repeat of that, and it was definitely an enjoyable performance. Plus sitting in the Orchestra was great, although being in the back did dampen some of the reverb of the voices, with the low ceiling over us. While the actors look like ants from the family circle, and you don't hear some of the articulation during the softer parts, you don't have any dampening or sense of "small space" up there. I can see why people with money like to sit in the Grand Tier. I'm glad they are willing to spend that kind of money though, because they essentially subsidize all the other seats - not to mention many of them regularly donate on top of that.
Back on Barber, they did do improve some things, such as the anvil scene. It was amazing and had the "surprise-factor" the first time, but now they are hamming it up even more by having the servant be the only one who notices, and it sends him into an almost slap-stick tizzy of running around in circles, until everyone else notices it right before it finally drops the rest of the way and crushes the pumpkin cart. All this while the entire cast is singing, practically screaming, that "my head is pounding, it feels like an anvil." Just like with movies, I really am a sucker for comedy, which is why I like Barber so much. No one dies, everyone is pretty much okay at the end - Rosina even gives a final parting hug to the bastard who was keeping her captive and tried to force her to marry him (he tries to take advantage of this hug but she gets away and gives him a reproachful glare). And of course the songs. Late in his life, Rossini remarked: "I hope to be survived by, if nothing else, the third act of Otello, the second act of William Tell, and the whole of The Barber of Seville." Of these, only Barber has enjoyed continued play at opera houses worldwide. I sincerely doubt another 190 years will be able to subdue the public's enjoyment of this work.
I am very excited about next season at the Met - season tickets are on sale now if you are interested. My opera calendar now looks like this:
Lucia di Lammermoor - Thursday, September 27, 2007 (This is the second date for the show that is opening the Met's season - really looking forward to seeing Natalie Dessay, and the whole gothic Scottish castle setting)
Nozze di Figaro, Le - Wednesday, November 28, 2007 (just really want to see it)
Iphigenie en Tauride - Wednesday, December 19, 2007 (Susan Graham's supposed to be great, & Placido Domingo!)
Walkure, Die - Wednesday, February 6, 2008 (the ring cycle this summer's sold out so...yay)
Otello - Saturday, March 8, 2008 (Renee Fleming!)
Satyagraha - Monday, April 14, 2008 (American premiere, about Gandhi, and features improvisational puppetry!)
Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail - Wednesday, April 30, 2008 (Diana Damrau=goddess)
The First Emperor - Wednesday, May 14, 2008 (Domingo again!)
I am maybe unreasonably excited about fun things that are yet so far in the future, but still.
Perhaps some of the stylistic changes were because tonights performance was being broadcast on Sirius radio? I don't know, maybe they just like to change things up in general, plus it has been 4 months since I saw the show's opening night, and the show hadn't been performed in the past few months. And what happened to Figaro's girls? Way less sexual in dress and manner, and they did away with the suggestive position that two of the girls were in with each other when the wagon's sides were opened up (they looked like they had just been involved in a hot make-out session opening night). Now for the lead, poor Rosina. Diana Damrau, who helped make my first Barber the best opera I have ever seen (still to date), was replaced by Joyce DiDonato. I would not be simply being polite to say that DiDonato did a great job to fill those shoes, but even so, it wasn't the same. Not that I'm complaining, but Damrau's performance was just so alluring and provocative, and her voice so shining, that there was no chance, in my mind anyway. I didn't go into it expecting a repeat of that, and it was definitely an enjoyable performance. Plus sitting in the Orchestra was great, although being in the back did dampen some of the reverb of the voices, with the low ceiling over us. While the actors look like ants from the family circle, and you don't hear some of the articulation during the softer parts, you don't have any dampening or sense of "small space" up there. I can see why people with money like to sit in the Grand Tier. I'm glad they are willing to spend that kind of money though, because they essentially subsidize all the other seats - not to mention many of them regularly donate on top of that.
Back on Barber, they did do improve some things, such as the anvil scene. It was amazing and had the "surprise-factor" the first time, but now they are hamming it up even more by having the servant be the only one who notices, and it sends him into an almost slap-stick tizzy of running around in circles, until everyone else notices it right before it finally drops the rest of the way and crushes the pumpkin cart. All this while the entire cast is singing, practically screaming, that "my head is pounding, it feels like an anvil." Just like with movies, I really am a sucker for comedy, which is why I like Barber so much. No one dies, everyone is pretty much okay at the end - Rosina even gives a final parting hug to the bastard who was keeping her captive and tried to force her to marry him (he tries to take advantage of this hug but she gets away and gives him a reproachful glare). And of course the songs. Late in his life, Rossini remarked: "I hope to be survived by, if nothing else, the third act of Otello, the second act of William Tell, and the whole of The Barber of Seville." Of these, only Barber has enjoyed continued play at opera houses worldwide. I sincerely doubt another 190 years will be able to subdue the public's enjoyment of this work.
I am very excited about next season at the Met - season tickets are on sale now if you are interested. My opera calendar now looks like this:
Lucia di Lammermoor - Thursday, September 27, 2007 (This is the second date for the show that is opening the Met's season - really looking forward to seeing Natalie Dessay, and the whole gothic Scottish castle setting)
Nozze di Figaro, Le - Wednesday, November 28, 2007 (just really want to see it)
Iphigenie en Tauride - Wednesday, December 19, 2007 (Susan Graham's supposed to be great, & Placido Domingo!)
Walkure, Die - Wednesday, February 6, 2008 (the ring cycle this summer's sold out so...yay)
Otello - Saturday, March 8, 2008 (Renee Fleming!)
Satyagraha - Monday, April 14, 2008 (American premiere, about Gandhi, and features improvisational puppetry!)
Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail - Wednesday, April 30, 2008 (Diana Damrau=goddess)
The First Emperor - Wednesday, May 14, 2008 (Domingo again!)
I am maybe unreasonably excited about fun things that are yet so far in the future, but still.