As my lovely fiancée had an engagement doing good deeds, I asked my friend, Bryce, to Guest Commentate for the evening.
Shawn – First off, Carnegie Hall has huge dispensers with free Ricola at every lobby entrance to the theatre. Met take note! Would help the endless cacophony of coughing and hacking that plagues every Met performance from November to March.
 |
| Norman Treigle |
I have only heard one full recording of Boito’s Mefistofele: Norman Treigle, Placido Domingo and Monserrat Caballe conducted by Julius Rudel in 1973. But I listen to it endlessly. I am mildly obsessed with Norman Treigle. I am a Treigle-ite.
So it was with great interest that I went to Carnegie Hall to hear Eric Owens and The Collegiate Chorale perform Mefistofele on Wednesday night. It has not been heard in New York City since 2000.
I am very, very glad I did. They could just fully stage this concert version with the same cast and send it out. In fact they should do this now.
Arturo Chacon-Cruz, of whom I had not heard before, soared as Faust (his top voice almost blew my hair back) and Juliana Di Giacomo in the dual role of Margherita and Helen of Troy was excellent.
 |
| Eric Owens |
The Wagner, Joseph Michael Brent, I saw twice this past summer in Martina Arroyo’s Prelude To Performance program as an excellent Hoffman in their production of Tales of Hoffman AND in a Master Class with Eric Owens. I wonder if Owens tapped him for the Carnegie gig off the strength of his performance in the Master Class. I’ll have to ask someone.
The great Eric Owens looked appropriately Mephistophelean perched on a red velvet chair onstage in a lovely black on black tux. He was excellent as always. He is always the best thing in whatever I see him in. He did hoarse out a touch on the penultimate high note in Ecco Il Monde but was otherwise absolutely thrilling. (For the record he was sitting onstage without water the entire concert.)
He was different than Norman Treigle, but everyone is. As I said I am Treigle-ite, so my enjoyment of Owens’ performance speaks volumes as to his artistry.
The Manhattan Girl’s Chorus under Michelle Oesterle were adorable and sang from the house left balcony beautifully and without scores.
 |
| James Bagwell |
The audience went wild at the end of the performance, clogging the aisles in their effort to rush the stage. Wonderful to see such enthusiasm at a classical performance.
Conductor James Bagwell, the American Symphony Orchestra and The Collegiate Chorale gave me goose bumps during the Prologue AND the Epilogue. Actual goose bumps. Twice. It’s been a long time since I was thrilled enough to have goose bumps in the theatre. (Parsifal last year maybe.) And I can’t remember the last time a performance gave me them twice. And isn’t that what it’s all about really? 
Eric Owens was solid in the lead role singing with masterful elegance while sitting on his red velvet throne. Arturo Chacon-Cruz sang Faust with such youthful vigor, passion and intensity that I almost creamed in my short-shorts.
Bryce – It’s not often you get to hear Boito’s Mefistofele live and with a star of the caliber Eric Owens brought to The Collegiate Choral’s concert performance at Carnegie Hall’s Isaac Stern Auditorium. Joining them was the impressive American Symphony Orchestra as well as the capably adorable talents for the Manhattan Girls Chorus under the direction of Michelle Oesterle.
Eric Owens was solid in the lead role singing with masterful elegance while sitting on his red velvet throne. Arturo Chacon-Cruz sang Faust with such youthful vigor, passion and intensity that I almost creamed in my short-shorts.Julianna di Giacomo provided a glorious full sound handling the double roles of Margherita and Elena with two beautifully different characterizations of two very distinct women. A struggle after my own heart.
Teresa Buchholz provided the audience with a cheerful Marta and reserved Pantalis. Joseph Michael Brent rounded out the cast as Wagner and Nereo.
From awe-inspiring refrains of Boito’s angelic choirs to the simple yet clever bounce of the devil’s traveling music, the orchestra handled the score with verve and often provided the audience with chilling bumps.
Leading the evening was conductor James Bagwell who provided a sturdy performance of the rarely performed masterpiece with only a few hiccups throughout the evening. The cast of hundreds arrived at the finish line to the uproarious ovation of the audience in attendance and thankfully I had a change of short-shorts handy.
– Shawn E Milnes and Bryce Smith
Related Links:
Six Characters in Search of a Murder: Two Boys at the Metropolitan Opera
Wagner and The Machine Infernal: Das Rheingold at the Metropolitan Opera
A Drag Party on the Deck of the Titanic: The US Premiere of Anna Nicole (NYCO at BAM)
Leave a Reply