Elizabeth – The Premiere of La Cenerentola last night was spectacular. Not for the high end fashion (I didn’t see much of that), nor the celebrity crowd (although I’m sure there were some), but solely because of Javier Camarena and Joyce DiDonato. Monday night was the first that I experienced the pure joy of opera, complete with goosebumps, for nearly the entire show. Other opera fans tell me about getting goosebumps at the opera, but that had never happened for me.
This Met production revival of Rossini’s opera sets the stage for a charming comedic opera. Almost everything at Don Magnifico’s dilapidated mansion in Act I appears cockeyed—from the couch missing a leg, to the ripped wallpaper on the walls. Both Rachelle Durkin and Patricia Risley as Cinderella’s step-sisters use the set well in between falling off the couch and bumping into each other and various props as they preen and practically undress to compete for Dandini (whom they think is Don Ramiro, the Prince of Salerno). They have great physical comedy, though they were at times hard to hear.
Musically the first act was a bit uneven, tempo wise. Fabio Luisi conducted ably, as always, but slowed down occasionally for the singers to be able to execute some of Rossini’s more complicated ensemble passages or heavily ornamented arias. As a result, the first act seemed a bit slow at times. But the complicated interplay was great overall.
Pietro Spagnoli, in his debut at the Met, was terrific as Dandini, Ramiro’s valet. I greatly enjoyed Luca Pisaroni as Alidoro (the fairy godfather). I saw him as Caliban in Enchanted Island and loved him in this twist on the typical Cinderella tale as a fairy godfather, complete with perky gold wings.
The cherub faced Javier Camarena is stepping in for the ailing Juan Diego Florez for the first three shows in the run and absolutely sings his heart out. He seemed so relaxed, utterly unburdened and without a care in the world. I have never heard anything so pure or vocally as powerful and emotional as his Ramiro. Absolutely goosebump-inducing. And when paired with Joyce DiDonato’s sweet yet strong Cinderella, it made for a vocally gorgeous coupling. Their duet in the first scene, where both of them quiver tentatively is when Camarena’s voice first grabbed me and gave me an inkling of the night I was in for.
As the opera progressed even the more cynical and hardened opera lovers in the house were won over and cheering for Cinderella and Prince Charming (Ramiro) in this classic fairy tale. The audience was as enthusiastic as I had ever heard them be and there were more smiles and good cheer than I have every experienced at the Met as the crowd floated out of the house. An interesting counter point to the elation of the crowd was what we found backstage after the show. The union conflicts and looming threat of strike at the Met was in the air as a very nice and well-spoken man backstage gave us these buttons that matched his shirt.
Despite the wonderful and exhilarating opening night for La Cenerentola, the threat of a strike that could close down the Met for next fall was already casting a pall on the evening.
Shawn – Monday’s premiere of La Cenerentola reminded me why I go to opera in the first place. Thrills, goosebumps and exhilaration.
From his first entrance, Javier Camarena, whom I had seen in La Sonnambula a month ago, grabbed me. His high notes pierced from the stage directly to the base of my spine.
Joyce DiDonato was predictably superb. Sweet, likable, lovely, often thrilling. She and Camarena’s Act One duet sparkled. But it was Camarena’s night. His Act Two aria was as riveting and exhilarating a performance as I have seen all year. I had goosebumps all the way through and was literally vibrating in my seat completely lost in the moment. So was the audience. A moment and performance like that is the reason we go to the opera. Or engage with art in general. The ovation after his Act Two aria was as wild, vocal, and extended as I have heard since my childhood. Although I missed much of it due to my own screaming. The audience was absolutely united in their screaming, cheering adoration of Camarena and of what they had just witnessed. This is another reason we actually go to the opera, not the bitchy over-analysis, self aggrandizing and ultimately meaningless duels of opinion and arm chair general managing, but being united as witnesses to something beautiful, moving and even sacred that will never happen in the exact same way ever again.
The Act Two ovation went on so long I feared at one point Camarena would have to come out and take a bow, thusly stopping the show, but we pulled ourselves together eventually and the show continued.
Pietro Spagnoli was self assured, funny and excellent in his debut as Dandini. Hopefully we will see more of him. The lovely Rachelle Durkin and Patricia Risley were both strong, their voices shining through the often over the top and sometimes nonsensical slapstick stage business of the production. And the always strong Luca Pisaroni, whom I loved in The Enchanted Island, was excellent as Alidoro.
Javier Camarena was not scheduled to sing in La Cenerentola but stepped in for the ill Juan Diego Florez for the first three performances of the run. Nor is he scheduled to sing at the Met at all next season. But who knows what could happen next February when DiDonato and Juan Diego Florez are scheduled to sing in a new production of Rossini’s La Donna del Lago? Perhaps Florez will call in sick again and Camarena will be tapped to step in. I would go far to see Camarena and DiDonato onstage together again and I always have an excess of germs that time of year. Hmmmmmm…
– Elizabeth Frayer and Shawn E Milnes
(Photos Courtesy or Metropolitan Opera Facebook Page)
Related Links:
Cartwheeling Sopranos and Javier Camarena: La Sonnambula at the Metropolitan Opera
A Different Kind of Demon Barber: Sweeney Todd at Avery Fisher Hall
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