Elizabeth – Last night’s new productions of Mascagni’s Cavalleria Rusticana and Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci were disappointments, but in different ways. Sir David McVicar’s production of Cavalleria Rusticana was very bland. The large stage with the walls of a palazzo at the edges gave the space a sense of grandeur while the set itself was rather minimal. … [Read More]
Looming Strikes and Sterling Tenors: La Cenerentola at the Metropolitan Opera
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… [Read More]
One Set to Rule Them All, And In the Darkness Bind Them: Gotterdammerung at the Metropolitan Opera
On the last day of the 2012-21013 Metropolitan Opera season, we saw the final performance of Gotterdammerung. Elizabeth – From the start of the prologue of Götterdämmerung, I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. Three Norns (whatever those are) are spinning the ropes of Fate, actual ropes, while giving the background of the ring—Wotan,… [Read More]
Money for Nothung: Siegfried at the Metropolitan Opera
We attended the Met season premiere of Siegfried this weekend. Perhaps Wagner has a unifying effect on us. Elizabeth – The Met’s season premiere of Siegfried appeared to go off without a hitch on The Machine’s part. This installation of The Ring had a good deal of levity and some physical humor that I greatly enjoyed. … [Read More]
Mid-Scene Replacements and The Machine Triumphant (Almost): Die Walküre at the Metropolitan Opera
We went to the Met’s season premiere of Die Walküre this weekend with great trepidation. After the epic set fails of The Machine at last Saturday’s season premiere of Das Rhinegold we were prepared for the worst. BUT The Machine executed it’s morphing set changes without a hitch….almost. Perhaps the multi million dollar reinforcements of the stage… [Read More]
Wagner and The Machine Infernal: Das Rheingold at the Metropolitan Opera
We saw the season premiere of Das Rheingold at the Met this weekend. I had never seen it and neither of us had seen the Met’s Robert Lepage production. While there was much fine singing the series of onstage technical snafus made for an interesting matinee. Elizabeth – This was the first time attending any… [Read More]
Diapered Greeks and Trojan Horses: Les Troyens at the Metropolitan Opera
This past week we saw Les Troyens at the Met. At just over five hours, it was by far the longest evening at the opera either of us had ever experienced. Shockingly, we both stayed awake the entire time. Les Troyens is the story of the fall of Troy to the Greeks, the escape from… [Read More]
You, In This Tomb?: Aida at the Metropolitan Opera
This week was my first Aida at the Met–my first Aida being in Syracuse, NY (it’s a long story). Aida is the third Verdi opera I have seen at the Met after Macbeth last year and Ballo last month. Both Macbeth and Ballo were notoriously “modernized” productions so Aida was the first period Verdi I… [Read More]
Zoot Suits, Broadswords and Benny Hill: Ballo at the Metropolitan Opera
We recently went to Ballo at the Met. I had never seen it before so I was excited. But I quickly ended up feeling like I had entered The Twilight Zone. Most of the audience was going wild for the production and I was surprised at what I was seeing and hearing. Now, the music… [Read More]
