I won Met lotto for the matinee performance this afternoon and it's pretty good. Maybe the best cast ever for this particular opera production. Hampson is better in this part than Alvarez and Lucic. Has more lyrical and musical delivery than his predecessors and he played Macbeth as a politician that's out of his depth, which I think is right, (as opposed to the way most actors like to do that part which is as "Dr. Evil".)
Nadja Michael is an ideal Lady Macbeth -- loud, high, not afraid to do those ugly chest notes. She's a natural Ice Queen and loves it.
Groissbeck was a very good and sensitive Banquo. Pittas made the most of his part. Also, clarinet sounded good, will check out who it is when I go to the Traviata dress in a couple of weeks.
This afternoon was Hampson's 25th anniversary singing at the Met and Gelb gave him the original portrait of T.H. as Count that hung in the Ponelle production of Figaro.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Weekend note
A correspondent sent me this review of Saturday's matinee Macbeth:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Have you had a chance to hear a performance of this run?
ReplyDeleteNadja Michael sounded horrific on the radio. No facility in the florid stuff at all. Good loud high notes though. The high C in the opening recit was one of the best notes of the evening.
ReplyDeleteTonight, in fact.
ReplyDelete