As I've said before, I am no opera buff, but I didn't need to be to appreciate this wonderful performance. The almost uniformly brilliant vocal performances combined with with tastefully over-the-top acting made for a thoroughly entertaining night.
Donizetti's La Fille du Régiment has, like many operas, a fairly ridiculous storyline, and this was handled perfectly by the star-studded line up of the Met Opera. While emotion was certainly not lacking, you never got the impression that any of the characters were taking themselves too seriously, which made for a very humourous performance. Diana Damrau made Marie the perfect boisterious tom-boy heroine, while Juan Diego Flórez was sublime as the smitten Tonio, his top notes simply gorgeous. In the smaller roles, Meredith Arwardy's voice was not my favourite of the night but she certainly made her presence felt as the Marquise of Berkenfield, and Maurizio Mauro was a very solid Sulpice - the dynamic between him and the Marquise very comic.
The set too was creative, beginning with a barricade built out of furniture that put me in mind of 'Les Miserables', and the floor of the stage covered in huge unfolded maps. While costumes were still period, this more modern setting laid the backdrop for the more contemporary feel of the acting, and further abolished any illusions that the story being enacted was in anyway realistic!
I really don't have a bad word to say about this production, other than that maybe Kiri Te Kanawa hammed up her cameo as the Duchess of Krakenthorp a little too much. It was the first time I have heard dialogue in opera, but it didn't intrude or jar. Donizetti's music is catchy and provides ample oppportunity for the lead roles to show off their vocal prowess - which they did with considerable gusto! It was only a shame that heavy blizzards had kept away much of what should have been a full house at Lincoln Center - what a treat they missed! Flórez is in London doing the same role at the ROH this season, and I am very tempted to go to see him again.
No comments:
Post a Comment