Sondra Radvanovsky
shines as Queen Elizabeth I in Roberto Devereux at the Met. This is her
third Donizetti ‘queen’ after Anna Bolena and Maria Stuarda. Polish
baritone Mariusz Kwiecien had been sick and cancelled during the week but was
back for the HD on Saturday matinee (I went twice!). Along with Ms
Radvanovsky from Illinois, we heard Latvian mezzo Elena Garanca as Sarah and
American tenor Matthew Polenzani in the title role. This opera promised
much but delivered even beyond one’s wildest
expectations!
The production by
David McVicar used a formal setting with sliding façade on two levels with
courtiers watching all the proceedings from above. Between the Tower of
London and Henry VIII’s country palace “Nonesuch” scene changes were seamless.
My words must fail
to fully describe the feeling in the house on those nights. All I can
compare it with is the old Sutherland or Pavarotti nights. Electricity in
the air. Expectation and just damn dramatic delivery from all present
demonstrating all the best qualities of good opera. It was tough to
determine who exactly was the star. The overture starts with ‘God save our gracious queen’ which was more than atmospheric (nobody stood up!).
Under Maestro Maurizio Benini the Met orchestra also shone bright.
Ms Garanca was the
surprise for me as she undertook the challenging if somewhat unrewarding role
of the amorous ‘rival’ Sarah. At times I wondered if she had swapped
her score for the coloratura soprano as she soared with elegant legato singing
over an enormous range including some very high notes. Mr Polenzani has
progressed and developed over many years, as Edgardo and Alfredo up to his
current title role which is extremely well acquitted.
Ms Radvanovsky puts
in the most phenomenal vocal and dramatic performance we have seen in a very
long time. Even in the first of three acts (two were put together) she
had a tour-de-force equal to anything else in the repertoire (and reminiscent
of the finale of Lucrezia Borgia). After the almost instantaneous
standing ovation at the end our soprano seemed visibly shocked, looking behind
herself wondering who everybody was applauding. Sutherland sometimes did
something similar in curtain calls: “are you all
applauding little-old-me?” At other
times we received a respectful but regal look, showing no emotion
whatever. At a certain point Ms Radvanovsky kissed her hand and pressed
it to the stage floor.
The curtain calls were more like football than opera. An enthusiast has put a video of the applause onto YouTube! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ9CsPXUD2Q ). The penultimate duet is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leJwthy0xEM Other excerpts c/o Met Opera: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P0JY-So5YE
While the rest of the world saw it live that Saturday, Australians will find it worth a visit to the cinema in July. This obscure but wonderful opera may turn out to be one of the Met’s most popular outreach HD broadcasts to date. Unlike most operas in recent years, the house was completely sold out for these performances.
While the rest of the world saw it live that Saturday, Australians will find it worth a visit to the cinema in July. This obscure but wonderful opera may turn out to be one of the Met’s most popular outreach HD broadcasts to date. Unlike most operas in recent years, the house was completely sold out for these performances.
