Interludes

2014’s Best in Opera

• By drediman
• December 11, 2014
• No Comments

2014 was an interesting year onstage and off for opera buffs. The summer brought the very real threat of a union strike and lockout at the Met. Luckily, General Manger Peter Gelb was able to negotiate contracts in time to unveil the new season without a hitch. It was also the first year that we got on without New York City Opera. However, more on that to come – we learned recently that there are plans to resuscitate City Opera post-bankruptcy in a new form. Of the approximately 40 opera productions I’ve had the pleasure to attend, there were many of note, making it very difficult for me to whittle my list down to the requisite five. Certainly, the following picks transcended the pack by unequivocally demonstrating the power of opera to elicit drama in music.

1. BILLY BUDD

Quite possibly the most powerful evening at the opera for me all year, the Glyndebourne Festival Opera’s production of Britten’s “Billy Budd” at BAM was a complete triumph. Brilliantly directed with keen sense of claustrophobia and psychological nuance by Michael Grandage, the production featured vocally and dramatically shattering performances by Jacques Imbrailo and especially Mark Padmore as Billy and Vere, respectively. The London Philharmonic sounded incandescent under conductor Mark Elder.

2. PRINCE IGOR

Under Peter Gelb, the Met has commendably made it part of its mission to present radical new productions in hopes of revitalizing the art form. Not surprisingly, the results have been mixed. However, when a new production hits the nail on the head, as Dmitri Tcherniakov’s poetic and transcendent new production of Borodin’s “Prince Igor” did, it makes the all the effort worth it. Tcherniakov’s production brought depth of feeling and cohesion to an essentially unfinished opera. Conductor Gianandrea Noseda led the awesome Met orchestra to give a powerful reading of the opera, and bass Ildar Abdrazakov brought gravity and grace to the conflicted titular character.

3. SALOME

In a one-night-only concert at Carnegie Hall, the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Philharmonic gave a forceful, luscious account of Richard Strauss’s sensational “Salome”. The Viennese forces (led by Andris Nelsons) were miraculous, bringing out all the color and drama from Strauss’s extraordinary score (who needs sets and costumes when you’ve got music and playing this descriptive and intoxicating?). The cast was equally committed and affecting, led by soprano Gun-Brit Barkmin as Salome and bass-baritone Tomasz Konieczny as Jochanaan.

4. MACBETH

The most talked about performance of the season was soprano Anna Netrebko’s Met debut as Lady Macbeth in Adrian Noble’s production of Verdi’s “Macbeth” – and rightfully so. I’ve historically been lukewarm to Ms. Netrebko’s alluring charms in lighter ingénue-type roles, but the majesty and magnetic gravitas she brought to this darker, more mature role (both vocally and dramatically) converted me almost instantly. I can’t wait for her next appearance at the Met in Tchaikovsky’s one act “Iolanta” in few months. Ms. Nebtreko was supported sturdily by baritone Zeljko Lucic as Macbeth and conductor Fabio Luisi, who led an exciting account of Verdi’s score.

5. DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NURNBERG

The current run of Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger” at the Met seems to be a grand farewell on several counts. Sad to say (and I hope I’m wrong), we are likely not going to hear Maestro Levine lead the great Met orchestra to conduct this monumental score for very much longer. We are also not likely to hear veteran bass-baritone James Morris sing Hans Sachs, one of his signature roles, many more times. Also, it has been announced that Otto Schenk’s lovingly traditional and detailed production of “Meistersinger”, a throwback to the good old days at the Met, will be retired after this run to be replaced by a more radical production originating from the Salzburg Festival. I’m happy to report that all aspects of the current run are in tip top shape. I encourage you to bask in these glories while we still have them with us.