THE HANGOVER REPORT – Messieurs Levine and Domingo revive the Met of old in this season’s SIMON BOCCANEGRA

BOCCANEGRA_Domingo_as_Boccanegra_0554This past weekend, I attended the final performance of this season’s run of Simon Boccanegra at the Metropolitan Opera. In all my years of going to the opera, I had never seen this Verdi piece, a complex tale of political intrigue and family secrets set in medieval Italy. I therefore made it a point not to miss the opportunity to catch it this spring, especially with a couple of living legends – maestro James Levine (aged 72) and Plácido Domingo (aged 75) – at this production’s helm. It was also fitting that they appeared in Giancarlo del Monaco’s highly detailed, sturdily traditional production, one that is reminiscent of the Met productions they triumphed in during their heyday.

Under Mr. Levine – who, due to his string of bouts with health issues, just this past week announced that he was stepping down from his music directorship at the Met after four celebrated decades – the always excellent Met Orchestra responded with both sensitivity and vigor, as demanded by Verdi’s wide-ranging musical and dramatic scenarios. Mr. Domingo in recent years has been ambitiously expanding is operatic repertoire, venturing into heavier vocal roles, as well as conducting. In the title role of Simon Boccanegra, this much-loved tenor tackles a role that’s traditionally sung by a baritone, to respectable results. His voice now, darker and huskier although less robust than the tenor that made him a Met mainstay, does a serviceable job with Verdi’s score. However, it’s his excellent acting and electric stage presence that allows him to triumph in the role. He’s joined in this production by another member of the old guard, the bass Ferruccio Furlanetto, who was in spectacular voice. Rounding out the impressive cast were tenor Joseph Calleja and soprano Lianna Haroutounian, both singing powerfully and effortlessly over the orchestra.

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SIMON BOCCANEGRA
Opera
The Metropolitan Opera
3 hours, 15 minutes (with one intermission)
Closed

Categories: Music, Opera

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