Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Nights at the opera: Terence Blanchard’s jazzy, turbulent CHAMPION opens & Lise Davidsen glimmers in DER ROSENKAVALIER

• By drediman
• April 12, 2023
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On two consecutive nights this week, I had the opportunity to take in a pair of notable productions at the Metropolitan Opera – one an anticipated premiere and the other a much-loved warhorse. As always, here are my thoughts.

CHAMPION
The Metropolitan Opera
In repertory through May 13

First up was the Metropolitan Opera premiere of Terence Blanchard’s 2013 opera Champion (RECOMMENDED). The opera – which comes to the Met on the heels of the multiple Grammy-winner’s triumphant Fire Shut Up in My Bones last season – tells the true story of Emile Griffith, a gay prizefighter whose life takes a melancholy turn when he tragically kills a homophobic competitor at a boxing match. Featuring a boldly jazzy score by Blanchard a splintered yet cohesive libretto by Michael Cristofer, the opera brings vitality to Griffith’s complexity and his turbulent journey through life. Director James Robinson and choreographer Camille A. Brown bring dynamic visual flair and an exciting pulse to the storytelling. On opening night, some of the vocal performances started off a bit tentative, but they grew with confidence over the course of the evening. Nevertheless, many of the performances were uncommonly raw and emotionally on edge, starting with the tag-team work by bass-baritones Ryan Speedo Green and Eric Owens as young and old Emile, respectively. Each dug into and navigated the troubled psychological depths of the troubled boxer with thorough commitment. Among the supporting players, particularly memorable were sopranos Latonia Moore and Stephanie Blythe, whose deliciously boisterous performances nearly stole the show. In the pit, maestro Yannick Nézet-Séguin brought drive and color to Blanchard’s occasionally repetitive but beguilingly distinctive score. On the whole, Champion is one of the more exciting specimens of contemporary opera I’ve encountered as of late.

DER ROSENKAVALIER
The Metropolitan Opera
In repertory through April 20

Then the following evening, I returned to Lincoln Center to take in the Met’s production of Richard Strauss’s beloved opera Der Rosenkavalier (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED). The main reason to catch the revival is the chance to witness the Met debut of Lise Davidsen — a Norwegian soprano who gave one of the most sensational vocal performances in recent memory in last season’s Ariadne auf Naxos, also by Strauss — as the Marschallin (a role that was once all but synonymous with the great Renée Fleming). In short, she did not disappoint, giving a dramatically detailed and sensitive portrayal that showcased her range as a singer and actress. Vocally, she glimmered in both the more introspective passages, as well as the more operatic moments, during which she unleashed her massive, golden instrument. It’s a performance that will only grow richer over time. Also sparkling in the trouser role of Octavian was mezzo-soprano Samantha Hinkey, who matched and complimented Davidsen’s mature and regal performance with a youthful portrayal that popped confidently from the stage. As Sophie, soprano Erin Morley was charming if vocally underpowered, relatively speaking. Returning to the role of Baron Ochs was bass Günther Groissböck, as delectably boorish as ever. Throughout, the conducting by Simone Young was buoyant, particularly in the third act, where the lengthy opera tends to lose some audience members. The stylish 2017 production by Robert Carsen — in my opinion, one of the most astute opera directors working today — remains remarkably fresh, injecting a fresh perspective on love and life among Viennese aristocratacy.