THE HANGOVER REPORT – Stellar vocals save the Met’s clunky production of Rossini’s rarely-performed SEMIRAMIDE

Ildar Abdrazakov and Angela Meade in Rossini's "Semiramide" at The Metropolitan Opera.

Ildar Abdrazakov and Angela Meade in Rossini’s “Semiramide” at The Metropolitan Opera.

I recently had a chance to catch the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Rossini’s Semiramide. The bel canto opera, one of Rossini’s final operas and one that’s rarely in the repertoire these days, tells the exotic story of a ruthless Babylonian queen (the titular Semiramide) and her scheming, lustful ploys. It’s all very melodramatic – with elements of the supernatural thrown in for good measure – but it all just contributes to the exhilarating effect of Rossini’s impressive vocal writing.

Thankfully, the Met has assembled a cast able to do Rossini’s score mostly full justice. In the title role, American soprano Angela Meade was stellar. Her voice has the power and agility to power through the difficult role with effortless vigor and style. As her victims, Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov and American mezzo-soprano Elizabeth DeShong (in a trouser role) both took on their vocal tasks with spectacular attack, sounding at the top of their respective games. Rounding out the cast were the solid tenor Robert McPherson and bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green.

Unfortunately, John Copley’s traditional staging is a clunker. Despite the lavish resources it’s been given and the opera’s fantastical plot (there were plenty opportunities to dazzle here), the production is inert and theatrically unimaginative. Even the talented cast looked a bit lost navigating the huge Met stage; they seem to have been given very little dramatic direction for this problematic revival. Nevertheless, the evening was a success purely on the excellence of the music-making. In addition to the splendid voices of the principal cast, the Met Orchestra, under the baton of Gareth Morrell, sounded wonderful – bringing out the theatrical intensity in Rossini’s rhythmic score – as did the dependable Met Chorus.

RECOMMENDED

 

SEMIRAMIDE
Opera
The Metropolitan Opera
3 hours, 30 minutes (with one intermission)
Through March 17

Categories: Music, Opera, Other Music

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