Le Comte Ory at the MET

[whipped guy]

Alternate titles to this posting:

 

A singing nun at the MET… and “she’s” a tenor!

 

A French Ménage a Trois at the MET

 

An interesting “Threesome” at the MET

 

Rossini’s French comedy Le Comte Ory was the fourth production I saw at the MET this season and by far it was the most satisfying. The staging is by Bartlett Sher and as in his previous two productions for the MET (Il Barbiere di Siviglia and Les Contes d’Hoffmann) he has a knack for capturing the essence of the pieces he produces. Needless to say, this production has more in common with his streamlined and clean-cut production of Il Barbiere as opposed to the more plush and spacious staging of Hoffmann.

 

The basic concept, which I thought might be somewhat gimmicky, is a stage within a stage where the audience is seeing the prompter and various stagehands manipulating the various stage effects and scenery as would have been done in 1828, the year of the opera’s composition. While such a conception could ultimately prove to be overly distracting, the overall effect proved to be quite successful… and especially so in the storm scene in the second act… where stagehands operated a wind machine, produced thunder from a sheet of metal, and even attempted a primitive attempt at producing lightening. In fact even during intermission one could view the stage hands setting up props and adjusting the lighting as would have been done in the early Nineteenth Century. Similarly the costumes had the aura of a Nineteenth Century viewpoint of the Middle Ages and as such proved to be an effective component of the staging.

 

Still, however inventive the production, in a Bel Canto opera it is the singing that counts and here the MET delivered in spades. In the title role as the lecherous Count Ory, who disguises himself as both a holy man and ultimately as a nun to have his way with the Countess Adele, Juan Diego Florez was in his element. He is of course a natural Rossinian but here proved to be quite adept at soft singing as well… as he phrased more elegantly than in the past. Yes, he produced vocal fireworks, but this was tempered by a sense of line that suggests that he understands the difference between the French as opposed to Italian Rossini.

 

As Adele Diana Damreau was a coloratura tour du force. In the past I have found her to be shrill and not very careful or elegant in her phrasing. However, on this occasion she had her voice more or less under control so except for some fleeting moments in her opening aria such shortcomings were barely noticeable. Moreover, she looked graceful and ravishingly beautiful… features that were mirrored by her vocal production… and indeed her voice seemed to get more stunning and secure as the evening progressed. In the trouser role of the count’s page Isolier Joyce DiDonato was simply spectacular… her voice being evenly produced and plush throughout its entire range. Would that she had an aria all to herself! The remainder of the cast was uniformly excellent and except for a minor tendency to push codas a bit too forcefully in an attempt to create additional excitement (enthusiasm that is already written into the music) the conducting of Maurizio Benini was spot on… and especially in the many complicated concerted numbers where ensemble was precise and accurate to the point of perfection

 

It had been a while since I had heard this opera and after finally seeing it on the stage I now consider it to be among Rossini’s finest creations... and definitely his most advanced opera. This may have been his penultimate operatic composition, and the colossal Guillaume Tell was still to come, but length and massiveness do not necessarily equal superiority. (Think Wagner at his most overblown!) As evidence I point to the stylish and elegant trio that occurs just prior to the opera’s finale… I am not even sure if Mozart composed a piece that was more tastefully elegant.

 

Ah, the trio… the bedroom ménage a trois… the “threesome” that is the climax of the piece. Yes this unique trio has a man pretending to be a woman and a man played by a woman both attempting to make love to the soprano… that this scene has two “men” who inadvertently end up in each others arms in a passionate embrace is all part of the hilarity… but here we are witness to an amusing quality that is tempered by the urbanity that is a Rossinian trademark. As a result, nothing seems “over the top”, but rather always in check, and that enhances the theatrical effectiveness of this marvelous scene.

 

So at the very least an interesting opera… and had it never been composed I can’t imagine how Offenbach and other composers of French comic opera would ever have existed… and even if Rossini’s sophisticated and refined version of farce was hardly ever equaled by later purveyors of the genre. Plus, the tunes, the melodies… what a cornucopia of delights!

 

So get to see this… and if you can’t get to the MET definitely catch it when it will be simulcast in HD in theaters on April 9.

[uwsman2]

Seeing it on Saturday. Thanks for the preview!

[jackcali]

Whipped, your knowledge is so extensive and your critical judgment so acute that I'm almost embarrassed to add my own comments.

 

I saw last Tuesday's performance, and Senor Florez was not in great voice during the first act and Joyce DiDonato also took some time to settle down. Diana Damreau, however, was spectacular from beginning to end, and stole the show. The rest of the cast was fine. The performance ended strong, including the wonderful 'threesome' scene, though that wasn't enough to redeem the performance for me.

 

It seems to me that this opera, and perhaps all bel canto operas, are such airy constructions that everyone must be perfect to pull them off. I'm glad the performance you saw was one of those. And I hope next Saturday's is for uwsman, too.

[uwsman2]

Saw it this afternoon at the Met, and some friends saw the live HD broadcast in a theater.

I don't think this is Rossini at his very best, but there were some terrific moments, especially in the second act. Juan Diego Florez was in great voice. According to the live interview at intermission, he dashed to the theatre from his wife's bedside, having just observed the delivery of their new child. Watta trouper!

[jackcali]

Yes, the story of his leaving after his son's birth to perform got some attention here in the press. What I hear from a friend who works at the Met is that he's a very down-to-earth friendly guy, without any of the diva-ish qualities we come to expect from stars. He certainly has a charming stage presence -- this is a perfect role for him.

[doitb4ugo]

As a novice and newbie regarding Opera, I had a chance to see Le Comte Ory at my local theater. This was the fourth opera I saw this season....I can only say that as a causal observer, this was the best overall performance I have seen....It seemed a bit slow to start but did not take loing to hook me....The enjoyment level was very high and I thought the performances were superb. I was also pleased with the overall use of staging and the simplicity of the sets. I think the stage within a stage made the sections of Rossini's score work quite well when no singing was taking place....Admittedly, I don't have any historical perspective to draw on....thus I seem to be impressed with all of the operas I have seen,,,but for different reasons...This one was a downright HOOT.

 

Thanks to Whipped Guy for giving me a heads up to see this...It is not one I would have selected myself...

[whipped guy]

Follow-up after viewing HD Theater-cast:

 

I had not indented to see this again, but a free ticket dropped into my hands and I took advantage of that fact. Incidentally this was my first HD MET theater-cast and if the singing were not as good as when seen live the close-up depiction of the acting might have provided some sort of compensation. However, from a vocal point of view the performers were all on top of their game and if anything Diana Damreau was better than when heard live. The voice was definitely completely warmed up at her entrance and her coloratura flourishes during the cabaletta of her opening aria were sung more precisely than when experienced in the house. Incidentally she not only held the final E-flat in alt of the aria longer than when witnessed live, but also interpolated an extra high note at the opera’s conclusion… so she was most definitely in confident voice.

 

All in all, seeing the HD broadcast of this production a mere week after seeing it live in the theater was just as satisfying. In fact seeing the details of the costumes and sets seemed to enhance the experience… but in a different way from seeing it in the flesh… and speaking of flesh the shear size of some of the boobs sported by the Countess and her attendants certainly makes one realize why Count Ory and his henchmen were so fixated with the women of Formountier Castle! Live is indeed better, but this was another form of experiencing opera where the fine points were made much more vivid than could be discerned from a seat in the Grand Tier of the MET’s vast auditorium. I hope that a DVD is in the works as the camera-work accurately represented the aura of the production even if in a quite diverse manner than when seen in person.

 

Incidentally Juan Diego Florèz must have been on quite the “high” as his wife did indeed give birth to their first child… a son… literally minutes before curtain time… This did not seem to affect his performance adversely. However, he did seem a bit cautious in his opening solo and altered at least one embellishment to avoid a higher alternative… also when he is unmasked as Ory at the end of the first act he did not hold the high note as long… and it actually made better musical sense compared to the “over the top” alternative. Incredibly he noted in his intermission interview that he had not slept all night in anticipation of the happy event. One would never have guessed that from seeing the enthusiasm and zest in his performance.

 

PS: Rich... glad that you enjoyed it!

[cany10011]

I'm looking forward to seeing it next Monday:) Thanks guys for the reviews!

 

I had not indented to see this again, but a free ticket dropped into my hands and I took advantage of that fact. Incidentally this was my first HD MET theater-cast and if the singing were not as good as when seen live the close-up depiction of the acting might have provided some sort of compensation. However, from a vocal point of view the performers were all on top of their game and if anything Diana Damreau was better than when heard live. The voice was definitely completely warmed up at her entrance and her coloratura flourishes during the cabaletta of her opening aria were sung more precisely than when experienced in the house. Incidentally she not only held the final E-flat in alt of the aria longer than when witnessed live, but also interpolated an extra high note at the opera’s conclusion… so she was most definitely in confident voice.

 

All in all, seeing the HD broadcast of this production a mere week after seeing it live in the theater was just as satisfying. In fact seeing the details of the costumes and sets seemed to enhance the experience… but in a different way from seeing it in the flesh… and speaking of flesh the shear size of some of the boobs sported by the Countess and her attendants certainly makes one realize why Count Ory and his henchmen were so fixated with the women of Formountier Castle! Live is indeed better, but this was another form of experiencing opera where the fine points were made much more vivid than could be discerned from a seat in the Grand Tier of the MET’s vast auditorium. I hope that a DVD is in the works as the camera-work accurately represented the aura of the production even if in a quite diverse manner than when seen in person.

 

Incidentally Juan Diego Florèz must have been on quite the “high” as his wife did indeed give birth to their first child… a son… literally minutes before curtain time… This did not seem to affect his performance adversely. However, he did seem a bit cautious in his opening solo and altered at least one embellishment to avoid a higher alternative… also when he is unmasked as Ory at the end of the first act he did not hold the high note as long… and it actually made better musical sense compared to the “over the top” alternative. Incredibly he noted in his intermission interview that he had not slept all night in anticipation of the happy event. One would never have guessed that from seeing the enthusiasm and zest in his performance.

 

PS: Rich... glad that you enjoyed it!

[whipped guy]

Scholar says the MET got things wrong!

 

When I attended this production in the theater I was surprised that the program notes were not supplied by the noted Italian Opera scholar Philip Gossett as usually is the case. However, an article I just read from the NY Times explains why. It seems that a new scholarly edition of the opera was recently made available and the MET refused to use it saying it did not meet their deadline... a pity as it includes additional music that was recently discovered...Specifically the first act finale has dueling choruses and the short second act finale is expanded by an additional 100 bars of music. I have always thought that the ending was a bit perfunctory and truncated... and now it has come to light that the changes to the endings of both acts was the work of the publisher who simplified things for provincial opera houses. Furthermore there are many other minor changes to the score as well. Ironically the "provincial" Zürich Opera House presented the work in this new critical edition last January... or is the "august" MET the real provincial opera house???

 

I guess the MET needs to do it all over again to make things right...