MARIA STUARDA at the MET

[whipped guy]

The new production of Donizetti's Maria Stuarda seems to be getting consistently good reviews... at least based on those that I have read. Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato is universally praised in the title role... However, I have always preferred a soprano in the part...and a soprano who can nail a high D at the end of the confrontation scene... such as Sutherland, Sills, Gencer, Ciofi, Devia, and even Caballe' on a good day.

 

Normally we get a soprano Maria with a mezzo Elisabetta. At the MET things are reversed... In fact, I prefer a soprano as Elisabetta as well such as was presented a few years back at La Scala with Devia and Antonacci as Maria and Elisabetta respectively. Since both women are Queens, I somehow think that both should be more or less on equal footing. Of course, the designations between soprano and mezzo-soprano where ill-defined in Donizetti's day... and the first Maria... Maria Malibran... was probably more of a mezzo than a soprano. At any rate, DiDonato is such a wonderful artist that she just might make it all work...

 

Has anyone seen this or heard a broadcast? I don't see it until the end of the month. Does someone nail that high D at the end of Act I... what used to be Act II prior to the publication of the critical edition of the score? That's one interpolation that not only makes one's blood boil, but enhances the musical and dramatic impact of the scene immeasurably! From a dramatic point of view it would even be valid for Elisabetta to show her upper hand by hitting the note...

[hornytwells]

You want the good news or the bad news? Good news: You get a high D from Elisabetta, but only at the end of her aria. Bad news: the critical edition has Elisabetta leave before the end of the finale so she is not on stage at all for the final note of the ensemble, which is a pity because it would have been exciting, however, they would both have to sing it (Like Sills and Galvany did), or maria alone, but not Elisabetta alone, as the scene belongs to Mary

[whipped guy]

Horny... as usual you are right about the critical edition having Elisabetta leave just before the curtain falls on the first act. The La Scala performance follows the critical edition and indeed Elisabetta exits thus leaving the final moments of the stretta of the Act One Finale to Maria. Damn you're good!!!

 

Now I am sure that I am in for another disappointment... I like the Overture... Do they perform it... or the orchestral introduction with the recitative-like clarinet solo... or both as on the Sills recording and at La Scala??? Bonynge originally used the Overture when he and the Mrs. initially performed the piece in San Francisco, but then switched to the orchestral prelude shortly thereafter as preserved in their recording. Also, the "new" opening chorus of the critical edition... which chorus reappears in La Favorite which Donizetti composed a few years later... I would assume that they perform that versus the chorus familiar from the Ceccato/Sills and Bonynge/Sutherland recordings.

[operalover21]

The new production of Donizetti's Maria Stuarda seems to be getting consistently good reviews... at least based on those that I have read. Mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato is universally praised in the title role... However, I have always preferred a soprano in the part...and a soprano who can nail a high D at the end of the confrontation scene... such as Sutherland, Sills, Gencer, Ciofi, Devia, and even Caballe' on a good day.

 

Normally we get a soprano Maria with a mezzo Elisabetta. At the MET things are reversed... In fact, I prefer a soprano as Elisabetta as well such as was presented a few years back at La Scala with Devia and Antonacci as Maria and Elisabetta respectively. Since both women are Queens, I somehow think that both should be more or less on equal footing. Of course, the designations between soprano and mezzo-soprano where ill-defined in Donizetti's day... and the first Maria... Maria Malibran... was probably more of a mezzo than a soprano. At any rate, DiDonato is such a wonderful artist that she just might make it all work...

 

Has anyone seen this or heard a broadcast? I don't see it until the end of the month. Does someone nail that high D at the end of Act I... what used to be Act II prior to the publication of the critical edition of the score? That's one interpolation that not only makes one's blood boil, but enhances the musical and dramatic impact of the scene immeasurably! From a dramatic point of view it would even be valid for Elisabetta to show her upper hand by hitting the note...

 

Actually, online it's gotten mostly mixed to mediocre to bad reviews especially from respected people like Jim Jorden and Zachary Woolfe. I sort of enjoyed the opening night but it was such a party atmosphere that I'm going to see it again a couple times before making up my mind.

 

I wish I could answer your question about the High D but I have never been the kind of person who pays attention to a high note or two. I go to opera for the entire dramatic experience and never focus on the high notes. But I'm guessing that the answer is either no or it was transposed.

[operalover21]

Sadly, one doesn't go to the MET to hear critical editions of works. I mean they're still performing that awful and wretched version of Les Contes d'Hoffmann years after all the critical work done on the piece.

 

They don't seem to care much for scholarship.

[whipped guy]

Sadly, one doesn't go to the MET to hear critical editions of works. I mean they're still performing that awful and wretched version of Les Contes d'Hoffmann years after all the critical work done on the piece.

 

They don't seem to care much for scholarship.

well, I would assume that they are still doing Rossini's Le Comte Ory in the old edition. Rossini scholar Phillip Gossett offered them the new critical edition and they reneged back in 2011. Heck! I play the piano quite badly, but am in the process of purchasing Robert Levin's updated critical edition of the Christa Landon edition of Haydn's piano sonatas. Shoot!! They don't do all that musicological research for nothing!!!

[whipped guy]

PS:

 

Interpolated high notes are a guilty pleasure... If a singer has the note and it's a damn good one... let him or her flaunt it!!!! I think that most composers would agree. I feel cheated if the E- flat is not taken at the end of "Sempre libera"... But I rather hear the lower alternative than a bad E-flat!!!

[foxy]

I heard that Barbra Streisand will be singing that famous aria "Don't Rain on my Parade" at the end of act 1.

[operalover21]

Here's an excerpt from Musical America's excellent analysis of the production:

 

"What's worse, McVicar's direction, expert as it is, does little more than put the story on stage. He seems to have no point of view on the dramatic action, or, to put it another way, the production doesn't really mean anything. This Stuarda displays the same essential approach as John Copley's 2002 Il Pirata at the MET: make it pretty to look at, but no deep meanings, please -- after all, it's only bel canto."

 

For some of us, that's just fine! Don't muck it up with too much meaning ....

[hornytwells]

Whipped-no overture either -and they use the opening chorus from the old edition, not the new critical one. Marias first aria is transposed down a half tone, as is the following duet with Leicester> the big confession scene is done a full tone and the final scene all transposed down a half tone, following the version that Charles Mackerras prepared for Janet Baker at ENO in the mid seventies.

I read three rave reviews (for what they are worth),but I agreed mostly with Jorden-whether you love it or not I think will mostly depend on your opinion of DiDonato's singing of the title role.

As far as critical editions, the Mets refusal to even look at Hoffman and Comte Ory is kind of shameful.......

I don;t believe that they should be followed slavishly, but should serve as the basis of a performance, but the refusal to even look at them strikes me as particularly obtuse......

[operalover21]

Whipped-no overture either -and they use the opening chorus from the old edition, not the new critical one. Marias first aria is transposed down a half tone, as is the following duet with Leicester> the big confession scene is done a full tone and the final scene all transposed down a half tone, following the version that Charles Mackerras prepared for Janet Baker at ENO in the mid seventies.

I read three rave reviews (for what they are worth),but I agreed mostly with Jorden-whether you love it or not I think will mostly depend on your opinion of DiDonato's singing of the title role.

As far as critical editions, the Mets refusal to even look at Hoffman and Comte Ory is kind of shameful.......

I don;t believe that they should be followed slavishly, but should serve as the basis of a performance, but the refusal to even look at them strikes me as particularly obtuse......

 

I've always had problems with Hoffmann over the years until I saw a production at Opera Theater of St. Louis a few years back. They used a new critical edition (I'd have to look up which one) and it just made so much more sense to me and it really "clicked" for me. Now, I can't go back to these bastardized things done at the MET which make a mess of the story. Part of it is Levine. He didn't want to do anything with Hoffmann except what he was doing before. Shame on him.

[hornytwells]

Well he was extremely ill at the time and probably needed to do what he was familiar with, but it was indeed a great shame. I think you mean the Michael Kaye edition of the score. Many feel it suffers from putting in too much, but there is some fascinating material there, and it finally makes sense to have the one herione as it is not for three different voice types> could expound on this much longer, but rushing to a 12 noon appt!

[whipped guy]

Hoffman has always been a favorite, and somehow the old Choudens edition works... and it is familiar... however spurious. However, if there is something better out there why not? However, I recall that a while back the MET did add an extra scene or two from probably the Kaye edition... Possibly even when the current production was new. I am not sure that even Offenbach knew what the final form of the piece would ultimately be. The Bonynge/opera comique version is another interesting take on the Hoffman dilemma... In any event, the Kaye version has so much material that it would be impossible to perform all of it all for one production... and I would not be surprised if more materials are discovered!!!

 

Horny tells us more. Also, definitely the same voice for all heroines.

[hornytwells]

The four heroines were written for Adele Isaac who sang mostly coloratura roles, although (oddly enough) also Carmen. She created the role of Minka in le Roi Malgre Lui, which gives us some idea of her capabilities, as that role requires lots of coloratura fireworks, and also full throated high sustained lyricism, so one can see why offenbach would exploit these abilities. he wrote an extravagant coloratura aria for her as Giulietta, which you can hear Sumi Jo sing on the Alagana recording-although why they chose three different sopranos on that recording I am not quite sure, Dessay as Olympia/Jo as Giulietta and Vaduva. I dont think the Choudens edition is any good once you discover more of Offenbach's intentions, and to put Giulietta act in the middle as was the old tradition makes no sense dramatically. the upcoming production in barcelona was to have starred Dessay in all roles, but now is being divided as she no longer wants to sing Giulietta. Recent production in London starred american soprano Georgia Jarman, who had a big success as all four.

The Bonynge is not really a version based on any authenticity, just an interesting way to flesh out Stella before Kaye publishes all his research.

[uwsman2]

I'm going to the Jan. 19 matinee. All this discussion about critical editions is very impressive. But perhaps the Met also avoids new critical editions to avoid paying royalties! The old corrupt editions are out of copyright, right? The house is in financial trouble these days and cutting corners all over the place.

[operalover21]

Well he was extremely ill at the time and probably needed to do what he was familiar with, but it was indeed a great shame. I think you mean the Michael Kaye edition of the score. Many feel it suffers from putting in too much, but there is some fascinating material there, and it finally makes sense to have the one herione as it is not for three different voice types> could expound on this much longer, but rushing to a 12 noon appt!

 

Sorry, but he was not "ill" at the time and famously gave a press conference in which he just totally pooh-poohed the idea of looking at the critical edition. And the new production he was conducting had been in the works for 4 plus years -- certainly enough time for him to get his act together.

[operalover21]

Hoffman has always been a favorite, and somehow the old Choudens edition works... and it is familiar... however spurious. However, if there is something better out there why not? However, I recall that a while back the MET did add an extra scene or two from probably the Kaye edition... Possibly even when the current production was new. I am not sure that even Offenbach knew what the final form of the piece would ultimately be. The Bonynge/opera comique version is another interesting take on the Hoffman dilemma... In any event, the Kaye version has so much material that it would be impossible to perform all of it all for one production... and I would not be surprised if more materials are discovered!!!

 

Horny tells us more. Also, definitely the same voice for all heroines.

 

Nope, the new MET production from the past few years included nothing new. Levine refused. He's not a particularly searching musician. Once he likes something a certain way or a certain edition, he doesn't change. A great conductor for certain works but not the most curious one if you ask me.

[hornytwells]

Actually it did, in the sense that he included several additions to the Choudens which were from the Oeser edition he conducted in Salzburg, including a trio in the Olympia acta and the Nicklaus violin aria, not in the old Choudens edition the Met used to use

[hornytwells]

Also, operalover, where did you read a review on Stuarda by Zachary Woolfe? I cant find one, do you have a link?

[hornytwells]

I'm going to the Jan. 19 matinee. All this discussion about critical editions is very impressive. But perhaps the Met also avoids new critical editions to avoid paying royalties! The old corrupt editions are out of copyright, right? The house is in financial trouble these days and cutting corners all over the place.

 

It is using the critical edition as the basis of its performance, just not adhering to every page of it, which is fine. But they are certainly using enough of it, including the finale of act 1, to have the pay the (very small) fee that constitutes the use of it.

[whipped guy]

Horny... Again you are a font of knowledge!!! When I heard that DiDonato was Maria I instantly figured that she would do the part alla Janet Baker. However, two acts as opposed to three suggested the critical edition. I guess we are having a conflation of the two.

 

As far as critical editions are concerned, they should be used as the basis for any production. However, the traditions of the time should be considered as well. Heck, Italian conductor Alberto Zedda who was probably the father of the Italians getting things correct in the operatic world often didn't always follow his own critical editions to the T... Such as being a bit naughty and doubling the bass line with trombones in certain parts of Semiramide. As for transpositions, they we commonplace in the Bel Canto era. So hopefully no real harm done.

[hornytwells]

Well I don't think critical editions are formed for the purpose of following them to a t, but just as a basis from which to work and also to separate fact from taste/tradition.> Vocal type and size of house can play a factor in so many decisions. Also, the Janet Baker is not really a recognized "edition", it is just the keys that were comfortable for her to essay the role, and so several mezzos who have done the role since (Sarah Connolly/Ann Murray among them) have also adopted those keys-they are not published and involve several slight rewrites in the recitatives, so not strictly Donizetti! Contrary to opera lover, I have only seen either raves or good reviews, would be interested to see the "mediocre to bad ones" he referred to? I thought this was one of the Mets successes this season?

[whipped guy]

I have not come across any bad notices either.

 

As for critical editions... and especially those that remove editorial additions that have accrued over many years... they actually force the performer to make decisions on how to perform the piece. For example, does a simple "tr" sign mean a long trill, a short shake, a trill with a suffix, does the trill begin on the upper note, or the main note, etc. etc. etc. ??? In other words, as Sartre would have said... When working with critical editions musicians are condemned to choose.

[+ g56whiz]

Oye!!

All this kvelling over Stuarta and critical editions and stuff. Didn't anybody have the kidneys to last through the five hours of Les Troyen and gush over this new tenor, Brian Hymel, who wiped the stage with his Aeneas oh and reportedly with a mere two hour stage rehearsal on Christmas eve? Saw the HD broadcast and he was amazing. I mean it almost made the hour or more of dreadful ballets endurable. This was the first HD broadcast of the season in which there wasn't a single weak spot in the cast. I'm hoping they post it on MetOpera On-Demand soon.

And now back to your regular kvelling.

[hornytwells]

Well not really-a tr simply means to trill, the length of the trill is determined by the length of the note value. Also, whether it begins on the upper or lower note is largely a matter of which period, baroque and Mozart was always begun on the upper, from Rossini onwards it is then a matter of choice and taste rather than correct/incorrect. Critical editions are meant to inform and give the interpreter INFORMED choices-you can choose not to follow the critical edition if you like, but at least you have the facts and as close to the composer's intentions as it is possible to get. Also, many of the score now contain ornamentation by the actual composers-it doesnt mean you have to like it or adhere it it, but at least you can't be accused of being unstylish or anachronistic/tasteless if you do. Some of Rossini and Mozart's own ornamentation is particularly extravagant, largely depending on who they were writing for.