I don't consider Macbeth one of Verdi's best operas, but I love the compelling story and stirring music(the best being the banqueting scene, the sleepwalking scene, the battle and Lady Macbeth's act 2 aria) and consider it one of Verdi's best operas of his early period. Previously, I'd seen the Nucci/Verrett/Ramey, Bruson/Zampieri/Morris, Hampson/Maroccu/Scanduizzi and Cappuccilli/Verrett/Ghiaurov productions and I love them all, especially the Cappucilli, Verrett and Ghiaurov La Scala production. This Met Macbeth was mostly very enjoyable, but not as good as the above. What makes me not rank this Macbeth production as high is mainly the staging. Macbeth is a dark opera, that does have moments of intensity and eccentricity, but the staging is perhaps a little too eccentric. Visually it is not a very appealing production, the lighting is very atmospheric but the sets do look at times too sparse and unimaginative and the updated costumes I had mixed feelings on, Lady Macbeth's frocks especially are pretty dreadful and rather unflattering, making Guleghina's breasts literally hang out.
Some bits of staging are fine, the banqueting scene is robust and intense, the summoning demons cabaletta is incredibly exciting and the whole murder plot duet is beautifully sung and acted by both Guleghina and Lucic. What I didn't like so much were the witches reminiscent of bag ladies, the witches themselves were very well portrayed but the whole image of them stomping around in those costumes took the impact away from their scenes, Lady Macbeth's breasts hanging out of her frocks, which didn't flatter Guleghina at all and Banco carrying a machine gun, which even for an updated setting seemed anachronistic considering the action and music of the opera. However, the High Definition looks absolutely splendid, no surprise seeing as (almost) all the Met productions of this series look great technically. The camera work helps to enhance the atmosphere, the picture quality is clear and the sound perfectly compliments the music as for this opera it should do. When it comes to the music and how it's performed, the production is absolutely outstanding. The orchestra as well as playing powerfully show an emotional complexity, conveying spookiness in the witches' scenes, weariness and heartbreak in the people of Scotland scenes, intensity in Lady Macbeth's arias with their giant leaps and when her hold of Macbeth is revealed and sympathy in Macbeth's final aria.
The chorus are wonderfully blended with attention to musicality, and never static. James Levine's conducting is precise and energetic, I really got the sense that this was a score that was held dear to his heart and that he felt the music in his bones, and no wonder. The performances are just great, there are a few vocal short-comings but the acting ensures that the drama really hits close to home. Vocally, my personal favourite was John Relyea as Banco(Ghiaurov is still my favourite though), whose voice is deep and powerful, with a certain beauty and nobility to it. When it comes to the acting it is solid, it is not as good as his performance as Mephistopheles in La Damnation De Faust-though that role perhaps required more to do- which was my favourite performance of his so far of the Met HD series, but it is better than his rather stiff Alidoro in La Cenerentola. Dramatically, the standout was Maria Guleghina as Lady Macbeth, it is a superb, bloodcurdling performance, for me of the productions I've seen only Verrett acted this role better, in perhaps the most difficult female Verdi role after Abaigaille in Nabucco. She sings with abandon and attack, mostly huge and thrilling while not necessarily beautiful, but I did find some of her colouratura sloppy and shrill at times. I don't think it helped her much that some of her most difficult passages were staged with her lying down, where the voice isn't as easy to control I don't think.
Zeljko Lucic I was looking forward to seeing, after being impressed by his Count DiLuna and Rigoletto. His Macbeth is impressive indeed, like Guleghina his interpretation of the cold-blooded murderer that you garner some sympathy for in his final aria is very vivid and I never got the sense that he lost the character. Mostly he is fine vocally, the musicianship, tuning and diction I admired, though I can understand why some mayn't like his somewhat dry tone- I much prefer Cappuccilli's beauty of tone, Carlos Alvarez's dark, burnished one, Nucci's agility and firmness, Milnes' characterful authority and Bruson's richness myself- and some of his high notes show signs of strain, but he is still convincing. Macduff is very moving, and the Witches are spooky personified. In conclusion, very enjoyable production if not my favourite of the Macbeths I've seen. 8/10 Bethany
Some bits of staging are fine, the banqueting scene is robust and intense, the summoning demons cabaletta is incredibly exciting and the whole murder plot duet is beautifully sung and acted by both Guleghina and Lucic. What I didn't like so much were the witches reminiscent of bag ladies, the witches themselves were very well portrayed but the whole image of them stomping around in those costumes took the impact away from their scenes, Lady Macbeth's breasts hanging out of her frocks, which didn't flatter Guleghina at all and Banco carrying a machine gun, which even for an updated setting seemed anachronistic considering the action and music of the opera. However, the High Definition looks absolutely splendid, no surprise seeing as (almost) all the Met productions of this series look great technically. The camera work helps to enhance the atmosphere, the picture quality is clear and the sound perfectly compliments the music as for this opera it should do. When it comes to the music and how it's performed, the production is absolutely outstanding. The orchestra as well as playing powerfully show an emotional complexity, conveying spookiness in the witches' scenes, weariness and heartbreak in the people of Scotland scenes, intensity in Lady Macbeth's arias with their giant leaps and when her hold of Macbeth is revealed and sympathy in Macbeth's final aria.
The chorus are wonderfully blended with attention to musicality, and never static. James Levine's conducting is precise and energetic, I really got the sense that this was a score that was held dear to his heart and that he felt the music in his bones, and no wonder. The performances are just great, there are a few vocal short-comings but the acting ensures that the drama really hits close to home. Vocally, my personal favourite was John Relyea as Banco(Ghiaurov is still my favourite though), whose voice is deep and powerful, with a certain beauty and nobility to it. When it comes to the acting it is solid, it is not as good as his performance as Mephistopheles in La Damnation De Faust-though that role perhaps required more to do- which was my favourite performance of his so far of the Met HD series, but it is better than his rather stiff Alidoro in La Cenerentola. Dramatically, the standout was Maria Guleghina as Lady Macbeth, it is a superb, bloodcurdling performance, for me of the productions I've seen only Verrett acted this role better, in perhaps the most difficult female Verdi role after Abaigaille in Nabucco. She sings with abandon and attack, mostly huge and thrilling while not necessarily beautiful, but I did find some of her colouratura sloppy and shrill at times. I don't think it helped her much that some of her most difficult passages were staged with her lying down, where the voice isn't as easy to control I don't think.
Zeljko Lucic I was looking forward to seeing, after being impressed by his Count DiLuna and Rigoletto. His Macbeth is impressive indeed, like Guleghina his interpretation of the cold-blooded murderer that you garner some sympathy for in his final aria is very vivid and I never got the sense that he lost the character. Mostly he is fine vocally, the musicianship, tuning and diction I admired, though I can understand why some mayn't like his somewhat dry tone- I much prefer Cappuccilli's beauty of tone, Carlos Alvarez's dark, burnished one, Nucci's agility and firmness, Milnes' characterful authority and Bruson's richness myself- and some of his high notes show signs of strain, but he is still convincing. Macduff is very moving, and the Witches are spooky personified. In conclusion, very enjoyable production if not my favourite of the Macbeths I've seen. 8/10 Bethany
