User Reviews

Armida is a rarely performed opera mainly due to its difficulty of its music and how it is to stage, but hearing the music you'd wonder why it wasn't performed more often. It is not Rossini's best score or even his best opera, but it is so beautiful and charming that you forgive the the sometimes insane and lengthy plot line. This is a splendid production, and the best of the operas for the Met staged by Mary Zimmerman(I did like La Sonnambula though I can understand completely why some don't, while Lucia Di Lammermoor was disappointing).

On a visual level, Armida is by far the most interesting and authentic of Zimmerman's Met opera productions. It all looks very bold and bright in colour, almost like watching an adaptation of a graphic novel or something or other. The costumes and sets themselves have a very sleek look to them. Also Zimmerman adds touches here that constantly remind us that we are watching a Bel Canto opera, such as having a conductor's baton for Armida's wand and in particular Armida and Rinaldo's entrance into the enchanted forest and the transition from that to the pleasure palace.

The High Definition as is the case always with this Met Opera series is fantastic, the camera work is sharp and focused, never busy or static and the sound has plenty of clarity. Musically, it is sublime. Rossini's music itself is very infectious and stylish with seldom a dull moment, D'Amor Al Dolce Impero is the highlight. The orchestra play with so much energy under the exuberant baton of Riccardo Frizza, who manages to keep true to the style of Rossini without overdoing it with the bombast. The chorus are also fine, a very crisp and balanced sound.

In regard to the singing, it is well and truly impressive. I like Renee Fleming very much, particularly as Donna Anna(Don Giovanni), Marschallin(Der Rosenkavalier), Desdemona(Otello), Manon(Manon) and Countess(Capriccio). She has a rich creamy voice complete with warm, sincere acting and a melting legato line. I can understand though why some find her mannered in Bel Canto, I actually think she is good in it if imperfect. While this is not Fleming at her best, sometimes her high register is a tad on the husky side and her runs are slightly languid rather than lightning fast, she throws herself into the role of Armida and it is a charismatic performance where she feels every word and note with beautiful singing that in the final scene shows many colours.

Although I don't think her voice is suited to Rossini, she does do very well. I would have personally preferred the lightning fast fioratura, but the ornamentations and legato singing actually play to Fleming's strengths and show off her silky middle register and wonderful breath control seamlessly. Other than Fleming the standout is Lawrence Brownlee, in fact this Armida is worth seeing for him alone. The tone of his voice is full of radiance and it is also very focused. He also shades his music beautifully with a great range in dynamics and his breath control is as impressive as Fleming's, while his runs are effortless and he makes his high notes sound easy. In short, his Rinaldo is a thrilling and sensitive performance.

John Osborne stands out also, his Geoffredo is wonderfully brash and his top register is electrifying. Yegishe Manucharayan's Eustazio is a role whose music is very recitative-bound, yet Manucharayan manages to make the character sincere and earnest. Barry Banks is in two roles and he is incredible, especially as Gernando. Both roles of Gernando and Carlo are splendidly characterised and superbly sung, but as Gernando Banks alongside the silent figure of Revenge provides one of the production's best moments, where he sings a high note while being dragged offstage.

Peter Volpe gives an assured performance as Idraote, and Keith Miller is a vocally sonorous and dramatically athletic and graceful Astarotte. Kobie Van Rensberg starts a little shakily but warms up just in time for the knockout that is the three tenor trio. There are also several ballet sequences and they are beautifully choreographed and danced with great skill. Teele Ude is especially good. The choreographic highlight for me was the devil scene in Act 2. I equally loved the interviews carried out by Deborah Voight, no stranger to opera herself, Zimmerman's is particularly interesting if brief.

Overall, a splendid Armida. 10/10 Bethany Cox