Juliette................Anna Netrebko
Frère Laurent......Robert Lloyd
Stéphano.............Isabel Leonard
Mercutio.............Nathan Gunn
Benvolio.............Tony Stevenson
Gertrude..............Jane Bunnell
Capulet................Charles Taylor
Tybalt..................Marc Heller
Pâris...................Louis Otey
Grégorio..............David Won
Duke of Verona....Dean Peterson
Conductor...............Plácido Domingo
Production..............Guy Joosten
That was just swell. I couldn't get into the Notting Hill showing so I went to the Clapham Picture House to see the HD simulcast from the Metropolitan Opera of Gounod's Romeo et Juliette. Who knew that was such a good opera?
Welcome to the age of Netrebko. She completely epitomizes what is great about opera in the 21st century--beauty and theatricality. Her emotional range is stunning. She dances like a child at a birthday party, falls charmingly in love, even throwing in her trademark funny faces, makes love without fear of falling and dies with conviction.
The production and direction were helpful. Anna does best when everyone around her contributes to her vision. The falling in love with masks was utterly irresistible.
The bed floating in the stars worked very well on closed circuit television. We couldn't see them floating back down to earth and worried they would fall off.
To make a DVD of it will require a couple of patches, but the overall impression was wonderful, intense, passionate and just plain nice. My favorite adjective. This is a great opera for Alagna and Netrebko both, separately and together. the rapport between the two stars was good, as it absolutely must be in this opera, but was not as intense as it would have been with Rolando. Alagna's voice is beautiful in the light tone the role requires. He is sweet and very attractive. I have the film with his wife, but I liked him better here. Advice: prepare for your high notes more completely, and add to you preparation listening carefully to the orchestra.
Nathan Gunn was an excellent Mercutio. The page, whoever she was, seemed extraneous, but sang well. She covers a set change, or something like that.
And this is Renée with Placido.
Around the turn of the 20th century this was a very popular opera. Perhaps it will be again. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.
[See Kinderkuchen History 1850-70]
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