The Opera Tattler

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Rodelinda at the Met

Met-rodelinda-2011* Notes *
A revival of Rodelinda (Act II pictured left, photograph by Ken Howard) is currently underway at the Metropolitan Opera. Since I saw this opera in 2006, I opted to hear this at a score desk on Wednesday. The acoustics are quite flattering to voices at Score Desk 3, and everyone could be easily heard. The orchestra sounded neat and tidy under Harry Bicket, everything seemed in place and rather angular. The chorus was appealing in the last act and sang with clarity

The singing was fairly lackluster. Joseph Kaiser (Grimoaldo) sang with much vibrato. Shenyang's Garibaldo had richness but was imprecise. Iestyn Davies showed promise as Unulfo, his voice is bright and pretty. Andreas Scholl (Bertarido) was slightly quiet, but also has a sweet, beautiful voice. There was "a small technical difficulty" with the set before Scholl's "Vivi tiranno," which unfortunately interrupted the flow of the music.

As Eduige, Stephanie Blythe gave a strong, steely performance. Renée Fleming seemed more committed to this title role than her recent turn as Lucrezia Borgia in San Francisco. Though her vocal line had a fine legato, her intonation is lacking and her coloratura is not impressive. Fleming did not follow any of the da capo or dal segno markings in Act I.

* Tattling *
Besides the aforementioned mishap in the last scene, there seemed to be other struggles with the set. The first intermission ran even longer than the allotted 40 minutes, as putting together that elaborate Baroque library in Act II must present a significant challenge. The cues to the lighting booth were loud, and as the music is not, they were all too audible.

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10 responses to “Rodelinda at the Met”

  1. Anon Avatar
    Anon

    If they axe Fleming by tomorrow, I’ll consider going to the broadcast. There are PLENTY of sopranos who are more than qualified to play Rodelinda, and Fleming is NOT one of them.

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  2. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    Renaaaay is still the Met’s darling, and they did produce it in 2004 for her, so I don’t think she was in any danger. But I agree, she really doesn’t have the voice for this, even if she does enjoy singing it. She also does that “scooping” thing, or portamento, or whatever, that is annoying.
    Per his website, Mr. Davies will be at the Met Fall 2012 and Fall 2013 (dates and titles not yet announced). So unless he’s doing some Britten, there are more operas using countertenors to come. I wonder if he will be in Giulio Cesare?

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  3. opérachanteuse Avatar
    opérachanteuse

    Fleming hasn’t been right of late in just about everything. Her Rodelinda was painful to overhear, let alone hearing it live. She was once one of my favorite sopranos but got lost somewhere between “Over the Rainbow” and “Dark Hope.”

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  4. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    Completely true.

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  5. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    Fleming bends the notes. I do think it might work if she sounded absolutely ravishing, but she does not.
    Hope to hear Davies again, and thanks for that tip. Giulio Cesare is one of my favorites, so hope it is revived sans Fleming.

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  6. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    I would like to hear her in Rusalka or Capriccio, but yes, it seems that she’s been having a hard time of it lately.

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  7. Terry Graves Avatar
    Terry Graves

    I saw this production and then listened to the simulcast to make sure my impressions were correct. I agree that the singing was generally lackluster, except as concerns Andreas Scholl. I did not think he was quiet; rather, I felt that the conductor did Scholl no favors in keeping the volume of the music up during Scholl’s single arias. The worst was during the usually show-stopping “Vivi Tiranno,” in which Scholl had to compete with an overly loud harpsichord. But Scholl DOES sing this brilliantly; he did so at Glyndebourne and I imagine the same was true at the Met.
    You didn’t mention the staging. I realize it’s from 2006, and thus before Peter Gelb’s promise to improve this aspect. Still, why did I see a horse — twice — on the stage for no reason whatsoever? And why weren’t the costumes redone?

    Renée Fleming’s brown dress was drab and looked like it would smell like mothballs. Why wouldn’t Wardrobe run over to Oscar de la Renta and buy this http://wpc.4d27.edgecastcdn.net/004D27/Editorial/SaoirseRonanVogue/Saoirse+Ronan+Vogue+TCOB+3.jpg?

    I saw Robert Carsen’s Don Giovanni at a movie theatre yesterday. Oh my god what beauty! What cleverness! That’s how you stage an opera!

    Finally, am seeing La Fille du Régiment at the Met on Monday? Does anyone have any info or thoughts?

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  8. The Opera Tattler Avatar
    The Opera Tattler

    I made no comment on the staging because I did not see it, the stage is not visible from the score desk. From the photographs I saw, it looks rather a lot like it did in 2006.
    Fille is very cute (the same production was in San Francisco recently). Brownlee is a terrific singer.

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  9. Terry Avatar
    Terry

    Dear OT,
    Yes, the staging is the same as it was in 2006: very cumbersome and overwhelming.

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  10. Metropolitan Opera Avatar
    Metropolitan Opera

    Besides the aforementioned mishap in the last scene, there seemed to be other struggles with the set. Great stuff!

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