The Opera Tattler

Reviews of Performances and their Audiences

Parsifal at the Met

February 17, 2013

* Notes *
François Girard's production of Parsifal opened at the Metropolitan Opera on Friday. The contemporary set features stark imagery. The red lake that dominates the second act (pictured left, photograph by Ken Howard) is particularly striking. The angular choreography fits nicely with the staging and the clean costuming. The video is difficult to view in Family Circle, but seems benign and includes images of clouds, aurora borealis, and water. At times, the rippling effects were a bit overblown. The lighting is pleasing. The last scene involves Parsifal putting the Holy Spear in the Grail held by Kundry, a nod to the pagan fertility rituals that may have given rise to the Arthurian romances on which this work is based. For some reason this struck me as clumsy compared to the sleek modernity of Act II.

Conducted by Daniele Gatti, the orchestra played moderately, sounding neither austere nor sprightly. The brass was clear. The chorus was as impressive as ever: perfectly synchronized, strong, and full. Katarina Dalayman was not an alluring Kundry, but she did seem more than half-mad. Evgeny Nikitin was a convincing Klingsor. Peter Mattei was likewise believable as Amfortas, and his voice is immediately appealing. René Pape shone as Gurnemanz. His voice is warm and rich, and he sounds imposing. Jonas Kaufmann did well with the title role, though I find his voice less readily likeable than others, perhaps because of his nasality. Kaufmann was riveting in Act II Scene 2. He has a keen understanding of what he is singing and can convey this to the audience.

* Tattling *
Every sort of bad behavior was on display for the prima. Watch alarms sounded, mobile phones rang, photographs were taken, some talked, others snored, and there was applause after the first act. During the performance of Act I, someone in Family Circle demanded, at full volume, that he not be touched again.

Posted in Jonas Kaufmann, Opera Review, Parsifal, René Pape, The Metropolitan Opera

13 responses to “Parsifal at the Met”

John

February 17, 2013

I love your tattling!

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Har

February 17, 2013

I was lucky to sit center parterre for Carmen last night and no one made a peep. Not one annoying sound or movement the entire time. So knock the crowd at that level but they keep their mouths and devices quiet. The FC sound like idiots.

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Parsley

February 17, 2013

I’d guess that the FC incident was somebody leaning forward, not realizing that blocks the view of the person behind them. Usually the person behind just taps them and says “Please lean back” and the problem is resolved.
Sometimes those leaning forward are inconsiderate and then all sorts of tension arises. I’d guess a second or third tap caused the outburst.
The watch beeps on the hour is never going away…

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Edward

February 18, 2013

I am so confused. How could you say Jonas Kaufmann’s voice is nasal as compared to whom that also sings Parsifal? Heldentenor’s voices are always very nasal to my ears (Jay Hunter Morris comes to mind) and Kaufmann is certainly no heldentenor (neither is Jay Hunter Morris really) and I would say his voice is more wolfy than anything. Just my opinion.

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The Opera Tattler

February 18, 2013

I find Jay Hunter Morris more reedy and light than nasal. Brandon Jovanovich, on the other hand is warmer, but more raw, but also his voice has a prettiness to it. Ben Heppner never really struck me as nasal, but it is hard for me to say, I am always just worried his voice is going to crack.
The other tenors I remember singing this role are Placido Domingo, whose voice is really different than Kaufmann’s… and Christopher Ventris, which I remember being more raw than Kaufmann’s, but again, perhaps richer at times.
I love hearing Kaufmann in Act II, but was more drawn by the lower voices in this opera. Definitely has to do with my taste rather than anything else.

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The Opera Tattler

February 18, 2013

That puts everything into better context for me, thank you. I love the sound in Family Circle Standing Room, but sometimes there are a lot of distractions.

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The Opera Tattler

February 18, 2013

FC can be a spectacle in and of itself.

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The Opera Tattler

February 18, 2013

Thank you.

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Ariane

February 19, 2013

At thé Monday performance of Parsifal, I had half an hour after the curtains were raised for Act I a some 12 year old open a sandwich wrapped in cellophane, eat it with terribly noise, for something that seemed like eternity, then open another cellophane-wrapped thing, and then a bottle of water. He was right behind me. I glanced several times at him to suggest he stops but he kept eating and very loudly, I could hear all the noises of chewing up, swallowing… The parents sitting right next to him seemed to find all this perfectly normal. It totally ruined it for me.

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Dave R.

February 21, 2013

There’s nothing wrong with applauding after the first act of Parsifal. The audience at Bayreuth does. I think you’re referring to an out-of-date practice that was ill-founded to begin with

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James P.

March 21, 2013

Dear Opera Tattler: I love reading your blog! I saw the MET’s Live in HD encore transmission of Parsifal (recorded live on March 2nd) last night. I found the acting and singing quite excellent (although it’s hard to know if what one hears in the cinema is anything like what’s heard live in the house). The production was a little darker and gloomier than I would have liked– especially in the first act. Perhaps most surprising, I heard a very loud cell phone ring towards the beginning of Act 2; at first I assumed it was someone in the cinema but realized it was definitely coming from someone in the house. Unless there’s a post-production way to edit the sound out I guess it’ll appear in any future DVD release of the production. Shame on that asshole!

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Hay

April 23, 2013

I wouldn’t stand for opera if you placed a gun at my head. Nor would I sit in the FC without a telescope and a bottle of oxygen.

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Father Steven Forster

January 4, 2014

I love the Metropolitan’s casts, productions and often pop across the pond to hear and see your offerings but I am always dismayed by the behaviour of the audience! Addiction to the use of mobile phones to check texts, messaging etc is only slightly less infuriating than whispering opinions. When leaving the auditorium, usually both elated and infuriated, I resolve to stick to Europe but the quality of your performances lure me back. Could a piece of paper dealing with etiquette not be left on every seat, for every performance for a year to see if the perennial rudeness and disrespect could be vanquished? There is in my experience only one other opera house that comes close to yours for ignorant audiences and that is the Coliseum, London.

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