There are still many other performances of "Tosca" to come at the Met with a wide array of sopranos, tenors and baritones. Unfortunately there will be no more Gheorghiu on the Met stage for the balance of the 2015-16 season. However, her brief run on the famous stage was a stark reminder of why she is such a poignant artist.
Going to the Richard Tucker gala is a major event that creates expectations of the highest artistic order. And year in and year out, the performance lives up to its billing and consistently surpasses it. This year was no different with one great artist following another in an exquisite evening of singing and music making.
In many ways "Tannhauser" provides an ideal launching point for those who want to try out Wagner but might feel daunted to do so. Unlike "The Flight Dutchman" which has no intermissions, "Tannhauser's" has two and showcases the composer's most structured work. Arias, choruses even concertato's are easily discernible throughout opera, giving audiences concrete points of reference. Throw in this terrific cast, a conductor at his very best and a production that despite its age still holds up, and you have a glorious evening for both newcomers and Wagner lovers alike.
This "Trovatore" might just be, with all due respect to the other brilliant casts preceding it, the very best showcased in this McVicar production since its inception. Every cast member brings a nuanced and exciting interpretation of the iconic characters and the production itself is easily among the best that general manager Peter Gelb has brought during his tenure.
"Turandot" offers Met audiences some of the greatest visual, aural and dramatic pleasures they can expect when going to the opera and this cast certainly lives up to that promise in every possible way. Goerke and Alvarez succeed as the polarizing lovers while Gerzmava delivers poignantly as the opera's ultimate heart and soul.
From a musical standpoint, this "Otello" delivered. Considering the opera and its endless musical rewards, that should be enough to warrant the experience. Unfortunately the new production offers nothing new and the new things that it does offer are often distracting and amount to little insightful or emotionally resonant.
On Feb. 28 Anna Netrebko will make her New York Recital Debut at the Metropolitan Opera. On Feb. 28 Anna Netrebko will make her New York Recital Debut at the Metropolitan Opera.
The Metropolitan Opera 2015-16 season will open on September 21 with a new production of Verdi's masterpiece "Otello." The work represents the culmination of the famed composer's opus and is one of the most prized works in all of the repertoire.
With the Metropolitan Opera season having ended, New York will be left with no opera for a number of months. However, there are many European festivals that will have some of the greatest singers in the world performing in some of the most beloved works.
This "Rake's Progress" is opera at its finest - a modern retelling of a legend brought to life with glorious artists and a strong production. The production gets two more performances and audiences who really want to experience the wonder of the art form in its full beauty will likely not get any other such opportunities at the Met at the present moment.
As the 2014-15 Metropolitan Opera season comes to close, the house will be preparing for its ballet season and later preparing for yet another opening night in September.
