Gaetano DonizettiLUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Metropolitan Opera House, 7. February 2009
Cast
Conductor: Marco Armiliato
Lucia: Anna Netrebko
Edgardo: Piotr Beczala
Enrico: Mariusz Kwiecien
Raimondo: Ildar Abdrazakov
Normanno: Michael Myers
Alisa: Michaela Martens
Arturo: Colin Lee
Flute Solo: Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson
Harp Solo: Mariko Anraku
Armonica Solo: Cecilia Brauer
The Production Team
Production: Mary Zimmerman
Set Designer: Daniel Ostling
Costume Designer: Mara Blumenfeld
Lighting Designer: T. J. Gerckens
Choreographer: Daniel Pelzig
About the opera
Synopsis
Story & Music
Opera background
Live Broadcasts and HD Transmissions
On 7. February 01:00 pm ET, Lucia di Lammermoor will be live broadcast by Metropolitan Opera Radio on Sirius XM and Metropolitan Opera Radio Network Saturday Matinee Broadcasts and transmitted live by The Met: Live in HD to movie theaters worldwide – Netrebko’s third consecutive Live in HD transmission from the Met.
Reviews
"Lucia" in HD, Max D. Winter, Opera-L
Today's Lucia, Richard, rec.music.opera
No Crashing and Burning
Lucia Di Lammermoor in HD
“Lucia di Lammermoor” desde el Metropolitan Opera. 7 de Febrero 2009
Lucia HD Met Broadast - February 07/2009
Confessions of an Opera Whore: Lucia di Lammermoor -- Artistic Nirvana
'Lucía de Lammermoor', la más exitosa de las transmisiones del MET
Videoclips
First Act: Duet (I)
First Act: Duet (II)
Second Act: "Il pallor funesto, orrendo" - Anna Netrebko, Mariusz Kwiecien
Second Act: "Se tradirmi" - Anna Netrebko, Mariusz Kwiecien
Third Act: Lucia's mad scene - Anna Netrebko
Third Act
Related posts
21C Media Group official press release
Anna Netrebko on WWD Lifestyle 6. Feb 2009
On Singing and Family: Opera Singer Anna Netrebko
Breaking News - Piotr Beczala replaces Rolando Villazón in Lucia di Lammermoor on 7. Feb 2009
Breaking News - Giuseppe Filianoti replaces Rolando Villazón in Lucia di Lammermoor on 3. Feb 2009
Lucia di Lammermoor, Met, New York 29. Jan 2009
Lucia di Lammermoor, Met, New York 26. Jan 2009
Anna Netrebko makes her Lucia debut at the Met on 26. Jan 2009
GO ANNA GO!!!... WE ARE WATIN' FOR YOU!!!
ReplyDeleteI have enjoyed a lot the today's live broadcast of Lucia from the Met! I think this has been the best of all the four performances of the run. Brava Anna!!!
ReplyDeleteDe verguenza ajena lo que ya en estos momentos se puede leer en algunos de los foros donde el comentario grosero, mal educado, y el insulto, son su seña de identidad.
ReplyDeletePero lo que más me molesta, no es eso. Lo que más me molesta es el hecho de que a alguno le ha gustado, incluso yo diría que ha disfrutado, y parece que tenga que no se atreva ni a decirlo, o lo diga con la boca pequeña o incluso parece que tenga que pedir disculpas por ello, argumentando que "a lo mejor soy yo que tengo un mal día". Pues no. No has tenido un mal día. Creo que son ellos los que no saben lo que es tener un buen día.
Eso sí, algunos de esos nos volverán a anunciar hasta la saciedad que ellos ya tienen su entrada para volver a ver a "Anita", como despectivamente la llaman, en Paris, Londres o donde sea. Dirán que no esperan mucho de ella y pretenderán que ellos no se mueren de ganas por verla en directo. Pero no se la perderán.
No les escuches, no los leas...cuando la gente va a hacer daño, y, que me perdonen, tienen tan poco respeto a un artista y tan poco amor por la ópera, no merecen que se pierda ni un segundo en leer opiniones que son fruto de la mala baba.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree with Carlos. Today's live performance at the cinema was amazing. I think this must have been Piotr Beczala's breakthrough at the MET. Okay, his facial expression is a bit neutral, but his VOICE is fantastic, and this makes his colleagues on stage feel safe, too, and it allows them to do their best. Above all, what a delight to hear and see Anna again after almost 7 months. During this series of "Lucias" she was getting better and better. GREAT!!
ReplyDeleteThis was simply an astonishing performance. All the leading singers were in great voice, the production was spectacular, the camerawork brought the HD audience right on stage and amongst the players. Anna deserves highest praise for what will be the DVD standard of this opera for years to come and what might be the best opera experience ever captured on DVD. She was in good voice. Her acting was stellar. Everything about this performance was amazing and memorable.
ReplyDeleteI went to a concert last night and thought I had recorded the Lucia on my computer - it usually works fine when I'm home - but the timer obviously didn't work - so NO LUCIA - did anyone record it?
ReplyDeleteI'm going to see it in a movie theater on the 1st of March and I can understand from your comments that I can look forward to it :-)
ReplyDeleteBirthe, can you send me an email? I do not find yours.
ReplyDeleteFANTASTIC ANNA!
ReplyDeletesorry for my ripetitive comments... but my english is bad... and I can't anything more!!! BRAVA ANNA BRAVA... your Lucia sounds like Diabolik with you dark voice !!!
Does anybody know is there going to be the dvd of Netrebko's Metropolitan Lucia?
ReplyDeleteI have received a deep, detailed and wonderful review of Lucia's performance written by Howard, one of the regular readers of the blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to share with you his review, with his approval. This is the mail I have received:
Carlos,
I can only describe the Lucia at the Metropolitan Opera of Lucia as magical. Piotr Beczala as Edgardo was tentative at first but sang his heart out in the last act. Mariusz Kwiecien as Enrico was rich, solid and commanded a presence on the stage. Marco Armiliato held the audience captive with a finally tuned orchestra that never overpowered the singers. You could hear a pin drop in the third act. The addition of the glass harmonica merely added to the drama of a distraught Lucia.
While this role, may have been somewhat a stretch for Netrebko as a coloratura soprano, she conquered the stage with drama, superlative acting and nothing short of highly colored voice with a gorgeous lower register. With the exception of one transposed note, she was dead on the brilliance of her higher register with commanding confidence. The drama and torture of Lucia was evident in her ripping her wedding veil. Ms. Netrebko has developed an uncanny and uncommon ability to sing laying down, on her side or not even facing audience with ability to project well. Her ability to control dynamics resembles that of Callas and other illustrious singers. Her gestures appeared realistic and symptomatic of a tortured woman. I suspect that some of the costumes made her look heavier than in real life. It is joy to see Netrebko return to her passionate singing, as she brings joy to many.
The composite well-rounded cast supported each other. It was eminently obvious, that these singers needed little reliance on the prompter's guidance. The Polish tenor Beczala deserves much credit for being able to pull this off without much preparation. We are sure to see more of him as he is truly a rising star.
It is unfortunate to comment that the Mexican tenor, Rolando Villazon, once on top of the world seems now to be haunted by his own demons and human shortcomings. Once you lose your confidence, it is hard to regain composure. Villazon and Netrebko surely had a unique onstage chemistry and have sung together in L'Elisir D'Amore, Traviata and La Boheme. One can only hope that he will come to grips with his frailties and move forward. It is clear that many stars are waiting to fill the void. Anna Netrebko has shown the world that she can command the stage with many tenors e.g. Romeo and Juliet and now in Lucia, both in brief runs. For those who had the opportunity to see Lucia in person, one needs to solidify their memory via HD performances in theaters. The MET has announced that the will feature all 2009-10 HD performances on their Great Performances at the MET series on public television stations.
While it is not fair to compare Dessay with Netrebko, it is eminently clear that both add much to the art giving much of themselves to the drama of a live performance. I loved both, but Netrebko's grace and innate beauty are in a league of their own. We are off to see her next in La Traviata in San Francisco. I wanted to see her and Elina Garanca in Capulets and Montague at ROH in London, but limited vacation and poor timing may preclude this trip.
My wife and I truly enjoy opera and have traveled far and wide to hear and view great talent. We truly have a new generation of talented individuals and it appears that many are from Eastern Europe and Russia where there is still a premium on advanced discipline and vocal training. We all should encourage this type of forward thinking and hope that today's artists have long and industrious careers. It will be interesting to see how Erwin Schrott and Anna Netrebko juggle family vs. career paths.
Warm regards,
Howard
Congratulations to Howard on an excellent and accurate review.
ReplyDeleteI share his sadness at the problems that Villazon is currently experiencing. Let us hope that he manages to overcome them so that we can all once again enjoy the unique onstage chemistry that he formerly had with Anna Netrebko.
It's my pleasure to post, with his permission, another mail that I got from Howard after having seen the encore presentation of the Met HD Lucia.
ReplyDeleteCarlos,
Having seen the encore presentation of the MET HD performance of Lucia last night in Framingham, MA, (as well as the live performance at the MET on 7-Feb. 2009) I have several comments.
1. There is nothing like the thrill of a live performance.
2. Movie was completely sold out on a very snowy night. Most of audience was older Russian couples.
3. Camera angles were somewhat distracting as they were looking up at performers. At times, switching cameras was like watching a basketball game. One could not appreciate how little Beczala and Netrebko relied on prompter's assistance. Both performers were very assured in their roles and needed little if any coaching. Watching the interactions of cast on stage rather than the limited viewpoint of camera offers much more depth and perspective. I will however purchase this, if it is produced on DVD and will certainly watch on TV on Great Performances at the MET series. We are fortunate that public programming supports such diversity.
4. Acoustics varied across the stage in HD transmission, unlike rather uniform acoustics at Metropolitan Opera House. Last act was done very well indeed. Focus was on performers.
5. Dessay's interviewing style was very "scripted" and trite.
6. One of our local radio stations WHRB 95.3 FM broadcasts the opera live and then follows broadcast with very informative program of stars of former years. Perhaps they stream on internet.
Having said all of this, it is a wonderful means of exposing a larger audience to opera. Prices are certainly much cheaper than opera house, although now MET has weekly raffle to purchase expensive seats (up to $250) for only $25. It is remarkable that entire cast was either Polish or Russian and it appears that they not only enjoy this art form, but continue to support young performers. We truly enjoyed Netrebko, Kwiecien and Beczala as they represent the new face of opera. While former generations of Sutherland and Callas may have strived for greater vocal agility, Netrebko's sensitivity, attention to detail and acting ability are what audiences have come to expect. Opera promoted by these young performers will only serve to enhance the future of this noble art. Having also seen Natalie Dessay last year at Lucia at the MET, one can only say they are both superstars with different approaches and outcomes to same theme. We are looking forward to Natalie Dessay and Juan Diego Florez in La Sonambula at MET as well as Netrebko in La Traviata in San Francisco later this spring.
Warm regards,
Howard