Stunning premiere performance of I Capuleti e I Montecchi at the Opera Bastille in Paris this Saturday 24. May 2008 with a cast leaded by
Joyce DiDonato as Romeo and
Anna Netrebko as Giulietta, and
Matthew Polenzani as Tebaldo,
Giovanni Battista Parodi as Capellio and
Mikhail Petrenko as Lorenzo. The conductor was
Evelino Pidó. It was a debut's night. For
Anna Netrebko it was her debut at the Opera National de Paris and for
Joyce DiDonato and
Matthew Polenzani it was their role debut.
Anna Netrebko made an outstanding performance, both vocally and dramatically.
Anna's powerful high notes and breathtaking pianissimi were terrific.
Joyce DiDonato made a superb role debut. It was hard to realize that it was just the first time she was singing this role.
The other members of the cast were also pretty good, in particular
Matthew Polenzani as Tebaldo. Maestro
Evelino Pidó was conducting very well. The production directed by
Robert Carsen was a classic one. The red colours on the walls and clothes of the Capuleti were dominant, while Giulieta was in white and the Montecchi in black.
Standing ovation at the curtain call, filled with "Bravi!" mainly addressed to
Anna Netrebko and
Joyce DiDonato.
Jeffrey Vanderveen attended the performance.
Joan Matabosch, artistic director of the Liceo of Barcelona, was also there. Both of them were siting on the same row, just a few rows in front of me, and they were exchanging some words. I asked
Matabosch if we will be able to see
Anna at the Liceo of Barcelona, but he was not able to confirm or just announce anything for the moment.
At the end of the performance some of us met
Anna at the stage door. It was a dinner at the house, so we needed to wait for quite a while, but it was worthing. She came looking really great, very happy and relaxed, with a wide smile and a nice bouquet of flowers.
"And of course, Anna Netrebko was making her Paris Opéra debut in this role, and she was a dream to share the stage with - from her beautiful singing, to her completely involved performance, to the hidden squeeze of my hand as I sang my final aria to her. She is a most generous colleague who enters onto the stage to tell the story holding nothing back, and I do believe it is one of the reasons she is an anointed star in this opera world - I think the audience feels and responds to her generosity and knowing that she is enjoying every note she sings."
Joyce DiDonato
Des roses qui virevoltent, des flashs qui crépitent au milieu des "bravo", des rangs entiers debout -et pour une fois pas dans l'espoir de s'éclipser de la salle avant tout le monde-... La première d'Anna Netrebko à l'Opéra Bastille dans "I Capuleti e I Montecchi" de Vincenzo Bellini n'est pas passée inaperçue.
Netrebko-DiDonato : Un duo de charme à l'opéra Bastille, Caroline Mazodier, LaTribune.fr 30. May 2008
Updated on 30. May 2008 21:26
DIE SEELE DER MUSIK / THE SOUL OF MUSIC
Stunning premiere performance of I Capuleti e I Montecchi at the Opera Bastille in Paris this Saturday 24. May 2008 with a cast leaded by Joyce DiDonato as Romeo and Anna Netrebko as Giulietta, and Matthew Polenzani as Tebaldo, Giovanni Battista Parodi as Capellio and Mikhail Petrenko as Lorenzo. The conductor was Evelino Pidó. It was a debut's night. For Anna Netrebko it was her debut at the Opera National de Paris and for Joyce DiDonato and Matthew Polenzani it was their role debut. Anna Netrebko made an outstanding performance, both vocally and dramatically. Anna's powerful high notes and breathtaking pianissimi were terrific. Joyce DiDonato made a superb role debut. It was hard to realize that it was just the first time she was singing this role.
DEAG Classics announces a concert of Anna Netrebko and Dmitri Hvorostovsky at the Volkswagen Halle, Braunschweig 16. May 2009. Riccardo Frizza conducts the Staatskapelle Weimar.
