more news from the indian burial mound
Texted from the Met a few minutes ago:
During act 2 (still going on) a stage hand walked out in the middle of Tristan and Isolde’s first duet to move her yellow gown away from the torch and ensure it didn’t light! Meier and Seiffert just kept singing…
Out of topic: Is it me or does Deborah Voigt now look a bit like Debra Messing?
I hope they never retire this Tristan production…it consistently produces the most bizarre news.
True: it’s the most felicitous cursed production ever. It should always sell out, for the simple reason you never know what’s in store on any given night.
Heaven forbid she should actually be injured, but you have to admit there is something humorous about the idea of Waltraud Meier running around in flames, still singing because that’s how she rolls.
Could ony take two acts of this performance. Meier’s performance can only be described as abysmal. In fact, she was inaudible at many places. The B’s in Act I and the C’s in Act II were non-existent. And everything else above the staff was a scream. Only nice moments were in the quiet parts of the duet. Other than that, the signed cover might have been much better – but we will never know. Note to Peter Gelb: It wasn’t worth the airfare.
PS: A fine performance by the stage manager in Act !! It could have turned into Gotterdammerung.
Maury, perhaps she could intersperse the Immolation Scene between the curse and duet? (sorry…someone had to mention the end of Gotterdammerung given the circumstances!)
I agree with operadent. The Liebestod was frightful. Her top was always flat, and the final f# sounded more like an f. I was so excited to see her too. Once again I’m leaving the met disappointed.
Well, there are many times I just don’t understand or agree with comments here, and maybe it is just because I didn’t start attending the Met until this century or maybe it is some other reason, but I usually just keep my opinions to myself. After reading operadent, however, I must say something. I am not sure what performance he/she attended but it was surely not the same one I saw. First, I could take more than two acts of Tristan with Barenboim conducting no matter who was singing (and sitting through Seiffert after Lehmann is not easy, although tonight he was better than his first try and actually had a bit left for act III – and apropos of nothing, my first Tristan was MacMaster so I can take anything). Second, yes Meier’s first C in act II was swallowed – it actually looked like she was surprised it came upon her so soon, but the second sounded fine to me (again, I am not nearly as knowledgeable as most on this site claim to be or actually are). Her high notes had much more warmth to them than Dalayman’s and throughout the night I found her performance to be riveting. Finally, had operadent stayed for act III, I can’t imagine he would have felt the same way. The Liebestod was breath-taking. Absolutely ethereal. And either everyone in the audience was hearing impaired or operadent was in a very very tiny minority. The ovation for Meier was thunderous. Overall, given that she got in one day ago, she had the staging down, some chemistry with Seiffert and acted the part better than the other two Isoldes in the past year. A great night I think, and I hope she stays for Tuesday. Also, if anyone is interested I can provide a recording of acts II and III – if La Cieca can explain to me how to transmit such a thing.
No, the stagehand moved the cloak, and took the torch (still smoldering) off the stage. Seems Miss Meier did not completely put it out. She did ignite the house, with the most expressive Isolde I have heard (too young for Nilsson live). True, I was near the stage, and she (and Seiffert) were often covered in the beginning of Act II, but I heard her just fine most of the time. Every phrase had something to it, every motion meant something. I thought she nailed plenty in the upper register, perhaps a bit hastily here and there, but so what.
Seiffert was something of a disappointment. Maybe he is still under the weather, who knows. He was very convincing in Act III though. But much of his singing elsewhere was wooden and dull. Fair amount of hoarseness, too, especially at mp.
The orchestra played wonderfully– velvety dark sound from the basses at the start of the Act III Prelude–and no mistakes from the strings on the rising intervals that follow. Winds were especially good. Barenboim brought out so many interesting ideas.
Were Meier and Seiffert not quite together at the end of Act I? Not sure.
Anyway, the house kept nearly silent till Danny put his hand down at the end– then everyone jumped out of their seats. Standing ovations are much abused in this supposedly “with it” city– but this one was deserved.
Proust is pretty much on target for one so young. Meier actually acted the role of Isolde, a total novelty in this production of the opera, and sang quite well – not sounding like an overparted mezzo as Dalayman does, or an overparted usher as Voigt does. Yes, she faded out a bit (end of Act I) and flatted a bit (Liebestod), but by and large a fine performance. Seiffert too was very good, a real Tristan (like Heppner, unlike Lehman), though I suspected his cold has not entirely gone away, and he has trouble jumping to his feet. (But he sang the last act as if ill, unlike Lehman.) Youn was excellent as Marke, sonorous and imposing and tragic. Barneboim, as usual, was the all-acclaimed hero of the night.
For once a last-minute excitement at the Met that lived up to the hype.