Four for the show

Until Monday evening, I never placed Don Pasquale in my list of favorite operas, but the four principals were so magnificent that I realized just how special an opera can be when it is sung so well. Remember that works like this—Elisir, Ory, Flute, rather than Aida, Forza, etc.—can be performed beautifully today since the best singers appear to be more lyric. (Find me a Manrico or an Aida!)

Anna Netrebko opens her mouth and out issues the purest glorious tone imaginable. Do I recall any soprano whose intrinsic tone is as flawless—maybe early Lisa della Casa?—and she has so much fun and is a dynamo of an artist in the role of Norina.

Replacing Mariusz Kwiecien was a brilliant young Canadian baritone making his Met debut, Peter Barrett. He has a beautiful lyric voice and is a consummate artist on stage. I hope the Met will keep him for a long time! Matthew Polenzani joins today’s array of superb lyric tenors and I was totally enraptured by the beauty of his bright voice, with very big top notes that I had not heard in Seraglio, a different repertory.

I always loved John del Carlo, a buffo with a voice, rather than just someone funny. Baccaloni and Corena were hilarious, but not necessarily known for the beauty of tone and Del Carlo was a total gem in every way.

Though I never feel qualified to judge conducting, I assume that Jimmy Levine was as wonderful as his reputation decrees. He no longer takes a stage curtain call owing to his recent physical problems, but bows from the pit at the end. It was one of the finest shows in my experience….now if we could have a Gypsy or a Rocky Horror Show with such a great cast, we would forget all about Birgit Nilsson and Franco Corelli.