Quantum of Naxos

La Cieca’s spy reports from the Met:

“A promising and delightful final dress of Ariadne yesterday.”

The operative continues:

I’d say Fabio Luisi and the orchestra were the real stars. He conducted a strong and rhythmically sensitive and supple performance of this rather tricky score. A very brisk and energetic first couple of pages set the tone for the performance. But when he had to gently caress a luscious melody, he had no problem with that either. The orchestra seemed very responsive to his approach. (Fashion note: He conducted in a very fetching transparent white puffy shirt, which became even more transparent in the upglow from the conductors brightly lighted score desk. This gave us an opportunity to take in he outlines of his shapely arms, shoulders and upper body. It was a bit distracting, but I heard only positive remarks in that area.)

I was not too keen on Violeta Urmana‘s previous Ariadnes, but although I found her voice a bit hard-edged, I liked her performance yesterday. She has a bright and incisive sound, good diction, and fine stage presence. She has a great stage face, and was very expressive and responsive (and funny when called to be). We’ve had some very good Ariadnes since it was first done here in 1963. Rysanek, Della Casa, Price, Norman, Caballe, Johanna Meier. And most recently the superb Voigt and Stemme. Not bad. Urmana might not be the best, but she is quite fine in the role in many ways.

Kathleen Kim, I remain a bit unsure of. When did Zerbinetta become so cutesy ? I know I’ve seen others take that approach in recent years, and it’s not hard to see why. It seems to me that Damrau and Dessay brought much more sophistication to the part, and a good bit more real musical insight. Vocally I found Kim to be all to frequently “not enough,” and then forcing to make up for it. She’s talented, and the role is a bitch. And I know a Gruberova doesn’t come along every day. But her performance does not quite come together for me.

I liked Robert Dean Smith a lot. He and Urmana worked very well together in the duet, and it seemed much less of an anticlimax than it can. And much less bloated than it is often accused of being. Actually, from my very good (free) seat, I found the end very moving.

I expect that Joyce DiDonato will cause a sensation as the Composer. Her voice is wonderful, her musicality very impressive. Her acting, movement and facial expressions were perfectly calibrated. I have heard her speak a few times, and she is clearly very intelligent and sensitive. I look forward to enjoying her work many more times in the next few years. She is brilliant.

I still miss Theodore Upmann as Harlekin. (That’s how love is.)