Here’s our beloved Juan Diego Flórez last week, continuing his voyage into heavier repertoire as the titular love-sick teenager in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette, a role he previously sang only three times in 2014 in his hometown of Lima. 

Is this the right path for him?  What will his announced Werther be like?  Did anyone hear his Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoor?  Talk amongst yourselves.

New to me is the luscious soprano of Latvian Marina Rebeka as Juliette, who had before sung only a handful of performances in Wien.  Also a Met Donna Anna, Violetta (roles she also debuts in Wien this season), and Musetta, no soubrette she.  Did anyone hear her?

Official Top Ten Barihunk Gabriel Bermudez is Mercutio.  Do have a look at his online photos (including a video clip of a full frontal nude shower scene) if you haven’t already bookmarked it.  Despite the brevity of the role, it sounds like he can sing, too!

Charles Gounod: Roméo et Juliette

Wiener Staatsoper
Marco Armiliato, conductor
01 March 2016

Juliette – Marina Rebeka
Roméo – Juan Diego Flórez
Frère Laurent – Alexandru Moisiuc
Mercutio – Gabriel Bermudez
Stéphano – Rachel Frenkel
Capulet – Il Hong
Tybalt – Carlos Osuna
Gertrude – Carole Wilson
Le Duc – Viktor Shevchenko
Paris – Mihail Dogorari
Benvolio – Martin Müller
Grégorio – Marcus Pelz