The program for Lucia states that "to artists of the Romantic era, [Scotland] signified a wild landscape on the fringe of Europe, with a culture burdened by a French-derived code of chivalry and an ancient tribal system." (I assume they are referring to the clan system; my own clan, the Campbells, has the double disadvantage of a lackluster tartan and the ancient hatred of the other clans for cooperation with the English.) The wildness of the landscape (real or imagined) suits the heroine's descent into madness. You could even say she gets unmoored on the moors.
The second intermission was quite long, and some of my fellow nose-bleeders up in Family Circle got a bit restive. Eventually, a suit came out on stage and announced that, due to sickness (slight pause for a moment of horror), one of the male stars would not be able to continue but an understudy would replace him.
All the reviews praise Natalie Dessay in the title role, and she was really good. But that didn't stop some folks in the elevator with us after the show from comparing her unfavorably to Joan Sutherland who (they said) owned the role. I can't say who was better, since I never saw Ms. Suhterland's performance, but the program notes support the claim of Ms. Sutherland's "total identification with Donizetti's ethereal music." It was apparently her break-out role, which made her a star, and she played Lucia in "37 performances from ... 1961 until 1982."
My next opera, by coincidence, is also set in Scotland - Verdi's Macbeth.
It was a good day for rollerblading along the Hudson, although I got a late start and only skated up to 15th Street and then back down again. The Empire Strikes Back in rose-gold.
It seems like there's always something new on the Hudson River Bike Path. For instance, I didn't remember seeing this fountain before:
As usual, the sun set over New Jersey.
Finally, in honor of "Target First Saturdays", here is a glimpse of the Brooklyn Museum from in front of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden:
2 comments:
Get your facts right. Mr Giordani
did not cancel any part of that Lucia
performance. The baritone did indeed
have to withdraw from the eve... I
suggest in the future, that you indeed should actually attend a Met.
performance before you comment on one,or take an Opera 101 class before
you add them to your myths...
Dear Anonymous, I regret the error. I thought I heard the man who was ill identified as Marcello Giordani, and from the nose-bleed seats it looked to me like Edgardo was the changeling. If it's any consolation, I did a number of google searches to try to check my facts before posting, but found no mention of anyone who had to withdraw from Act III of the Friday October 5th performance. I appreciate the correction, if not the bile accompanying it.
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