A Grand Night at the Opera

It promised to be a wonderful time at the Metropolitan Opera – and it was. What had been so promising? Well, first, the opera was “Don Pasquale,” Donizetti’s fabulous farce about an old man who contrives to get married, wanting to disinherit his nephew, and … But if you get into the plot of an opera buffa, you get into the weeds.Second, the cast featured two of the most impressive singers going: Anna Netrebko, the hot stuff Russian soprano, and Juan Diego Florez, the young Peruvian who is king of bel canto tenors (current ones).And third, this was to be the Met swan song of Otto Schenk, the great Austrian director who is responsible for some of the company’s best productions, including its “Ring” cycle. This new “Pasquale” is Mr. Schenk’s 16th show for the Met, and, he has averred, his last.So, Friday night was the kind of night you’re ready to enjoy. How fortunate it was enjoyable.The enjoyment began with the overture, which – as a traditional overture – previews some of the opera’s hit tunes, beginning with the lovely tenor serenade “Com’e gentil.”And starry as Miss Netrebko and Mr. Florez are, neither was better than the bass-baritone singing the title role, the Italian Simone Alaimo. Met audiences heard him earlier this season as Don Magnifico in Rossini’s “Cenerentola,” and he showed then an operatic savvy that returned on Friday night: in spades.Mr. Alaimo made a winner of a Pasquale. The character was buffoonish, of course – consider the genre – but not too buffoonish. Even if a man is ridiculous to the world, he must not be ridiculous to himself, and Don Pasquale is not.What’s more, Mr. Alaimo sang very, very cleanly, and that cleanness applied to his diction, too. And he enjoyed himself – enjoyed himself to the hilt. They all did.Having a delightful time as Norina was Miss Netrebko. When we first saw her, she was lying down, showing off her legs. You can’t blame the director (or her).Then she showed off her singing in the famous set piece “Quel guardo il cavaliere … So anch’io.”Miss Netrebko is not a typical bel canto singer: The voice is a little dark – Slavic – and also a little heavy. Not that I’m asking for a chirpy Norina, mind you; Norinas need not chirp. But Miss Netrebko could have used a bit more flexibility and radiance.Regardless, she sang “Quel guardo …” with skill and style. She sharped, just a little, but she also sang several high Cs that were accurate and free. Indeed, she tossed out high Cs all evening long, and only one was imperfect (sagging).At the end of that set piece, she executed a somersault – yes, a somersault – and showed off her legs again. The audience went nutso. Miss Netrebko did not break character and bow, but she did give a little wave, to shut them up.As the opera progressed, she acted up a storm – maybe too much of a storm. Did you know that Miss Netrebko had so much ham in her? But she was a joy to behold. When things were winding down, she stood on the prompter’s box, to deliver what amounts to the moral of the story. She sang directly to the audience; they were eating out of her hand.Mr. Florez, in the role of Ernesto, was in very fine form. He sang clearly and easily. He has that quick vibrato in the voice – occasionally a little bleat – but one gets used to that. And he can be counted on to evince a beautiful sense of line. Moreover, he was entirely convincing as the youth Ernesto – a bonus.Eating up the role of Dr. Malatesta was the Polish baritone Mariusz Kwiecien. Like other New Yorkers, I’ve heard him in a variety of roles – and in a variety of music – but had never heard him in bel canto. He turns out to be a natural. The voice is ever gorgeous, and he can take it for a ride, through Donizettian passagework. And, boy, did he have fun, playing Malatesta as a slick dude (complete with sunglasses), giving poor Pasquale a headache.The Met’s famed character tenor, Anthony Laciura, served as the Notary. (Isn’t there always a notary in opera?) Mr. Laciura needs only a minute to make a mark on an evening. He entered blowing his nose, loudly – why wouldn’t he?You might ask how Mr. Florez handled that pretty serenade, “Com’e gentil.” Ah: Before the final scene, the Met’s general manager, Joseph Volpe, came out to make an announcement: Mr. Florez had suffered an “allergic attack,” and could not go on. He would be replaced by Barry Banks – who just happens to be one of our finest lyric tenors. At his best, he sings like an angel. And he was at his best late Friday night (about 10:30).Ideally, you would have a single Ernesto, in one performance of “Don Pasquale.” But to hear Juan Diego Florez and Barry Banks in the course of the same show – that’s not such a bad deal.Conducting this affair was Maurizio Benini, who has also been conducting Verdi’s “Luisa Miller” for the Met. James Levine was scheduled to do “Pasquale,” but he injured himself a month ago, causing much sorrow in the opera world (and the symphonic world, and elsewhere). On Friday night, Mr. Benini was competent, and sometimes a cut above that.The orchestra was in fairly good shape. Donizetti provides many solo opportunities, and I will report on how one such opportunity went: In the overture, the French horn was superbly mellifluous.The chorus has a turn, too, when Don Pasquale’s house overflows with workers, hired by the conniving Norina. The Met’s bunch sang spiritedly, even sparklingly.There is something poetic about Otto Schenk’s ending his illustrious run at the Met with a “Don Pasquale.” He began his directorial career with a “Pasquale” – not at the Met, but at the ViennaVolksoper, in 1961. His new production is Schenkian: smart, interesting, and appropriate. This director has often been knocked for his “conservatism”; that often means that he has not ruined an opera with ego and extremism.Sets and costumes are by Rolf Langenfass, and they fill the bill. Don Pasquale’s home is in a pleasant state of neglect – of bachelor not-caring.After the cast and conductors had taken their bows, Mr. Schenk emerged, rather shyly. The audience roared its approval, for this particular production, to be sure, but mainly for several decades of excellence.So, this was a grand night at the opera (though not a night of grand opera). The four principal singers – five, if you count Barry Banks! – could not have had more fun, and if you didn’t have fun with them, you were not meant to attend. This was an experience kissed with Italian sunshine, and sauce.“Don Pasquale” will be performed again tonight, April 7, 11, 15, 18, 21, 25 & 28 at the Metropolitan Opera House.

A Grand Night at the Opera

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