IN REVIEW: Metropolitan Opera – Un Ballo in Maschera

Un Ballo in Maschera
Giuseppe Verdi
-PRODUCTION PHOTOS UNAVALIBLE-

PRINCIPAL CAST
Conductor: Gianandrea Noseda
Amelia: Michèle Crider
Oscar: Kathleen Kim
Ulrica: Stephanie Blythe
Riccardo: Salvatore Licitra
Renato: Dmitri Hvorostovsky
PRODUCTION TEAM
Production: Piero Faggioni
Set Designer: Piero Faggioni
Costume Designer: Piero Faggioni
Lighting Designer: Piero Faggioni
Stage Director: Laurie Feldman, Laurie Feldman

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – (December 29, 2007) This production of Un Ballo in Maschera was the most uneven performance I have seen at the Metropolitan Opera House this season. The casts two heaviest hitters were not the pieces romantic leads, Dmitri Hvorostovsky as Renato nearly stole the show with his smart and complex portrayal of the roll. I found the singing divine. The Russian Baritone’s “Alla vita che t'arride” was wonderful and his “Eri tu” deservingly received the loudest bravos of the night. One thing I never noticed was Hvorostovosky’s loud breathing. It was obnoxious.

The Russian baritone would have taken the night had it not been for Metropolitan Opera Veteran Stephanie Blythe. Her Ulrica was aggressive but didn’t fall into the insane Verdian cliché of the “Gypsy Mezzos”. This Ulrica was a woman in control of her destiny. The singing was unbelievable. When Blythe’s voice joined with those of her cast mates it was hers which was the largest and most attractive. Her lower register shook the gaudy walls of the Metropolitan Opera House.

The evening was a trio of great performers the last of which was young coloratura Kathleen Kim who’s Oscar was enjoyable, bubbly and generally perfect. I would like to see her again soon.

The opera’s romantic leads were performed by less able singers Michèle Crider and Salvatore Licitra. Neither of the two was awful, but both had moments where they were just that. Crider’s voice is very abrasive at times, this is what makes it special and were the voice slightly bigger she would make a great Aida. When the soprano came on stage the voice was a little too sour for my taste. Later she changed my mind with her perfectly phrased “Morrò, ma prima in grazia”. It was old fashioned in all the best ways.

Licitra was a friendly Riccardo and moved well on stage. He was warm commanding as the King of Sweden and I enjoyed it very much. His singing was less warm, the tenor’s top often sounding strained and tired. In his opening aria, “La rivedrà nell'estasi”, the tenor displayed a lack of security as he sang the final cadence of the piece. Any sort of “Bel Cantoesque” phrase sounded awkward and didn’t flow well. In his middle and on less lyric passages Licitra’s voice was good.

The sets were large and opulent. The color blue dominated the stage. It was sort of what you might expect of Ballo, provided the house doesn’t offer it in that ridicules Boston version. I had seen this production before, in a DVD with Aprile Millo (our Goddess Devine) and at times the blocking was exactly the same. Michèle Crider at one point did a whole aria that was just like that of Millo…not vocally.

Gianandrea Noseda nearly lost control of the orchestra a several times. Had it not been for the trio of great singers the evening would have been a waste.