Don Carlo is one of my favourite operas, and for me while problematic one of Verdi's best. The story may have an inconclusive ending, though thinking back Verdi may have intended to have the theme of irresolution, but it is still very complex and compelling, the characters are wonderfully defined particularly Phillip and of course the music being Verdi is magnificent.
This 2010 Met production doesn't quite make me forget the 1984 production with Domingo, Freni and Ghiaurov, the 1980 Met telecast with Milnes, Scotto, Troyanos and Plishka, the 1996 performance with Alagna, Hampson and Van Dam or even the 1972 Met performance available on audio CD with Caballe(unforgettable in the final act) and Siepi.
However, saying that, of the four productions I've seen in the past three weeks- one from 2004 with Villazon and Lloyd which I liked if more musically than visually, one from 2005 which is the only Don Carlo that didn't work for me, the recent ROH performance with pretty much the same cast as here except with Villazon as Carlo rather than Alagna and Ganassi instead of Smirnova as Eboli and this- this is the best one.
The costumes and sets are as expected pleasing, with the Fontainbleau scene and Phillip's cavernous study the most effective for sets and for costumes Marina Poplavskaya looked radiant in the final act. They are helped by the lighting which is does wonderfully in enhancing the impact of each scene, for example very foreboding in the Grand Inquisitor scene, and also the picture quality and video directing show skill and care.
Don Carlo's music is of sheer magnificence throughout, my favourites being Dio Che Nell'Alma Infondere, A Mezzanotte, the duet between Rodrigo and Phillip(where Rodrigo literally likens Phillip to a tyrant and Phillip tells him to beware of the Grand Inquisitor), Ella Giammai M'ammo, the Grand Inquisitor scene(a terrifying clash of the titans moment), O Don Fatale, O Carlo Ascolta and Tu Che Le Vanita. This score is performed by a superb orchestra and conducted with finesse.
Nicholas Hytner's direction is to be credited. Not just the staging, the most interesting being Phillip cradling Elisabetta's head after she faints after being accused of adultery, but also the attention to the characters. Phillip is still the complex figure we're familiar with yet given perhaps more depth than I have seen recently, some performances have been made on the one-dimensional side(ie. Miles in the 2005 performance, you could tell even by the costume what sort of character he was) but not here, but for me the biggest revelation was Elisabetta, starting out tomboyish but later more vulnerable.
The singing in general is fantastic. Albeit with one disappointment, and that was Eric Halvarson as the Grand Inquisitor. Characterisation-wise, he is very intimidating and even looks imposing. Where I was disappointed with him was how he was vocally. I have heard him sing this role before, and especially the 1996 performance he was much better than this. I wasn't sure whether it was an off-night or whether he was trying to make the character sound older, but he sounded very woolly.
Everyone else was fine, with newcomer Alexei Tarvinotsky making a positive impression as the Friar. Anna Smirnova is a good Eboli. She is a very able if not always elegant actress, and does show some fire.And she is processor of a big voice with good chest voice and penetrating high notes. O Don Fatale is very well sung, but the Veil Song while technically assured was in need of more lightness and had some pitch problems.
Roberto Alagna once again impressed me. I loved him before in La Traviata, Faust and L'Elisir D'Amore, but his Rhadames in Aida was lacking for me. After seeing his Don Carlo, both here and in the 1996 production, my initial opinion of him has returned. I wasn't sure what he would be like 14 years later, but he is still perfect in the role bringing out the complexity and troubles of that demanding character better than expected. Singing is also generally very good, maybe a little strained at first but later on his vocal production is much warmer.
Simon Keenlyside in my view is one of the better baritones working today. While his voice is not as resonant as it when he was doing Papagaeno, Don Giovanni and Valentin occasionally having a somewhat nasal sound to it, having heard and worked in the chorus only recently in Elijah with him as Elijah, I can attest to its power and presence. Vocally here he is great, and his acting is suitably noble and idealistic, while also showing some defiance.
Marina Poplavskaya is excellent as Elisabetta. Hytner did a great job with giving Elisabetta more weight character-wise, not that she did it before it's just that for me out of the main characters she was for me the least interesting, and Poplavskaya embodies what is given to her. And I could ignore any criticisms that her voice is perhaps too small for the role, considering how flute-like it often is, even if the odd high note a little on the pushed side, and the pathos she brings in Tu Che Le Vanita.
Best of all is Ferruccio Furlanetto as King Phillip. I do marginally prefer Furlanetto as the Grand Inquisitor, I shall never forget his performance in the 1984 Met production where he is par with the best as that character alongside Talvela, Hines and Neri. However to me he is one of the better King Phillips I've heard or seen since Ghiaurov(hard act to follow considering with Christoff and Siepi Ghiaurov is one of the 3 definitive basses in this difficult but very interesting role). Here he is outstanding, like Poplavskaya he embodies what the role requires him to do, and he sings with poignancy, menace, intelligence, firmness and musicality.
Overall, not perfect but still wonderful. 9/10 Bethany Cox
This 2010 Met production doesn't quite make me forget the 1984 production with Domingo, Freni and Ghiaurov, the 1980 Met telecast with Milnes, Scotto, Troyanos and Plishka, the 1996 performance with Alagna, Hampson and Van Dam or even the 1972 Met performance available on audio CD with Caballe(unforgettable in the final act) and Siepi.
However, saying that, of the four productions I've seen in the past three weeks- one from 2004 with Villazon and Lloyd which I liked if more musically than visually, one from 2005 which is the only Don Carlo that didn't work for me, the recent ROH performance with pretty much the same cast as here except with Villazon as Carlo rather than Alagna and Ganassi instead of Smirnova as Eboli and this- this is the best one.
The costumes and sets are as expected pleasing, with the Fontainbleau scene and Phillip's cavernous study the most effective for sets and for costumes Marina Poplavskaya looked radiant in the final act. They are helped by the lighting which is does wonderfully in enhancing the impact of each scene, for example very foreboding in the Grand Inquisitor scene, and also the picture quality and video directing show skill and care.
Don Carlo's music is of sheer magnificence throughout, my favourites being Dio Che Nell'Alma Infondere, A Mezzanotte, the duet between Rodrigo and Phillip(where Rodrigo literally likens Phillip to a tyrant and Phillip tells him to beware of the Grand Inquisitor), Ella Giammai M'ammo, the Grand Inquisitor scene(a terrifying clash of the titans moment), O Don Fatale, O Carlo Ascolta and Tu Che Le Vanita. This score is performed by a superb orchestra and conducted with finesse.
Nicholas Hytner's direction is to be credited. Not just the staging, the most interesting being Phillip cradling Elisabetta's head after she faints after being accused of adultery, but also the attention to the characters. Phillip is still the complex figure we're familiar with yet given perhaps more depth than I have seen recently, some performances have been made on the one-dimensional side(ie. Miles in the 2005 performance, you could tell even by the costume what sort of character he was) but not here, but for me the biggest revelation was Elisabetta, starting out tomboyish but later more vulnerable.
The singing in general is fantastic. Albeit with one disappointment, and that was Eric Halvarson as the Grand Inquisitor. Characterisation-wise, he is very intimidating and even looks imposing. Where I was disappointed with him was how he was vocally. I have heard him sing this role before, and especially the 1996 performance he was much better than this. I wasn't sure whether it was an off-night or whether he was trying to make the character sound older, but he sounded very woolly.
Everyone else was fine, with newcomer Alexei Tarvinotsky making a positive impression as the Friar. Anna Smirnova is a good Eboli. She is a very able if not always elegant actress, and does show some fire.And she is processor of a big voice with good chest voice and penetrating high notes. O Don Fatale is very well sung, but the Veil Song while technically assured was in need of more lightness and had some pitch problems.
Roberto Alagna once again impressed me. I loved him before in La Traviata, Faust and L'Elisir D'Amore, but his Rhadames in Aida was lacking for me. After seeing his Don Carlo, both here and in the 1996 production, my initial opinion of him has returned. I wasn't sure what he would be like 14 years later, but he is still perfect in the role bringing out the complexity and troubles of that demanding character better than expected. Singing is also generally very good, maybe a little strained at first but later on his vocal production is much warmer.
Simon Keenlyside in my view is one of the better baritones working today. While his voice is not as resonant as it when he was doing Papagaeno, Don Giovanni and Valentin occasionally having a somewhat nasal sound to it, having heard and worked in the chorus only recently in Elijah with him as Elijah, I can attest to its power and presence. Vocally here he is great, and his acting is suitably noble and idealistic, while also showing some defiance.
Marina Poplavskaya is excellent as Elisabetta. Hytner did a great job with giving Elisabetta more weight character-wise, not that she did it before it's just that for me out of the main characters she was for me the least interesting, and Poplavskaya embodies what is given to her. And I could ignore any criticisms that her voice is perhaps too small for the role, considering how flute-like it often is, even if the odd high note a little on the pushed side, and the pathos she brings in Tu Che Le Vanita.
Best of all is Ferruccio Furlanetto as King Phillip. I do marginally prefer Furlanetto as the Grand Inquisitor, I shall never forget his performance in the 1984 Met production where he is par with the best as that character alongside Talvela, Hines and Neri. However to me he is one of the better King Phillips I've heard or seen since Ghiaurov(hard act to follow considering with Christoff and Siepi Ghiaurov is one of the 3 definitive basses in this difficult but very interesting role). Here he is outstanding, like Poplavskaya he embodies what the role requires him to do, and he sings with poignancy, menace, intelligence, firmness and musicality.
Overall, not perfect but still wonderful. 9/10 Bethany Cox
